Feelings you may experience

Here grief is explored, as well as how you might be feeling and the importance of looking after yourself. How to support others in the family and deal with a sudden death is also covered.

Grief is a normal reaction to losing a loved one, and there is no right or wrong way to grieve. You also shouldn't assume you will experience grief, especially when the person you cared for has suffered or had a very drawn-out death. In this situation, we can often feel a sense of relief. To hear about people's different grief responses watch this video.

Remember, you cannot fix grief or remove it in some way. Grief is often described as a process or in terms of stages.

There are 5 stages of grief. You may experience all of these stages or only some. You may experience them in a different order.  

Crying is a normal reaction to losing someone you cared about. It is a natural way of releasing your emotions. You may not feel like crying but feel numb instead, particularly in the first few days/weeks when you find yourself busy with funeral arrangements. Then when the funeral is over you may find you are struggling with your grief.