The loss of a loved one can be difficult and can trigger a dip in your mental health. There is no right or wrong way to experience loss or to grieve. You may experience a wide range of emotions. This is part of coming to terms with a loss or bereavement.

You may experience a range of different feelings after a bereavement. For example, you could feel:

• shock and numbness
• sadness
• tiredness or exhaustion
• anger
• guilt
• anxiety
• stress
• 
  

These feelings are normal after any loss. Give yourself time to grieve. Your feelings can become more manageable in time.

Your grief might feel chaotic and out of control. But these feelings will become less intense over time. You will go through your own personal journey in your own time.

Coping with your grief

You don't need to go through a bereavement alone. Talking and sharing your feelings with someone can help. Don't be afraid to talk about the person who has died. For some people, relying on family and friends is the best way to cope.

Some things that can help include:

• seek out accurate information about grief and loss
• be patient and gentle with yourself as you grieve
• recognise the extent of your loss
• allow yourself to cope and to grieve in a way that suits you
• try to sleep well, eat well, and take gentle exercise
• try not to make major or significant decisions while you grieve
• accept emotional and practical support from friends and family
• 
  

If your feelings of grief become more intense over time then you might need to seek more help. You might need more help if:

• you neglect yourself or your family–for example, you don't eat well
• you feel you can't go on without the person you've lost
• the emotion is so intense it's affecting the rest of your life–for example, you can't face going to work.