Living alone after bereavement

The death of a loved one can be devastating, especially if that person is someone you have built and shared your life with. This is often a spouse or partner, but might also be a close relative, or a friend. You don’t have to have shared a home with someone for their death to leave you with a profound sense of loss, and living alone after bereavement can be very difficult. 

Coping with grief is difficult at the best of times – and can be more so when you are facing stretches of time by yourself. You may be experiencing shock, numbness and deep sadness, and you may go through a rollercoaster of emotions every day. You may find yourself dealing with practicalities before you feel ready to – for example organising the funeral, dealing with lawyers, and in some cases ensuring that your home and finances are secure. You will also be handling others’ reactions to the news. All of this could understandably leave you feeling overwhelmed, anxious and exhausted. 

If the person you have lost is someone you lived with, then you may also find yourself having to get used to a very different way to living. 

There are no set timescales or guidelines about how to create a new life without your loved one, and you should never feel pressured into feeling you have to ‘be okay.’ In the short term, the most important thing you can do is to look after yourself – eating well, sleeping when you need to sleep, and leaning on others to do the heavy lifting for you when you can. It does get easier – even if it might not feel like it at the moment.