Role of Support Groups in Disenfranchised grief
Researchers are generally optimistic about the role of support groups in reducing the impact of disenfranchised grief and found that membership improved the health of patients (Näppä et al . , 2016). Support groups are usually led by a specialist who offers support and assistance to participants who are already affected by traumatic events of loss. Support groups can be used, along with personal grief counselling. During a period of grief, added encouragement from people experiencing either similar or adverse losses is valuable. Also, the exchange of emotions and ideas is helpful. Members usually encounter people who share a common situation and provide empathy, emotional support, and first-hand experience.
Support groups also inform the participants about the grievance process. The grief cycle awareness helps the individual to grasp the critical stages of grievance from denial to acceptance. Through this knowledge, the bereaved can realize that at various periods, different people experience different phases. By knowing this, optimism is instilled by seeing others further along in the healing process and performing and coping well (Näppä et al., 2016). Interaction with these individuals who share real-life knowledge helps patients to benefit from the feedback from other people. Through this, a bond is formed. Such relationships allow patients to overcome the sense of alienation that they feel in our shame-based society.
Finally, social support groups foresee and train participants for potential loss-related challenges. Through the exchange of thoughts, the patient learns different coping strategies and practices. Additionally, the patient is adequately prepared to deal with any potential loss-related problems with the aid of a therapist who is highly trained in helping others cope with their grief (Boss et al. 2017). With this knowledge, the bereaved can support others by encouraging them to share their many thoughts and feelings about grief in a way that allows them to be compassionate towards others.
References
Harandi, T., Taghinasab, M., & Nayeri, T. (2017). The correlation of social support with mental health: A meta-analysis. Electronic Physician, 9(9), 5212-5222. doi: 10.19082/5212
Näppä, U., Lundgren, A., & Axelsson, B. (2016). The effect of bereavement groups on grief, anxiety, and depression – a controlled, prospective intervention study. BMC Palliative Care, 15(1). doi: 10.1186/s12904-016-0129-0