Hi sam. I was in the Ariana grande Manchester arena attack last year and ive only just been able to start talking about it i lost my auntie in the attack it was honestly the worst experience of my life đŸ’” sadly i am now paralysed and unable to walk or dance again đŸ’”im scared to go out without a adult i dont know how to get over the fear .. please help me đŸ˜ its been a year and still so scared
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Sam
Hi there,
Losing someone we care about can be really hard at any time, but when it's so sudden and unexpected it can be especially difficult to come to terms with it. Trying to cope with this at the same time as becoming paralysed is a lot of change all at once. It might take some time for you to begin to move on but with the right support it is possible.
Remembering someone we have lost can be especially difficult when the anniversary of their death comes round. The feelings that you experienced at the time might come back, which could feel like it's happening all over again. It's really important to talk to people and make sure those around you know how you're feeling.
​Learning to accept that someone has died can take a long time, there's no right or wrong way to feel and how you cope might be different to how others around you are coping. It's okay to take as much time as you need. You can find out more about coping with bereavement both on our website and through Winston's Wish.
​Learning to live with a disability is another big change that’s going to take time to come to terms with. Remember that you have the same rights as everyone else and that the law makes sure those rights are protected. Adapting your lifestyle to a disability can be a challenge and it takes a lot of strength to do so. Whizz Kidz can be a good source of support for any young person who has a disability.
For the thoughts and feelings you have because of the attack in Manchester, there’s support available. Manchester City Council set up the Manchester Attack Support website to bring all of the available help in one place. There’s support you can access over the phone and online. More information can also be found at the Manchester Resilience Hub.
You can always talk to a counsellor here are Childline about anything at all. Thank you for writing to me.
Sam
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