What to do when someone you know passed away?
Contact the bereaved person as soon as possible after the death and attend the funeral or memorial service if you can. Allow the bereaved person to talk and express their grief in whatever way they need. Concentrate your efforts on listening carefully and with compassion.
- I'm so sorry for your loss.
- You are in our thoughts and prayers.
- They will be so missed.
- I'm very sorry to hear this tragic news.
- I'm shocked and saddened by this devastating news.
- I can't imagine how you must feel right now.
- If you want to talk, I'm here at any time.
- Join in rituals. Memorial services and funerals are times to gather. ...
- Accept your emotions. Don't stop yourself from having a good cry if you feel one coming on. ...
- Talk about it when you can. ...
- Preserve memories. ...
- Get the support you need.
You may also find that you can't stop thinking about the events leading up to the death. “Seeing” the person who has died and hearing their voice can happen because our brain is trying to process the death and accept that it's final. It's important to know this is normal.
Feeling grief over losing someone you've never met also just shows that you're empathetic, Gallagher says. “You may think about a person's kids and all of the trauma their family has been through,” she explains, and it's perfectly understandable to get a bit sad about that.
Express sympathy for their loss
“I'm sorry for your loss.” “My deepest sympathies to you and your family.” “Words can't describe how sorry I am for your loss.” “Thinking of you at this difficult time.”
- Things to remember when comforting someone in grief. ...
- Bright-side statements. ...
- Talking about your own experience of loss. ...
- Unsolicited advice. ...
- Vague offers of support. ...
- Religious sentiments. ...
- Making assumptions. ...
- Judgmental statements.
When a partner who's grieving pushes you away, it's because they're typically having personal issues associated with their grief. Rarely do their grief reactions have anything to do with you. Everyone needs time and space to process their loss and adjust to the overwhelming feelings and emotions that follow.
Focus on the person who has died only instead of comparing their death to someone else's. If you know the person is religious, it may be appropriate to communicate sincere words, like "I am praying for you and your family."
- Talk about the death of your loved one with friends or colleagues in order to help you understand what happened and remember your friend or family member. ...
- Accept your feelings. ...
- Take care of yourself and your family. ...
- Reach out and help others dealing with the loss.
How long does grief last?
There is no set length or duration for grief, and it may come and go in waves. However, according to 2020 research , people who experience common grief may experience improvements in symptoms after about 6 months, but the symptoms largely resolve in about 1 to 2 years.
- Passed, passed on, or passed away.
- Resting in peace, eternal rest, asleep.
- Demise.
- Deceased.
- Departed, gone, lost, slipped away.
- Lost her battle, lost her life, succumbed.
- Gave up the ghost.
- Kicked the bucket.
