Monday, April 30, 2012

Nightmares and Bad Dreams in Grief

Image from Wikipedia
[Reviewed and updated November 7, 2023]

A reader writes:  It's now been six months since my mother died. In many ways it seems like worlds and eons since then, but in some ways not at all. I really miss her and talking to her every few days, as was our old routine.  The problem I’m having is that I dream about her almost every night.  It's never the same scenario, except that she's always sick, like she was toward the end. Sometimes I wake up crying. This has been going on for pretty much the entire time since she died. Is this normal???  I think of her from time to time during the day, but not obsessively so. I'm able to function pretty well. So I'm wondering if this is normal and how much other people have a similar experience.

My response: Yes, my dear, this is normal, especially now, when you are around six months into your grief. This is the time when all the initial shock and denial have fallen away, and you are confronted with the brutal and painful reality that your mother really and truly is dead and not coming back – at least not in the ways you've always known her.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Caregiving and Hospice, April 22 - April 28, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:
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Understanding and Managing Grief, April 22 - April 28, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:
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Coping with Pet Loss, April 23 - April 28, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:
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Sunday, April 22, 2012

National College Student Grief Awareness Week, April 22-28, 2012

As noted in an earlier post, the National Students of AMF Support Network is dedicated to supporting college students coping with the illness or death of a loved one, and empowering all college students to fight back against terminal illness. To accomplish its mission, the organization helps students start local chapters nationwide.

With one-third to one-half of all college students grieving the illness or death of a loved one, Dr. Robert Neimeyer has called college student bereavement a “silent epidemic” that can have profound negative effects academically, socially, and developmentally. It is this organization's vision that every college student feels supported in times of grief, so a whole week has been created to make noise about this issue.

Caregiving and Hospice, April 15 - April 21, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Understanding and Managing Grief, April 15 - April 21, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Coping with Pet Loss, April 15 - April 21, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Monday, April 16, 2012

A Rally for Our Loved Ones and Ourselves

In honor of National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD), April 16, I’m taking a break from blogging this week and spending my writing time with my loved ones.  I hope that this guest post, by Nathan Kottkamp, Founder and Chair of NHDD, will inspire you to think about the conversations we all should be having with our own loved ones about an uncomfortable but important topic – planning for when we die.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Caregiving and Hospice, April 8 - April 14, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Understanding and Managing Grief, April 8 - April 14, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Coping with Pet Loss, April 8 - April 14, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:
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Monday, April 9, 2012

Using Herbal Supplements in Grief

[Reviewed and updated October 14, 2021]

A teen reader writes: Does anyone take St. Johns wort for depression? I want to know if it works well before I buy it.

My response: I think whenever you’re using or thinking of using any herbal supplement, you are wise to ask questions about it. I also encourage you to discuss this with your own physician or healthcare provider before you make your decision, since that person knows your recent health history and is in the best position to advise you.

Millions of Americans use herbal remedies and other dietary supplements, which are now widely available in retail pharmacies, neighborhood grocery stores and on the Internet. Today, consumers are free to purchase many types of herbs and other supplements, some of which are helpful, some harmful, and some completely useless.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Caregiving and Hospice, April 1 - April 7, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Understanding and Managing Grief, April 1 - April 7, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Coping with Pet Loss, April 1 - April 7, 2012

Best selection from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:
  • Merrimack author writes book about cat’s adoption following pet loss, http://j.mp/Hhit4a
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Monday, April 2, 2012

Caregiving and Hospice, March 25 - March 31, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Understanding and Managing Grief, March 25 - March 31, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Coping with Pet Loss, March 25 - March 31, 2012

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:
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