Someone you care about dying

Losing someone you care about (This is called bereavement) is a very personal experience and it affects everyone in different ways.

• You might have a mixture of feelings, such as sadness, helplessness, fear, guilt or anger
• It may feel unreal and hard to believe that the person you cared about is not coming back
• It may be that if someone has been ill or suffering, you feel a sense of relief

Finding ways of remembering the person who died, talking about what has happened and expressing your feelings can help. Some people find it helpful to share what has happened with others who have gone through the same experience. Others need time to grieve on their own.

But if you feel overwhelmed or exhausted, if you are having trouble sleeping or going to school, you may want to get help from people who can listen and offer support. If you find it hard to talk to someone in your family, you might try getting in touch with one of the contacts shown on the right.

See our page on coping with someone dying