WORLDWIDE BEREAVED SIBLINGS MONTH
Worldwide Bereaved Siblings Month is an annual designation observed in November. During this month, we encourage you to reach out to someone you know who has lost a brother or sister. Losing a sibling causes pain that nobody can even begin to imagine unless it’s something they have gone through themselves. Many say that sibling grief has been overlooked in literature on bereavement. People tend to console the parents, friends, and children (if any) of the person who died before thinking about their siblings. Some studies show this is because when someone passes away, their siblings generally try to take the reigns on funeral planning and making sure everyone else in the family is doing okay.
Siblings suffer a great deal when they lose one another, especially if they die too young. But, many people who have lost a brother or sister say they have felt “trumped” by the grief of other family members, since the focus is usually on the parents, surviving spouse, and children of the deceased. Surviving siblings often feel guilt, abandonment, loss of innocence, fallout from the family, somatic symptoms, fear, and anxiety when their brother or sister dies.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Use #BereavedSiblingsMonth to post on social media. This November, reach out to anyone you know that has lost a sibling… Even if it was years ago. Let them know you’re thinking about them and how sorry you are for their loss. Chances are, they will be eternally grateful that you did. Losing a family member, especially a sibling too young, is a pain that will never go away. Time will help to heal, but the scar will always remain.
HISTORY
In our research, we were unable to find the creator of Worldwide Bereaved Siblings Month.
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