Grief has touched millions of lives at one point or another and many have grieved several times. I know grief well, two of my close friends in high school died, my father died in 1992, my Granny died in 2005 and my Gramp’s in 2010. Everyone grieves differently and there is no time frame regardless of what people say. Who would tell a parent how long to grieve for their child, I would pray that no one is that uneducated. My father commited suicide and I spent seven years grieving yet as much as I loved my Grandparents and as close as we were, I grieved less. Maybe it was because I was a caregiver to both.
The key to grieving is giving yourself the time you need yet not get stuck there. We all have to move forward.
What Is National Grieving Awareness Day About?
This National Grief Awareness Day on August 30 is dedicated to raising awareness of the myriad ways in which individuals cope with loss. It offers resources to those going through personal losses and reminds us to support people we know who are grieving. National Grief Awareness Day, founded by Angie Cartwright in 2014, hopes to encourage open communication on loss and bereavement and better inform the public on the facts of grief.
Grief is one of the oldest and most enduring aspects of the human experience. If you haven’t yet experienced grief, it’s unfortunately likely to happen. The term ‘grief’ encompasses all of the emotions around a loss, and ‘mourning’ is defined as the external expression of the pain. ‘Bereavement’ is another commonly-used term for grief. Throughout human history, there have been many attempts to describe and heal grief, and they have changed significantly over the years.
Due in part to our vastly improved physical and mental healthcare, grief is understood far differently today than even as little as 100 years ago. While we often have the privilege (for some, even the expectation) of only losing our loved ones when they are at a ripe old age, comfortable, and with family nearby, this has rarely been the case throughout history. The lack of modern transportation often separated loved ones, wars ravaged populations, and poor medical and sanitation knowledge led to too many untimely deaths. Throughout history, the deaths of loved ones have been far more common, and grief was understood differently.
Melinda
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NAMI National’s #Vote4MentalHealth Pledge Mental health impacts nearly all aspects of our lives. And at NAMI, we advocate on a wide range of policy priorities, from health care to criminal justice to housing and beyond. No matter the topic, we know that mental health matters. Your vote in the upcoming elections matters, too. Every elected official – from the president and Congress to county commissioners and city councilmembers – has influence on issues impacting people affected by mental health conditions. That’s why it’s so important to understand how voting impacts mental health. Take the first step: click the following link to 
Public Policy Platform Development Input Our 2025-2026 Public Policy Platform surveys have concluded. Thank you much for your time and input on these important matters! We could not do this work without all of you. Stay tuned for our Public Policy Platform which will be published in the fall. Breaking Barriers, Busting Stigma: An Infographic Series NAMI Texas Policy Fellow, Hannah Gill, will be creating a series of infographics highlighting barriers that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) face. The following graphic is the fifth in the series.
NAMI Texas Conference: Celebrating 40 Years of Hope and HealingEvery year, NAMI Texas hosts an Annual Conference and Awards Celebration. These events bring together individuals living with mental illness, family members, professionals, and the general public to highlight the latest updates in the mental health field, exchange information, and celebrate the year’s successes. With exciting keynotes, informative workshops, a lively exhibit hall, Continuing Education Credit, networking opportunities, and special surprises, the Conference has something for everyone. This year, we are celebrating 40 Years of Hope and Healing. We could not be more excited to be bringing the Conference to West Texas. All Conference events will be held in the heart of bustling downtown El Paso, primarily in the beautiful El Paso Convention Center. There are many nonstop flights to El Paso from major Texas airports. The local Affiliate in the area, NAMI El Paso, is eager to welcome Texans from across the state. We hope you will join us in November for this extra special celebration! Ticket sales are live! As a thank you to our supporters for helping NAMI Texas have a successful Mental Health Awareness Month, there is a special sale on tickets through June 30th. Buy now to get the best possible deal on tickets! Check out this 
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