Bereavement is something we all experience but the nature of the bereavement will profoundly influence our experience. If death is sudden or unexpected, it can be shocking and hard to understand or accept. When a family member or friend dies, we can feel overwhelmed with grief and the loss can seem unbearable. There is no right or wrong way to grieve, and our reactions will depend on many variables including how close we were to the person who died, the circumstances of their death and the support network we have around us.