George

George’s wife died in the middle of April. After initially thinking he was coping ok, he started feeling anxious, guilty, and decided to contact Cruse Scotland.

He said: “I had suffered bereavement before with my parents, friends, and colleagues, but my wife and I were together for 43 years, so a huge part of my life.

“I thought I was dealing with it ok but there were little things that were just highlighting within me, and it was my daughter who said that she was going to counselling.

“Then I suddenly thought I would do that too because there were a couple of things about anxiety, guilt, and loss, and so that is why I contacted Cruse Scotland."

Anxiety and guilt

George had been married to his wife for 41 years ago. Sharon became disabled 30 years ago, and in the past 10 years, George had been her sole carer.

He said: “There was this guilt within me about whether I had done everything right. Suppose I should have done things differently. So, there was that guilt.

“Then I think, with all that, as well as anxiety, which started to appear. I had never been anxious before.

“I think with the guilt, loss, and anxiety, I thought I would reach out and see someone.”

George reached out to Cruse Scotland’s Helpline Service and says just being listened to helped him.

“Everybody was nice and professional. It was not just following the company line. It was professional but friendly and open.

“The fact that they were listening, and they were not telling me what I should do or feel.

“I have good support from friends and family, but sometimes you need to support yourself with that, to search somewhere else.

“I would say reach out to someone. Because of previous bereavements in the past, I did not feel I needed support. But when I lost Sharon, my wife, it was a big blow, and I just knew that I could not manage as such.”