Mental Health Awareness Week: Taking Action When Someone Is Grieving
Mental Health Awareness Week is a yearly campaign held each May which encourages open conversations around mental health and challenges the stigma that can sometimes prevent people from reaching out for support. The week also promotes the importance of taking positive action to support emotional wellbeing — both for ourselves and for others. When we are grieving, looking after our mental health becomes especially important. Grief can affect every part of a person’s emotional and physical wellbeing, often leaving people feeling overwhelmed, anxious, exhausted or isolated. During this week, it can be a gentle reminder that seeking support, talking openly, resting when needed and allowing ourselves compassion through grief are not signs of weakness, but important acts of care and healing.
This year, Mental Health Awareness Week focuses on taking action. And perhaps one of the most important actions we can take is learning how to gently support someone who is grieving.
Grief changes people.
It can affect how they think, sleep, cope, function, socialise, work, eat and even how safe they feel in the world. Understanding this matters.
Immediately After a Loss
In the first hours and days after a bereavement, many people describe feeling numb, shocked or detached from reality.
Some people cry constantly. Others cannot cry at all.
Many people experience:
- difficulty sleeping
- panic or heightened anxiety
- confusion and forgetfulness
- loss of appetite
- physical exhaustion
- difficulty concentrating
- emotional overwhelm
- feelings of disbelief
The brain is trying to process something life-changing and painful.
Even everyday tasks can suddenly feel impossible.
People may appear “fine” outwardly whilst internally feeling as though their world has shattered.
This early stage of grief can feel frightening, isolating and lonely.
After the Funeral
One of the hardest parts of grief often begins after the funeral.
The cards stop arriving.
The phone becomes quieter.
People return to work and daily life.
Yet for the bereaved person, the reality of the loss is often only just beginning to sink in.
This is the stage where many people can feel:
- deeply lonely
- emotionally flat or numb
- anxious
- angry
- disconnected from others
- lost without routine or purpose
- unsupported because everyone else seems to have “moved on”
Some people begin questioning themselves:
“Should I be coping better than this?”
Others may feel guilty for moments of laughter, relief or normality.
Grief is not linear.
There is no neat timeline.
A person may feel stable one day and overwhelmed the next.
The Longer-Term Impact of Grief on Mental Health
Over time, grief can continue to affect mental health in quieter but very powerful ways.
A bereaved person may struggle with:
- ongoing anxiety
- depression or low mood
- loss of confidence
- health anxiety
- disrupted sleep
- withdrawal from social activities
- fear of more loss
- difficulty finding joy
- changes in identity and purpose
Some people become exhausted from “holding it together.”
Others stay busy constantly because silence feels too painful.
Anniversaries, birthdays, songs, places and ordinary moments can trigger intense waves of emotion even years later.
And sometimes grief is not only about missing the person.
It can also be grief for:
- the future that has changed
- family traditions
- security
- identity
- companionship
- routine
- the person they used to be before the loss
What Action Can We Take to Support Someone Who Is Grieving?
Many people want to help but worry about saying the wrong thing.
The truth is, grief rarely needs fixing.
What people often need most is presence, patience and kindness.
Simple actions can make an enormous difference.
Check In — Even Months Later
Support often disappears after the funeral.
One small message saying:
“I was thinking of you today.” can remind someone they are not alone.
Listen Without Trying to Fix
You do not need perfect words.
Often the greatest support is simply allowing someone to talk openly about the person they have lost without changing the subject or trying to “cheer them up.”
Speak Their Loved One’s Name
Many bereaved people fear their loved one will be forgotten.
Sharing a memory or simply saying their name can feel deeply comforting.
Offer Practical Support
Grief can make ordinary tasks overwhelming.
Practical help matters:
- dropping off a meal
- helping with shopping
- walking the dog
- offering lifts
- sitting with them for a coffee
Small acts become meaningful acts of care.
Understand That Grief Has No Timeline
Avoid phrases such as:
- “You should be moving on now.”
- “At least they lived a long life.”
- “Everything happens for a reason.”
Even well-meaning comments can unintentionally minimise pain.
Grief does not work to a schedule.
Encourage Gentle Support
Sometimes people need additional support beyond family and friends.
This may include:
- bereavement counselling
- grief support groups
- talking therapies
- mindfulness or relaxation support
- simply having a safe space where they can speak honestly without judgement
Reaching out for support is not weakness.
It is a healthy action.
Taking Action This Mental Health Awareness Week
If someone you know is grieving, you do not need to have all the answers.
The action may simply be:
- sending the message
- making the call
- inviting them for a walk
- listening without judgement
- remembering an anniversary
- sitting beside them in silence
Grief can feel incredibly lonely.
But compassionate human connection can make that loneliness feel a little lighter.
At Evolve Talking Therapies, I offer gentle, supportive space for people experiencing grief, bereavement and loss in all its forms.
Sometimes people do not need to be “fixed.”
They simply need to feel heard, understood and gently supported whilst they find their way through.