Reach In. Dealing with any personal crisis requires tapping into inner strengths. Access them via affirmations such as these:

* I am courageous.

* I am strong.

* I am confident.

* I can see this through.

* I am able.

* I will find a way.

* I will grow through this.

Reach Out. Find those supportive family members, friends and peers whose presence and comfort can break up some of the sadness and loneliness which comes as a result of loss. Let people into your life. Remember that it's up to you to reach for someone's hand.

Reach Up. Tap into your spiritual side. Turn to a higher power for guidance, help, confidence. Join with others in a faith community for mutual support and encouragement. Maintain spiritual disciplines, such as prayer, meditation, and the study of sacred texts. 

Reach Around. Volunteer somewhere. Be important to someone else. If you're going to thrive, rather than merely survive, it means engaging in acts of service and kindness. Share your experience, talents and life with others who need you and what you have to offer.

Reach for life. Don't give up on yourself and your life. Do whatever it takes to reinvest and recreate yourself. Say "Yes" to your future. Say "Yes, I want my life to go on in a positive way." Of course, it won't be the same as the one you had with your deceased loved one, but a new and meaningful life can be forged.

FAQ's ABOUT GRIEF 

What is grief?

Grief is the emotional, physical and spiritual reaction to a major loss. This pain is a natural after-effect of loss.

What is grieving?

This is the process of adapting and adjusting to the loss. Grief and bereavement are terms used interchangeably. Grieving is highly personal and individualistic. No two people grieve the same way. What helps one person deal with loss may not help another.

What are the symptoms of grieving?

 A wide range of confusing and conflicting emotions may manifest itself, including fear, sadness, anger, depression, guilt, regret, relief, frustration. Sleep disorder is not unusual. Eating habits can change. Some have no appetite at all while others overeat and gain weight.

What is most helpful to the griever?

Two areas can deliver the best aid for someone in grief:

1) Social support. Family and friends who respond with compassion and provide that support over many months;

2) A grief support group. There the griever can be with others who have had a similar experience. The emotional support and exchange of experiences is highly therapeutic.

How long does

grief last?

Dr. George Bonanno, professor of psychology at Columbia University has researched grief extensively. He says: "There are generally three outcome patterns: chronic grief, common grief, and resilience or absent grief. A person with chronic grief is someone who has a dramatic, high level of depression and grief after a loss, and they don't get better for several years. The common grief pattern is usually noted in people who show an elevation of symptoms - depression, distress, difficulty concentrating, etc., and sometime, within a year or two, they return to normal. And the third type, resilience and absent grief, is evident in those who don't show any disruption in their normal functioning. And that last pattern is very common, sometimes up to half the people will show that."