Bereavement
Last reviewed Saturday, October 24, 2026Bereavement is the period of sadness after someone close to you dies. Grief is your emotional response to the loss, and mourning is how you show it, through funerals, customs and faith. Most people adjust over time, in waves rather than neat stages, though some need extra help.
Also called: being bereaved; loss.
We’ve written in more depth about coping with grief and loss, losing a husband or wife and losing a parent.
Signs and symptoms
Grief is physical as well as emotional. Common reactions include shock and numbness, sadness and longing, tiredness, poor sleep and appetite, poor concentration, anger, and guilt about something said or not said. Strong feelings can arrive without warning, months later. They don’t follow stages in order.
Coping
Moving between grieving and getting on with daily jobs is part of coping, not a betrayal. Mourning customs, faith and the people around you can be a real comfort. Not everyone needs counselling: WHO advises against offering therapy to every bereaved person, because family, friends and faith community are enough for many. Try not to use alcohol or drugs to numb the pain.
In Nigeria
The weeks after a death are often filled with arrangements: the burial, the visitors, the money, the family. Many people say the grief properly begins once the visitors leave and the house goes quiet. Forcing harmful widowhood rites on anyone, such as confinement or eviction by in-laws, is an offence under federal and most state laws.
Bereavement vs prolonged grief and depression
For some people, grief stays intense and takes over daily life well beyond what’s normal in their community. WHO calls this prolonged grief disorder when it lasts at least six months, or longer where mourning customs last longer; the US manual uses a year. About 1 in 10 bereaved adults may develop it. Depression can also develop on top of grief. Signs include low mood with no good moments, or guilt and worthlessness that aren’t about the person who died.
When to get help
See a doctor or therapist if low mood lasts more than two weeks without easing, or months on you still can’t get back to daily life. You can book a licensed therapist on Mytherapist.ng for grief and loss. For a grieving child, start with the school counsellor or a family doctor.
The risk of suicide rises after a partner dies, especially early on. If you’re having thoughts of ending your life, call 112 (or 767 in Lagos), or Safe Place Nigeria on 0800 800 2000. The full list is on our helplines page.
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This entry is awaiting clinical review. It’s based on published research and health guidelines, and we’ll update it once a clinician has reviewed it.
