Stages and Feelings

Bereavement and loss

The loss of a loved one can be difficult and can trigger a dip in your mental health. There is no right or wrong way to experience loss or to grieve. You may experience a wide range of emotions. This is part of coming to terms with a loss or bereavement.

Stages of bereavement

Many people say there are 4 stages of bereavement. They are: 

• accepting that your loss is real
• experiencing the pain of grief
• adjusting to life without the person who has died
• putting less emotional energy into grieving and putting it into something new

You may not identify with all these stages or you may not move from one of these stages to the next. 

Your grief might feel chaotic and out of control. But these feelings will become less intense over time. You will go through your own personal journey in your own time. 

 Typical feelings of grief

You may experience a range of different feelings after a bereavement. For example, you could feel: 

• shock and numbness
• sadness
• tiredness or exhaustion
• anger
• guilt
• anxiety
• stress

These feelings are normal after any loss. Give yourself time to grieve.