Online Grief Support Group

There are several dozen legitimate online grief support groups available to help people understand and cope with the loss of a loved one. However, for those quickly and unexpectedly thrown into to the pit of grief, looking on the Internet for support is one of the hardest steps to take.

The death of a loved one can render a person's ability to function normal, unable or unwilling to join a grief support group. Many newly bereaved persons are lucky if they can perform everyday activities such as:

• Getting out of bed in the morning
• Completing simple household duties
• Tending to personal hygiene
• Preparing and eating meals
• Sleeping on a normal schedule
• Going to school or work

You cannot put a time on how long you grieve. Some people take years to come to terms with the death of a loved one, while others only need a few weeks. How long someone grieves depends on the relationship they had with the deceased. Documentation supports that bereaved individuals go through five stages of grief before they truly begin to feel better. Those stages are:

• Denial: Deny not only the fact that the person died, but also any responsibility surrounding the death
• Anger: Claim that the death should not have happened; placing blame on why he or she died
• Bargaining: Negotiating with others about the person who died
• Depression: State of extreme sadness; can not function in normal situations
• Acceptance: Finally accepting the death and establishing a new normal life

Whatever stage of the bereavement process you are in, you can always seek online support. Many choose this style of therapy because grieving about their loved ones happens from the privacy of their own homes. Most of these groups are founded by those who have lost a loved one or who have done extensive research about bereavement support. Online support groups offer individuals:

• A chance to share their grief with others who went through the same situation
• Information about memorials and funerals
• A place to talk about their loved ones without feeling unwelcomed or uncomfortable
• A safe place to post poetry, photographs, journals or articles about the person who died
• The ability to remain anonymous
• An opportunity to meet locals who can offer support; many times people who meet online and live in the same area often get together.
• A secure place to share joys, sorrows and memories about the one who died
• The chance to feel a less lonely in your grief
• A place to learn coping skills, stress management techniques and ways to relax
• An all-around sounding board

Just as there are dangers to online dating or social networking, there are risks to joining an online grief support. Visitors to these sites should heed the following warnings:

• Never give out personal information to anyone. This includes your full name, address, phone number, computer or online passwords, credit card or bank information or other identifying factors.
• Make sure the group you join is a secure private website. Registration should be required and approved.
• Legitimate groups will not ask for a registration fee; many will take donations since they are non-profit organizations, but it is not mandated.
• Do not believe everything you read. It's hard to believe that scam artists invade personal and emotional sites such as this, but they do.
• Report suspicious behaviors to the group's moderator or website owner
• Be careful what you post. If you are unsure about the website, don't post photographs of your loved one. It is very easy to steal someone's picture on the Internet.

Online grief support groups break into two categories: Those that offer support for a specific loss, such as the death of a child, or sites that give general information and assistance about all types of death and dying issues. Choosing the right one depends on what you are looking for in a group.

The following is a list of online support groups that deal with a particular loss:

• The MISS Foundation, loss of a child at any age
• The Compassionate Friends, loss of a child
• Sharing Parents, pregnancy and infant loss
• First Candle, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and stillbirth
• Alliance of Grandparents, A Support in Tragedy, grandparents mourning the loss of their grandchildren
• A Little Hope, children who have lost a parent
• The Alcove, children who have lost a loved one
• Gold Star Family, loss of a soldier

Here are some of the websites that offer support for the loss of all loved ones:

• GriefNet
• GriefShare
• GROWW
• Daily Strength

Support groups, whether they are online or in-person do not and cannot resolve a person's grief. Nothing can do that, because in one way or another, that grief will always be present. However, the person who received the support can now learn to lead a new normal life, knowing that it's okay to be happy again.

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• Books on Grief for a Stillborn Child
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• Free Funeral Program Template
• Sample Funeral Program
• Poems Related to Grief
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• Poem about Death of a Dog

• Kubler Ross Stages of Grief
• Coping with Grief During the Holiday Season