Bereavement Support
Bereavement Support
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Sadly, many young people experience the loss of someone who is important to them. There are no rules to grief, and how you might deal with it. The important thing to know is that there is support available for you whenever you feel the time is right. Speak to someone at college or one of the below
Sadly, many young people experience the loss of someone who is important to them. There are no rules to grief, and how you might deal with it. The important thing to know is that there is support available for you whenever you feel the time is right. Speak to someone at college or one of the below
Scan the QR code or click above to access CAMHS Bereavement & Loss resources
Scan the QR code or click above to access CAMHS Bereavement & Loss resources
Simon Says support Hampshire young people up to the age of 18 years who have a significant person in their life who has died or is dying
Support Line Number:
023 8064 7550
A charity that offers free, accessible online grief support to children and young people (aged 25 or under) across the UK who are bereaved or facing the death of someone important.
We help people through one of the most painful times in life – with bereavement support, information and campaigning
The UK’s leading charity fighting for a world where no young person feels alone with their mental health
Bereavment -
Bereavment -
How does it feel?
How does it feel?
There is no right or wrong way to feel when someone you love dies. You may have good days as well as bad days. There’s no set time frame for grief – it is a lifelong process. Your emotions might be quite powerful and overwhelming sometimes and yet, at other times, you may feel distant or numb. Common feelings associated with bereavement can be shock, fear, overwhelming sadness, anger, numbness, guilt or even relief – especially if you’ve seen a loved one suffer for a period of time. All of these feelings are understandable and normal reactions. Some bereavement and loss experts suggest that there are four stages of grief: accepting your loss is real, experiencing the pain of grief, adjusting to life without your loved one and, in time, putting less energy and time into grief and more into another aspect of your life. You may well experience all of these things at some point but not necessarily in a specific order. Grief can leave you feeling all over the place. In time though, these feelings can become less intense.
There is no right or wrong way to feel when someone you love dies. You may have good days as well as bad days. There’s no set time frame for grief – it is a lifelong process. Your emotions might be quite powerful and overwhelming sometimes and yet, at other times, you may feel distant or numb. Common feelings associated with bereavement can be shock, fear, overwhelming sadness, anger, numbness, guilt or even relief – especially if you’ve seen a loved one suffer for a period of time. All of these feelings are understandable and normal reactions. Some bereavement and loss experts suggest that there are four stages of grief: accepting your loss is real, experiencing the pain of grief, adjusting to life without your loved one and, in time, putting less energy and time into grief and more into another aspect of your life. You may well experience all of these things at some point but not necessarily in a specific order. Grief can leave you feeling all over the place. In time though, these feelings can become less intense.
What can I do to help myself?
What can I do to help myself?
Sit with the pain. After a significant loss, the pain can seem unbearable. Especially at first. We may feel like we’re not coping, or that things will never get better. It’s really important to allow ourselves to experience the pain, so that we can heal from it. Grief can often be thought of as part of a restorative or healing process. By pushing the pain away, and not allowing ourselves to confront it, we can experience it again at a later time. Some prefer this approach as it allows them to delay the pain for the time being and address other life factors. Sometimes, delaying the grieving process can be therapeutic but, inevitably, a time will come when you may feel like you are at a stage to handle certain emotions. By using support and acknowledging that things may take time to feel okay again you will be better able to cope with a loss, and less likely to develop unhealthy coping strategies that may put you at risk. Let it out. It’s important to be able to express what we really feel. It’s okay to not feel okay – and it’s okay to cry. Being able to release your emotions and allow yourself to genuinely feel what you feel can help in the long and short term.Reach out for help. There’s a popular saying that goes: “a problem shared is a problem halved”. This idea is relevant when it comes to loss – reaching out to people who are compassionate and empathic can be truly healing. It is also important that we avoid those who do not empathise or offer compassion. There are a number of specialised services who offer this support depending on the type of loss a person has experienced. Don’t blame yourself. Often after experiencing a bereavement, some people reflect on what happened to cause this or what went wrong. This reflection can sometimes lead to feelings of guilt and can impact your self-esteem. It is important not to get consumed by this guilt, to remember that death is a natural part of life and that one individual cannot take full responsibility for what has happened. Also, it is natural to sometimes feel happy after a loss, even though we are also experiencing pain at the same time – and that’s okay! Give it time. Bereavement can be like a rollercoaster. It’s going to take time for things to feel different. How long will depend on many things – most importantly the significance of the loss to you, not other people. Gradually though, feelings may change and you will adapt. Life might not be the same as before – you may experience other losses related to the bereavement – but time will make a difference. We may also need to take time to reflect, to appreciate what has changed. This kind of reflection can often bring a whole new level of perspective for some, and can even be a positive to take away from the grieving process.Look after yourself. Take time to be kind to yourself. Take time off work if you need to or have a break. Engage in an activity that you enjoy; something that feels do-able and manageable. If you need to talk about the person who’s died – that is okay and sometimes it’s really important too. You may notice things feel harder on the anniversary of someone’s death or perhaps on the birthday of the person who has died. If something like this is coming up and it’s making you feel vulnerable, plan ahead and take time to look after yourself.
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