National Grief Awareness Day: why we need to talk about grief

Mental Health

Aug 5

Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA

It can feel hard to talk about grief, but National Grief Awareness Day is changing the conversation. Learn more about the day and 9 tips to support yourself or others.

Grief is one of the hardest things to talk about. Many of us are so afraid of saying the wrong thing to someone navigating loss that we often say nothing at all. And while that might avoid some momentary discomfort, the silence can cause someone who’s grieving to feel even more alone.

On the other hand, when you’re the one grieving, there are so many reasons why you might shy away from the subject. You might worry about being a burden on others, or you might not know how to express your feelings.

National Grief Awareness Day exists to break that silence. Observed every August 30, it's a day for talking openly about loss, supporting people who are grieving, and challenging some of the barriers that make grief so hard to talk about.

Grief touches nearly everyone at some point, yet most of us were never taught how to navigate it, or how to show up for the people we love when they’re dealing with loss. Whether you’re grieving or supporting someone who is, here’s how you can move through it with a little more ease.

What (and when) is National Grief Awareness Day?

National Grief Awareness Day falls on August 30 each year. It was founded in 2014 by Angie Cartwright, a grief advocate who created the day after living through a series of devastating losses, including her sister, husband, and mother.

Angie noticed how quickly people around her expected her to move on, and how little room there was to talk honestly about what she was going through. She founded the day to change that, giving grief—and the many forms it can take—a place in public conversation.

The day normalizes grief, points people toward support, and reminds us all to check in on those who are carrying a loss — no matter how much time has passed.

Why grief can be so hard to talk about

Grief is one of the most universal human experiences, yet few of us know how to talk about it. Here's what gets in the way.

Cultural pressure to bounce back: After the funeral and the condolence cards, the world expects you to return to normal. So you might hide your grief to avoid making others uncomfortable, which can leave you feeling more alone in it.

Fear of saying the wrong thing: When you're hurting, the people around you may stay silent out of fear of saying the wrong thing. That silence can read as not caring, which only adds to the distance.

Grief can be invisible: It may not look like sadness from the outside. Sometimes it shows up as irritability, exhaustion, trouble focusing, or going through the motions at work. When your grief doesn’t match what people expect it to look like, it’s easy to miss.

What grief actually is (and why it doesn't follow a straight line)

Grief happens when you lose something or someone that mattered to you. Most people connect it to death, but grief shows up around many kinds of loss — a divorce or breakup, a job, a diagnosis, a move, a miscarriage, or watching a loved one change because of illness. These quieter losses are sometimes called “disenfranchised grief.” It’s the kind of grief that others don't always recognize or take seriously, which can make it even harder to process.

Grief doesn't always move in a tidy sequence, either. You've probably heard of the five stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—first described by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, MD, a psychiatrist. She based them on terminally-ill patients facing their own deaths, not people grieving a loss. In her later book On Grief and Grieving, she clarified that the stages were never meant as a fixed sequence that everyone moves through in order.

In reality, you might loop back to an earlier stage, skip one entirely, or feel several at once. Grief may come in waves, easing for a while and then returning without warning. Sometimes it's sparked by an anniversary or a subtle reminder like an empty chair at the holiday table.

What grief can look like

Grief doesn't just live in your heart. It can show up in your body and behavior too, sometimes in ways that catch you off guard.

Physical signs

Deep fatigue or low energy
Trouble sleeping, or sleeping much more than usual
Appetite changes
A heavy or tight feeling in the chest
Headaches, stomach trouble, or muscle aches
Getting sick more easily (your immune system can take a hit)

Research has found that the weeks right after a major loss can carry a higher risk of cardiovascular events, particularly for older adults or those with existing heart conditions. It’s part of why rest and self-care matter so much during a time when they're easy to forget.

Emotional signs

Shock or disbelief
Anger or irritability
Anxiety
Numbness
Guilt
Even relief, especially after a long illness

These emotions can shift fast enough to feel disorienting. None of it means you're grieving wrong.

Behavioral signs

Pulling away from friends or social plans
Losing interest in activities you used to enjoy
Trouble concentrating on simple tasks
Restlessness, or staying busy to outrun the feelings underneath
Small decisions suddenly feeling impossible
Reaching out of habit to call or text them, or avoiding reminders of them

These shifts are a normal part of grief early on. But if they linger or start to get in the way of daily life, it may be worth talking to a doctor or mental health provider.

How to talk about grief and loss: 5 tips for supporting someone you love

Showing up for someone who’s grieving can feel daunting. These tips can help you find your footing. Pick the ones that fit the relationship and the moment, and adjust as you go.

1. Name the loss out loud

Avoiding the person's name, or words like "died," can make grief feel like something everyone’s tiptoeing around. Saying "I've been thinking about your dad lately" lets them know you remember, and that it’s safe to bring up.

Grieving people may worry that everyone else has forgotten the person they lost, so hearing that name out loud can be a quiet relief.

