November is Worldwide Bereaved Siblings Month

November is Worldwide Bereaved Siblings Month so during the month of November please 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. 

Siblings suffer tremendously 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. Often times the surviving siblings often feel guilt, abandonment, loss of innocence, family dysfunction, somatic symptoms, fear and anxiety when their brother or sister dies.

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. Losing a family member, especially a sibling too young, is a pain that will never go away.