What is unique, and challenging, about the experience of grief for young adults?
Research studies have identified certain characteristics that make the bereavement process particularly challenging for young adults, age 19 through 29, including college students. Here are some of reasons why a young adult might find the bereavement process difficult.
o The death might be the first ever experienced by the young adult. Additionally, a death might be the person’s first real awareness of his or her own mortality.
o The young adult’s previous sense of fairness, safety and security in the world may be shaken.
o The young adult might be living away from home for the first time.
o The loss might be of a parent or other role model, occurring during a significant transition from childhood to adulthood.
o The death might result in emotional loss, as well as loss of practical support from the other parent, who is also grieving and, therefore, unable to provide much support to the young adult.
o The young adult might need to assume responsibilities previously provided by one or both parents, such as financial, housing or transportation.
o Young adults are at a crucial stage in their personal identity formation, as well as developing their skills and confidence in forming adult relationships and intimacy.
o Young adults might be confused by the emotional intensity and potentially conflicting emotions brought on by the death of a significant person in their lives.
o Young adults are at an early stage of defining or re-defining life purpose and life path, values, and spirituality, conceptions which might be altered by a death.
o College students generally experience pressure not to miss classes and might experience difficulty keeping up with studies or employment.
o Young adults might feel internal and external pressure to engage in extracurricular activities, to socialize and to “have fun.”
o Peers may be unsupportive due to their own inexperience and limited understanding of death. Research shows that young adult grievers report that their friends and peers expected their grief period to be shorter and easier than actually experienced.
How can bereaved young adults get the support they need while going through the grief process?
Most counselors and psychotherapists can provide support to a person going through a difficult grief process. Some colleges and universities, hospices, counseling centers and counselors offer bereavement support groups. Some of these groups focus on specific populations, such as those grieving the loss of a parent, or the loss of a spouse. Some groups focus on specific types of losses, such as people grieving the loss of someone through suicide, or through homicide. The benefits of a bereavement group include feeling less alone in one's grief, and the opportunity to give and receive support from others going through similar experiences.
I am offering a bereavement group for young adults, age 19 to 29, who are dealing with the death of an important person in their lives. Individual interviews for the group are beginning now. The group will begin in the fall of 2011 (around mid-October), and will meet on eight consecutive Tuesday evenings, from 6 pm to 7:15 pm. The cost of the group might be covered by some health insurance plans. For more information, please call me at 617-458-9072, or email me at Maxine@transitionstherapist.com.
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