Bereavement
Bereavement is when someone we are close to dies. This might be a member of our family or a close friend.
Bereavement can be a difficult time. It is very normal to feel sad. We may also feel other emotions like disbelief, anger and guilt. These feelings can last for days or weeks.
Everyone is different and everyone experiences bereavement differently. It is often a confusing time. For example, sometimes people can look happy but are actually sad. They might be trying to hide how they are really feeling.
Slowly people feel better after a bereavement. Again everyone is different in how long it takes. It sometimes helps to talk about how we feel. It can be quite normal to have a sad moment months or even years later. This tends to happen when we think of the person who has died.
Bereavement is an uncomfortable time. It is OK to feel sad or even a bit angry that someone has died. Slowly, we will begin to feel better.
Someone Has Died
_______________ has died. They are no longer alive and I won't be able to see them again.
Because ____________ has died I may feel different for a while. I might feel:
Sad and upset
Angry that this has happened
Numb because it is too painful to think about it
Other people may also be feeling sad or angry that _____________ has died. They may act different too. It is OK to feel confused by this.
If I feel sad or angry I can do things that may help:
I can talk to someone
I can ask to go to somewhere quiet so that I can be alone
I can do a quiet activity like reading or drawing
I can think of other things that may help me feel better
It is OK if I feel sad or angry that _____________ has died. I know that others may also be upset. They may seem different to normal and it is OK if I find this confusing. I can always try to do an activity that helps me feel better.
Understanding Dying and Death
When a person comes to the end of their life we call this dying.
When someone dies their body and brain do not work anymore. We call this the time of their death.
After death we say a person has died or is dead. Once a person is dead they will always be dead.
Many people do not like to talk about dying and death as this can be upsetting. When people need to talk about death they may often use other words to say the same thing. For example, instead of saying 'died' someone might say a person is 'at peace' or 'at rest'. There are many ways of saying this and sometimes this can be confusing.
When someone you know dies it can be very upsetting. It can be difficult to deal with all the emotions that you have. You may be sad or angry and you may have other feelings as well. Other people around you may also be upset and may act differently from the way they usually do. This can also make you feel uncomfortable.
Death is the end of life. It can be upsetting to talk about death and very upsetting for people who know someone who is dying or has died. It is usual to feel upset when someone you know dies. It can also be a confusing time. Most people feel better after some time.
When Someone Dies
When someone dies they are no longer alive. This means that everything that made them a person stops working.
When someone dies it can make people who knew them sad. Sometimes people feel other emotions like anger. Sometimes people feel numb because they can't deal with the loss at that time. It can sometimes be difficult to accept that you won't see that person again. It is often a very confusing and uncomfortable time.
How a person feels usually depends on how close they were to the person who dies. People often experience stronger emotions for close relatives and friends.
Everyone is different and each person deals with someone dying in their own way. It can take days, weeks or sometimes months to feel better after someone dies. Again it often depends on how close you are to the person who dies.
It is OK to feel sad and angry when someone dies. It is also OK to feel confused at this time. Talking to someone about how you feel can often help.
