Being a teenager is always a tough time. It’s a time when sometimes you feel very grown up and sure of yourself and at others, you feel unsure of everything. Your body and hormones are in a state of change making it an even more difficult time if you have to cope with losing someone you love and having to cope with the difficult emotions you feel.
Coping with a major bereavement and the grief involved on top of all the normal pressures in your life from school, friends, and maybe from your grandparents or parent, can be very difficult for you to deal with. Remember everybody experiences grief in different ways.
If it is your parent who has died, your family life could change completely and you may feel very insecure. You may have real worries about how bills will be paid or where you are going to live. Its natural for you to feel angry and resent these changes, but such powerful emotions may also make you feel guilty.
If you can, try to talk to someone about how you feel. Sometimes its hard to talk to other members of your family as they are trying to cope with their own grief, maybe you feel if you do say something, then you will upset them. Talking to close friends can be difficult too, as death is often a taboo subject, but given the chance, they may be able to give you some support.
If you don’t feel able to talk to other members of your family or friends, you could try a family friend, teacher, doctor or minister, infact, anyone you would feel comfortable talking to. Its important that you don’t feel alone and isolated.