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LAST REVIEWED 6 February 2023

How to cope with the death of a loved one

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Losing a family member, a friend or someone else you care about can be really painful. You might feel upset, confused, scared, lonely or numb. If you’ve lost a parent or carer, you probably have lots of practical concerns and might be worried about who will look after you.

If it was a sudden death, you might feel shocked, angry and perhaps even guilty that you couldn’t say goodbye properly. And if it has happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, you might find it particularly difficult because certain practices and traditions, such as funerals and wakes, that can help with the grieving process might not have been possible.

Please remember that there is no right or wrong way to feel when someone dies – everyone deals with grief differently. To help you cope with your feelings and find a way through this, Good Thinking has put together these tips. You might also find the free  Apart of Me app useful as it helps you to explore, accept, understand and articulate your experience of grief and the wide range of emotions connected to it.

If you’d like to help a relative or friend who has lost a loved one, take a look at our advice on  supporting other people .

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Good Thinking provides a range of resources to help Londoners improve their mental wellbeing.

Topic
SleepAnxietyLow moodStress
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About Good Thinking
Transformation Partners in Health and CareLondon CouncilsThrive LDNMayor of London
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