Half of Brits scared to talk to someone who is grieving

They say one of the hardest things about life is death and there are often no words for the pain felt. Losing someone important is emotionally devastating – whether it’s a family member, close friend or even a beloved pet. And while grief comes to almost everyone who loves someone in the end, why is it so difficult for us to open up about it with one another?

A new survey by SSAFA, the Armed Forces charityshows that over half (56%) of Britons are scared they will say the wrong thing to someone who is grieving while over half (53%) find it uncomfortable or awkward to know what to say to someone who has lost a loved one.

However, it’s not just those who know someone grieving that are lost for words. Those who have experienced loss are also struggling to open up too – with more than a third (36%) admitting to feeling uncomfortable about talking about the death of someone they’ve lost.

Aston spoke to SSAFA counsellor Paulo Pimental and Angela Shaw.