Bereavement and loss

It’s a fact that most of us will experience the loss of someone close at some time in our life.

What happens when someone dies, however, is not something we usually talk about – so it’s easy to feel lost when it happens to you.

What is grief?

Grief is an emotional reaction to loss, particularly to the death of someone who played an important part in your life or with whom you had a close ‘bond’. People can also grieve for other kinds of loss such as the end of a relationship, job or career, for example, which can have a deep impact, similar to bereavement.

Feeling grief is a natural response to a distressing experience and not a mental health condition. Many people will, however, go through a range of difficult and overwhelming emotions that can have a significant impact on their wellbeing.

This section can help you to understand more about the grieving process and services you can turn to for help.