2. Be present without trying to fix it

Most grieving people aren't looking for advice or silver linings — they just want company. You don't need the perfect words, and searching for the right thing to say can make support harder than it needs to be. "I don't know what to say, but I'm here" might be all they need to hear.

💙 Practice Holding Space for your loved one as they navigate their difficult feelings in this session from the Relationship With Others series on Calm.

3. Show up with a specific offer instead of an open invitation

"Let me know if you need anything" puts the decision back onto the grieving person, who may not have the mental capacity to figure out what they need. A specific offer is easier to decide on, and that thoughtfulness goes a long way.

Try offering one small, concrete gesture. "I'm dropping off dinner Thursday, is six okay?" or "I'm free Saturday to help with errands or just sit with you, which sounds better?"

4. Ask what kind of support they need

Everyone grieves differently. Some want to talk about the person for hours, while others want distraction. And some just want to be left alone for a bit.

"Do you want to talk about it, or would you rather take your mind off things?" gives them a bit of control during a time when loss has taken so much of it away. Then follow their lead, even if it changes day-to-day.

💙 Learn the art of Supportive Listening with Jay Shetty on Calm so you can follow their lead when they need you most.

5. Don’t put a timeline on their grief

Grief has no set timeline, and it can return years later around birthdays, holidays, or seemingly out of nowhere.

Comments like "it's been a year, are you still feeling that way?" can be hurtful, even when they come from a place of care. They can make the person grieving feel like they should be over it and want to hide the fact that they're not.

How to support yourself through grief: 4 ways to talk about and navigate loss

Talking about loss can stir up a lot of complicated feelings. You might worry about burdening people or dampening the mood, so you keep it to yourself. But naming even a piece of what you’re carrying can ease some of that weight. Here are some ways to give your grief a voice.

Give yourself permission to talk about those you’ve lost

When others go quiet or steer around the subject, you might feel like you have to do the same. But you don't have to shrink your grief for others’ sake. Their silence often isn't discomfort — it may just be that they don't know what to say.

If you bring up a lost loved one in an ordinary way, like telling a story or laughing about something they did, it can be a gentle way to keep them close.

Tell people what kind of support you need

Many people may want to support you, without knowing how. It’s okay to ask for what you need. Something like “Can we talk about it today?" or "I'd rather just have company" lets those around you know how they can help.

Let go of any timeline for grief

Just when it feels like you've moved through it, grief can resurface — around birthdays or holidays, or years later, seemingly out of nowhere. That means you’re also allowed to talk about your grief years later.

If there’s a part of you that thinks you should be past it by now, notice that thought without taking it as truth. A moment of mindfulness can help you catch that voice without letting it take hold.

Find the people you can be honest with

You don't have to carry grief alone. A close friend, a support group, or a grief counselor can give you space to fully express what you’re feeling. Connection won't erase the loss, but isolation tends to make it heavier.

💙 If you're carrying your own grief, find support in Calm’s Caring For Your Grief series.

National Grief Awareness Day FAQs

When is National Grief Awareness Day 2026?

National Grief Awareness Day is August 30, 2026. It falls on the same date every year and was founded by Angie Cartwright in 2014.

Why does National Grief Awareness Day matter?

National Grief Awareness Day matters because grief is universal but rarely talked about openly. The day normalizes loss, breaks the silence around grieving, and encourages people to support those who are mourning.

Bringing grief into public conversation helps people feel less alone while making it a little easier to ask for help or offer it.

What are the stages of grief, and do they apply to everyone?

The five stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—were first described by Dr. Kübler-Ross. But they don't apply to everyone, and they aren’t intended as a fixed sequence.

Dr. Kübler-Ross herself clarified that people may skip stages, repeat them, or experience grief in waves rather than a straight line.

How long does grief last?

Grief doesn’t follow a set timeline. For most people, the heaviest pain eases with time, even if it doesn’t disappear completely. It’s normal for sadness to resurface now and then, especially around anniversaries and holidays, long after the initial loss.

If grief continues to feel overwhelming or unmanageable for a long stretch of time, it may be worth speaking to a doctor or mental health provider. This could be a sign of prolonged grief disorder, a condition that may respond to treatment.

How do I support someone who’s grieving if I don't know what to say?

If you don’t know what to say to someone who’s grieving, start with something simple like "I don't know what to say, but I'm here for you." You don't need the perfect words — listening matters far more than fixing. Show up with a specific offer to help, and keep checking in over time.

Is there a National Children's Grief Awareness Day too?

National Children's Grief Awareness Day is observed on the third Thursday of November, which falls on November 19 in 2026. Created in 2008 by the Highmark Caring Place, it draws attention to the unique ways children experience grief and how the right support can help.

When is National Grief Awareness Week?

National Grief Awareness Week runs December 2–8 every year. Founded by the Good Grief Trust, it's a separate observance from National Grief Awareness Day, though it shares the same goal of fostering honest conversations about loss and supporting those who are grieving.

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Calm Editorial Team