Support for the bereaved

It is important that we make time to allow ourselves to grieve. There are no rights and wrongs, but there are some things that you could do that might be helpful. There are a number of feelings that people who are bereaved may experience; shock, anger, guilt, sadness, relief.

Talk to people about how you are feeling, they may be feeling the same way as you. Some people like to keep this private, but if possible, it is helpful to share your feelings with friends and relatives. Or sometimes it helps to speak to someone independent who doesn’t know the people involved.

Sometimes people think that they will get fed up with you or they don’t want to hear it, if you don’t have anyone to talk to there are organisations that will support you during this time, such as:

Cruse National Freephone Helpline is available - call 0808 808 1677. Cruse offer support, advice and information to children, young people and adults when someone dies. Opening hours are Monday-Friday 9.30-5pm (excluding bank holidays), with extended hours on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, when open until 8pm. Or visit Coronavirus, bereavement and grief - Cruse Bereavement Support

Bereavement support and counselling can help you if you are having difficulty coping with the loss of a loved one. The services listed here can give support and advice to you and your family https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/bereavement

Self-help books on Bereavement and Grief for Adults are available as e-books and e-audio from Warwickshire Libraries. Find and access these on the Health and Wellbeing page on n www.warwickshire.gov.uk/librarycatalogue

It is also important to look after your wellbeing. Following a loss, it is natural to feel like your whole life has been disrupted. This may mean that you experience disrupted sleep (sleeping too much or too little), eating unhealthily, or for some people using substances, such as alcohol or drugs - all of which are likely to make your mental health poorer. For information about mental health and wellbeing support services in Warwickshire visit https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/mentalhealth

NHS - Grief after bereavement or loss

Last updated Wednesday, 19th April 2023

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