Grieving in America (NAPSA)—Those who cope with death in America sometimes face additional stress from a culture not attuned to grief. A new grief-management series from a network of funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers discusses common problemsfor the bereaved in America: * Expressing grief is sometimes taboo. The newly bereaved are encouraged to “carry on” or “keep their chins up.” The best course of action, though, can be to slow down and embrace feelings of loss, as well as seek and accept support. * The strong emotions associated with grief may be misinterpreted as indicators of mental instability, with some newly bereaved thinking they are “losing their minds.” Grief is a healthy reaction to loss, not an illness or disease. It may be an unusual experience, but it is not abnormal. * There’s also a tendency to believe that bereaved persons will react to loss in the same way. Grief is an individual experience. There’s a spectrum of coping styles, ranging from feeling and expressing emotion to focusing on practical matters and problem-solving. Additional information about the 12-topic grief-management series from the Dignity Memorial service network is available on the Web at www.dignitymemorial.com. For free material from the series, call 1-800-9-CARING.
