What is grief?

What is grief?

Most people feel sad when they lose someone or something close to them.

This sadness is called grief.

Grief can happen when...

Someone you know dies. When you lose a friend or a pet.

It can also happen when your parents separate or you change schools.

You may also feel grief when you find out that someone is really sick.

It’s normal to feel a lot of emotions

You may feel surprised, angry, sad, scared or alone.

Everyone reacts differently to losing someone.

These feelings may come and go at different times.

There are lots of different ways that people show their grief

Sometimes you may find that you cry a lot and are very upset.

Sometimes you can be sad and not cry, and this is ok.

You might notice...

Changes in your body, like an upset tummy or a headache.

You might eat more than normal or not feel like eating at all.

Sometimes you might have bad dreams or trouble sleeping.

Sometimes grief can change how you act at home or school

You may feel lonely as your family are sad too, or things are different at home.

School can be hard to keep up with and you might be mean to your friends without wanting to be.