Sibling grief is one of the most overlooked forms of bereavement. I know this to be true from personal experience as a child. This type of grief is unique and deeply painful, often in ways that others may not fully understand.
A sibling relationship can be one of the longest-standing connections in a person’s life, which makes the loss especially significant. Siblings often share parents, family history, and the memories that help shape our identity. When a sibling dies, it can feel as though part of your own personal story is missing.
Sadly, sibling grief is frequently overlooked. People often focus on the parents of the person who has died or on their spouse, leaving surviving siblings feeling invisible or forgotten.
Sibling relationships can also be complex. Alongside love, there may have been conflict, competition, or unresolved tensions. Grief may bring these mixed emotions to the surface — guilt, regret, longing, and sorrow — alongside the expected feelings of love and loss.
Common emotional responses to sibling bereavement can include anger, guilt (“why them and not me?”), overwhelming sadness, loneliness, numbness, disbelief, anxiety about losing other family members, and a sense of a stolen future together. There may also be a painful awareness of losing someone who shared your history.
In terms of longer-term adjustment, there is much that can help. It is important that sibling grief is recognised and validated as significant in its own right. Remembrance rituals — such as continuing shared traditions — can be meaningful, and many people find support through therapy groups or bereavement counselling.
If you are coping with the loss of a sibling, compassionate professional support can help you process your feelings and begin to rebuild a sense of stability.
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