On August 30, National Grief Awareness Day recognizes the time it takes to heal from loss doesn’t have a prescribed course and is a reminder closure comes in many forms. When a loved one dies, the void they leave affects everyone differently.

Angie Cartwright created the National Grief Awareness Day. Familiar with the loss, Cartwright too became lost in grief. She has become dedicated to bringing support to those who have suffered like her and teaching others to the realities of bereavement. To understand how to help people, including yourself, cope with depression, sometimes it is beneficial to try and understand exactly what grief is.

Grief is a response to the loss of someone or something important in your life. Sometimes, bonds of affection or love that make it that much harder to cope with the influx of emotions. But still many of us forget the cognitive, cultural, and philosophical difficulties that can come from losing someone close to us. National Grief Awareness Day is a perfect day to learn how to recover from grief.