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Bereavement
Dealing with death is hard - don't be afraid to let yourself grieve.
Dealing with death at any time in your life can be very difficult. But when you're young, dealing with the death of someone you know can be a lonely and heartbreaking experience.
If you're going through bereavement you might feel lonely, angry, sad, empty, afraid, heartbroken or as if your life and everything you have is destroyed. It's normal to feel like this. You're just grieving.
Tears aren't wrong - don't be afraid to let yourself cry. It's good to let your feelings show. When you hear things like "move on" and "it'll get better", it can annoy you and make you feel even more alone.
You need friends and people you care about to help you, talk and listen to you and, most importantly, understand you. How could things ever get better after this? How will you ever be able to laugh again? These are normal thoughts and feelings. Know that you're not alone. There will always be someone there to help you and listen to you as long as you let them in on how you're feeling.
There is no set time when someone stops grieving. Everyone grieves differently, but the feelings they have are just the same as yours. Don't feel stupid or ashamed of what you feel. People say that talking is the best cure. They're right. Talk to a friend and share good memories with them. Laugh with them and cry with them. Remember the little things you used to do with the person that you lost. They seem like really simple things, but they're always the most treasured and happy memories.
It is important not to hide how you feel for fear of upsetting others. Even if others do burst into tears with you, there's nothing wrong with that. To get through this you need all the support you can get.
One of the most comforting and reassuring things a friend can do for you is hug you. Just knowing they're there for you is a huge help. It won't take away all the pain and heartache straight away, but it helps ease it with time. This might sound silly but another really helpful thing to do is to write a letter to the person you lost. Keep it for yourself. Writing down your feelings helps you remember the times you had together and some of the enjoyable things you both did. It's something that's between the two of you.
Remember that even though you'll never forget, in time you will be able to let go without feeling disloyal or guilty. But for now just take each day as it comes and remember that the person you lost will always be with you in spirit and a part of them will always live on in your heart. All you need is gentle words, strong hugs, happy memories and good friends. If you have these, you will eventually feel better. Just give yourself time.
If you have lost someone close to you and feel that it's too difficult to talk to a family member or friend, talk to Samaritans.
