How do people know they need help with grief?
If the ways they normally use to manage are not helping then people may need to ask themselves the following. Since the death are they:

• Always bad tempered and angry?
• Busy all the time, restless, or unable to keep their mind on what they are doing?
• Afraid of getting too close to other people for fear of losing again?
• Finding that they keep going over and over the same things in their mind?
• Unable to get rid of guilty feelings about what they did or did not do before the person died?
• Feeling numb and alone all the time?
• Often thinking of their own death?
• Doing things that may be harmful to themselves, such as drinking a lot of alcohol, using more drugs, driving without care?
• Having thoughts of suicide?

Where can people go to get help with grief?
Some places to call may include:

• Family members and friends who understand and will listen.
• Others who have gone through the same thing (ask what helped them).
• Religious organizations.
• The social worker or pastoral care worker from the unit or program where the person died.

For a list of places for grief information and support call:

• The Regional Palliative Care Program 735-7834
• The social worker or pastoral care worker from the place where the person died
• Health link 408-5465

FOR THE 24 HOUR DISTRESS LINE IN EDMONTON CALL 482-4357