Bereavement is an inevitable part of life for anyone who lives long enough to lose a significant relative, partner, friend, or pet. Bereavement refers to the process of recovering from the death of a loved one, and grief is a reaction to any form of loss. Besides deep sadness, a person in the throes of grief may also experience shock, remorse, anger, guilt, numbness-- and even, sometimes confusingly, relief.
Adaptation to losses can dramatically change from person to person, depending upon cultural background, family history, relationship to the person who’s passed, and other factors. Even for the same person, each grieving experience will likely feel different. You may be able to continue your daily routine after one loss, yet not be able to get out of bed after the loss of someone else. Overwhelming emotion may ensue immediately, or after a delay. There is no one right way to grieve, but it is important to know that you are not alone.
While sadness over an important figure's death may linger or recur forever, the intensity grief will often abate with the passage of time, and exist alongside comforting memories of the loved one who is gone. However, there are instances in which a bereft person may continue to feel overwhelmed in such an enduring and debilitating way that he or she is unable to recover a previous level of functioning; this is complicated grief that may not resolve without clinical intervention.
If you are concerned about the feelings and memories that are coming up for you in the aftermath of a loved one's death, a course of therapy can be an important source of support and insight.