Grief

[ToffNells]

My Guinea pig Ginger died on the 11th of July 2017. I am not in a good place as my parents believe that i am over this by now. But today they got rid of the old hutch and that was the one thing i had left of him. This has caused me to remember everything and every night i have nightmares and panic attacks. Has anyone been through this i am only in Secondary and have never dealt with this before and i want some advice in case this continues or happens at school any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you for reading

 

[Wiebke]

My Guinea pig Ginger died on the 11th of July 2017. I am not in a good place as my parents believe that i am over this by now. But today they got rid of the old hutch and that was the one thing i had left of him. This has caused me to remember everything and every night i have nightmares and panic attacks. Has anyone been through this i am only in Secondary and have never dealt with this before and i want some advice in case this continues or happens at school any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you for reading

Hi and welcome

I am very sorry!

Grief can flare up again; especially if it was a traumatic experience or if you suffer from anxiety or other mental health issues. The current very scary and very stressful situation is massively contributing to your experience and acts as fuel to whatever personal trigger any of us has.
For you that was obviously the disposal of the hutch and the not fully digested issues you had with the loss of your piggy. Grieving takes as long as it takes; it is not something you get over in a few days if you feel deeply.

The best cure is to talk. Please take the time to look at the green link below. There is a chapter on where to find trained confidential help and resources, as well as other things you can do for yourself to help yourself through this.
The Blue Cross provide a free email and a dedicated phone service with specially trained volunteers in the UK, which is listed in this link here as well as resources or tips on how to find them if you live in another country: Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children

 

[ToffNells]

Thank you so much for your response it was greatly received

 

[Claire W]

I can’t add anymore to what Wiebke has said but please do talk to someone. You are obviously still grieving for your piggy and have not got over his death yet x

 

[Freela]

I'm really sorry for your loss. Grief can definitely provoke anxiety and can be really hard to deal with. Please, talk to your parents and let them know what's going on. As the mom of a child who has anxiety/panic attacks, trust me when I say that parents would rather know what's going on than have their child suffer in silence. Don't go through this alone, everything is easier to deal with when you have support. Many ((HUGS)) and best wishes to you.

 

[ToffNells]

I have talked to my parents but they say that he was only alive for 1 1/2 years so i should defiantly be over him by now and i should stop living in the past and he is gone now there was nothing we could do move on and i have two piggy’s that need me so i should forget him and carry on him with my life what should i do.

 

[Wiebke]

I have talked to my parents but they say that he was only alive for 1 1/2 years so i should defiantly be over him by now and i should stop living in the past and he is gone now there was nothing we could do move on and i have two piggy’s that need me so i should forget him and carry on him with my life i am considering running away

Unfortunately, as you know only too well, grieving doesn't work like that. What you have never had a chance to work through and digest with your soul will come up again and again whenever you are in a crisis. The best way of processing your loss is to talk about it with somebody who is willing to listen to you unreservedly and with an open mind.

Please seek help outside your family and read the green links in my first post; they contain links for where you can find help and what you can do for yourself in several countries.

 

[Claire W]

I agree. Your grief isn’t just going to go away. It doesn’t matter whether you had him for 1 day or 1 year, it’s still going to hurt. Do you have anyone outside of your family who you can talk to? Another relative or a friend?

 

[Bill & Ted]

Sending you hugs! Grief is a very strange emotion that can often be triggered many years later, typically as you described, your parents getting rid of his cage. I still miss my old hen George after 30 odd years. Seeing her photos a while back brought tears to my eyes and deep sadness. It also reminded me of all the lovely times I had with her, these memories I cherish and will never forget. Because it hurts so much, it means you loved and cared for him so much, that’s a very special relationship you had with him. Try and tell someone you trust and will understands how you feel x