Losing someone you love or care about can be a huge shock and very painful to cope with.
It is normal to experience all kinds of difficult emotions and everyone reacts differently. There is no right or wrong way to react – everyone has their own way. You are not to blame and you won’t be betraying anyone the next time you smile or laugh. It may feel like the pain and sadness you’re experiencing will never get better but it will.
What is bereavement?
Bereavement means losing someone through death and it can be anyone who is important to you – one of your parents, grandparents, brothers or sisters, friends, partners, boyfriends or girlfriends.
What is grief?
After someone dies it is common to mourn that person and the feelings we experience can be called grief. Sometimes we don’t feel anything at all, a numbness – this is a normal reaction as well. There is no right way or wrong way to react.
Unfortunately there is no magic wand to make the pain go away or make things go back to normal straight away, but there are many things you can do to help ease the pain or come to terms with your loss – Hope Again has lots of information, personal stories, message boards and advice that can support you.
Useful Links
Cruse’s Cardiff & Vale Directory of Bereavement Services for Children & Young People
Heads Above The Waves: Ways To Deal With Losing Someone You Love
The Mix: Grief Control – I Couldn’t Grieve For My Sister
The Mix: My Dad Died When I Was At Uni
Some Local Organisations
Barnardo’s Child & Family Bereavement Service
Cruse Bereavement Care – Cardiff & Vale Branch
2TALK2 School-based Counselling – Action for Children
Some National Organisations
Hope Again is Cruse Bereavement Care’s website for young people. Cruse is a national charity that provides support, advice and information to children, young people and adults when someone close to them dies. They also have a free helpline.
Support After Suicide – Support for people bereaved or affected by suicide.
Drug Fam – Information and support about bereavement through drugs or alcohol.
riprap – Support for teenagers with parents diagnosed with cancer
Blue Cross – Website and helpline to support with coping with the loss of a pet.
For more organisations, services or info on bereavement or support with grief, check out our database or contact Meic, the advocacy, advice and information helpline for children and young people in Wales – Freephone: 080880 23456 / Text: 84001 / Instant Message.
Cover Photo Credit: Samdney via Compfight cc
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