By Jennifer Dylan

‘To err is human’ acknowledges that despite doing the best one can, that heartbreak and missteps are a normal part of life. Yet the very normal, if not unavoidable, parts of being human—loss, regret, and trauma—grief of all kinds, are also uncomfortable to both experience and to witness. We broadly understand that healing requires connection and support. Yet we feel discomfort when face to face with grief. We are conditioned to redirect or to look the other way.

The net result of this is that folks who need support are left isolated. If we all—at different points in our lives—face grief, the idea that we are then left to our own resources to figure our way out is a prescription for a society of very unhappy and unrealized humans.

And when grief comes to a child—a lack of healthy grieving can have lifelong, negative impacts. Our societal inability to grieve harms us all. Turns out, the internet can help with this…

While online grief work is not a replacement for skilled mental health care, it can be a crucial step towards accessing care. At the very least, it provides what a person (adults and children) may not be able to find in their personal lives—a safe space to process emotions and connection with others experiencing similar losses.

  • Online grief work offers increased access to support, especially for those in remote areas or facing physical barriers to attending in-person support groups.
  • The internet enables individuals to connect with a global community of people who understand their experiences, reducing feelings of isolation.
  • Online platforms provide opportunities to express and process emotions related to grief, such as sharing stories, memories, and condolences.
  • Public displays of grief online can help normalize grief responses and decrease the stigma surrounding death and loss.
  • Social media and online forums can foster a sense of community and shared experience, allowing individuals to support each other and navigate their grief together.
  • Many websites offer information on coping with grief, accessing professional help, and finding relevant resources.
  • Online bereavement support can provide access to information on adaptive coping strategies, such as healthy emotional processing, and help individuals make meaning out of their loss.

Online Griefwork Resources:

CONVERSATION STARTERS:

  • If you are helping a child process grief (their own or something they witnessed), start by asking open-ended questions like “What do you know about what happened?” or “How have you been feeling?”
  • Encourage them to share their thoughts, memories and feelings without judgement and validate their emotions.
  • Ask your child if a friend has ever shared their hurt or sadness online and how it made them feel, seeing a friend hurt.
  • Start a conversation about the ways we can be kind online, how to be supportive and when to ask for help from an adult.
  • Get curious about the positive ways para-social online relationships help young people. Ask your child if they or a friend have an online supportive community.
  • Ask your child if they or their friends learn about mental health online and if they use any technology resources (including podcasts) to help with mental health. Start to share resources and keep the conversation going!

LEARN MORE:

Savvy Cyber Kids educates and empowers digital citizens, from parents and grandparents, to teachers and students. Sign up for our free resources to help you navigate today’s digital world with cyber ethics. See more cyber safety and cyber ethics blogs produced exclusively for EarthLink. Looking for a social media parental control? Try a 30-day free trial of Bark. If you sign up after your trial, Bark donates 25% of your monthly fee to Savvy Cyber Kids.

Thank you to the Savvy Cyber Kid’s sponsors!

Interested in becoming a Savvy Cyber Kids sponsor? Email Ben Halpert.