Grief can affect almost every part of life, and can sometimes make the simplest tasks feel daunting and hard to accomplish. Here are some of the things to look out for in someone who has experienced loss. Feeling: Don’t be surprised if the young person you’re supporting has strong and unpredictable mood swings. Grief can include an intense combination of the following: shock, disbelief, pain, intense sadness, longing, guilt (about the past, or about being happy in the future), anger, resentment, abandonment, confusion, anxiety, worry. Thinking: It might seem like the person you’re supporting is lost in a world of thought, and more distant than usual. Other ways thoughts can be impacted can include: trouble concentrating or focusing on everyday tasks, increased forgetfulness, a sense that the world doesn’t make sense any more, or that a young person can’t figure out their place in it. Body changes: Changes in a young person might include: headaches, stomach aches, body aches, changes in eating and sleeping patterns, weight changes, feeling tired or just generally sick and run down. Doing: You might notice the young person you’re supporting spending more time alone, or avoiding certain people or places, including not wanting to go to school, uni or TAFE. Don’t be surprised if they cry a lot or have more unpredictable outbursts than usual. It’s important to acknowledge that young people will respond to grief in different ways. Some young people will choose to express their grief through creative expression such as art or music. Others may want to talk about it, and some may appear to be unaffected and getting on with their life. There will also be some young people who behave in ways that are disruptive, frustrating or risky. Some may turn to using alcohol or other drugs to try to cope with their grief. Whatever the response they will need time, support and understanding as they find their way through their grief.