Bereavement: dealing with emotions

Unfortunately there are events that occur in life that are not planned, like the death of a loved one. If a person experiences bereavement, a period of mourning, after the death of a loved one, this can have a serious impact of the person's well-being:

• The person may question their self-worth, self-esteem and self-confidence as they feel lost without their loved one and wonder what their purpose is without them.

• The person could feel resentment towards other people who have not experienced bereavement and do not understand what the person is going through.

• The person may experience feelings of guilt and sadness that they did not do or say enough to the loved one before they died.

• The person may develop emotional health issues, such as depression, finding it difficult to understand their feelings.

• The person may feel a sense of loneliness and emptiness as they are missing their loved one, who has died.

Managing reactions and emotions to these changes allows the person to develop personally and also develop their self-concept as they understand how to manage and react to certain emotions.

How could a person deal with bereavement?

A person could:

• talk to friends and family. Sharing and discussing what they feel could help them understand their feelings, manage and work through this change.

• talk to someone who has been through a similar experience as this can be comforting to the person that all will be okay and that someone has been through this before.

• seek professional support, by speaking to a GP, if the change is causing emotional health problems such as anxiety or stress. A GP could advise on the appropriate steps to take to help the young person.

• try to accept change and take responsibility for doing things differently and adapting to a new way of life.

Check out the CCEA GCSE Learning for Life and Work Second Edition Textbook to find out more or check out: My Revision Notes: CCEA GCSE Learning for Life and Work: Second Edition

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