Dealing with grief
Bupa’s experts offer a range of bereavement support to help you cope with the pain of grief.
We can support you if you’re dealing with grief after losing someone close to you. You don’t even have to be a Bupa customer.
Dealing with bereavement
Everyone experiences the death of a loved one at some point. That’s normal, because death is part of life. But the grief you experience when dealing with loss through bereavement can be devastating and can affect your mental health.
You may experience the following; feeling overwhelmed, in shock, denial, anger, confusion, yearning, fear and regret. You may become fearful of losing others you love. There’s no right or wrong way to grieve, and there’s no timeline for grieving, each individual will grieve in their own unique way, but there are lots of ways to find the support you need. It’s also very important to make time to try and be a little kinder to yourself.
This page may also be for you if you’re supporting a friend who is grieving, so you can help look after their mental health.
Dealing with grief? Support strategies to help you
Grief is so painful and raw that it can be difficult to share just how low you feel. You may believe that no one else could possibly understand. If you need help dealing with grief, our video could help.
00:04 Feeling grief about losing someone we love is a natural part of life, and
00:09 it happens to all of us at some point.
00:13 The death of a loved one is recognized as the most stressful thing people
00:16 ever face in life, but there are many types of loss which can cause grief.
00:21 Such as the loss of a job, the loss of a relationship after a separation.
00:27 Or the loss of health after a disabling injury or illness, reactions to grief
00:32 can include feelings of shock and disbelief, confusion, anger, guilt,
00:38 sadness, difficulty sleeping and the loss of appetite.
00:43 It's true that there is no right or wrong way to grieve.
00:46 However, there are a number of self-care steps that can help you work
00:50 through the grief. Such as making time to talk to other people and
00:54 trying not to keep things bottled up.
00:56 Remembering and sharing happy memories of your loved one.
00:59 Eating properly and getting enough rest;
01:02 even if you can't sleep. If you're physically able to getting up and out
01:06 of your home for some exercise can help.
01:10 Even if it is just doing some gardening or going for a walk.
01:14 And make sure you allow yourself to grieve.
01:17 It's okay to be upset and there's no time limits on it.
01:21 After all the best prescription for grief is to grieve.
01:25 It's important to note that some people find that their reactions
01:28 to grief don't gradually get better and may even be getting worse.
01:33 This is called complicated or prolonged grief and happens in
01:37 around one in every 10 bereavements.
01:41 If you feel like you've become stuck and you can't move on,
01:44 your doctor may suggest a talking therapy like counselling or
01:48 cognitive behavioural therapy.
01:50 Remember, you don't need to feel guilty or embarrassed about asking for specific
01:55 help from friends, family, colleagues, or your GP. To find out more about how Bupa
02:01 and other organizations can support you.
02:03 Visit our website.
02:06 Whatever's on your mind.
02:08 We can help.
Podcast: Dealing with grief and loss due to COVID-19
The very unusual nature of the pandemic may have affected your goodbyes, the funeral, and the reactions of others. You may have found it difficult to get the support you need. Our 30-minute podcast may help.
Our tips for dealing with grief
Understanding grief and bereavement
This article explores the impact of grief. Also, what to do if your grief becomes complex or it’s difficult to move on as you need to.
Dealing with bereavement for frontline workers
In this podcast, two Bupa counsellors explore how health and care staff are being affected by the loss of patients, residents, colleagues and loved ones due to COVID-19.
Hear it on your desktop via your usual browser, or download a podcast app to listen on your mobile
Find Bupa-recognised mental health professionals near you
Our Finder tool lets you browse the directory of Bupa-recognised consultants, psychologists, therapists, counsellors and other professionals.
You don’t need to be a Bupa health insurance customer to see them, just make your own appointment and pay independently.
My employee or colleague seems to be suffering
Managers have a really important role in supporting good mental health in the workplace. Our guide for managers contains expert advice and signposting to promote good mental health in the workplace.
Help in dealing with grief from Bupa’s experts
Our wellbeing platform, Healthy Me, is where you’ll find a wide range of help in dealing with bereavement.
If you’re in a crisis or just need some help, don’t hesitate. Here are some really helpful organisations that you can turn to for support.
Samaritans
When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. Whoever you are and whatever you’re facing, they won’t judge you or tell you what to do. They’re here to listen so you don’t have to face it alone.
Call free day or night on
116 123 (UK and ROI)
Mind
Mind is a charity dedicated to mental health. They exist to make sure no one has to face a mental health problem alone. They’ll listen to you and offer support and advice.
0300 123 3393
Lines open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays
Young Minds
YoungMinds is the UK’s leading charity for children’s and young people's mental health. You can text Crisis Messenger for free 24/7 and get support from trained volunteers who are supervised by experienced clinicians. Texts are free from most major mobile networks.
For urgent help, text YM to 85258
Mental Health Foundation
This charity helps people understand, protect and sustain their mental health. The ‘Your mental health’ section has lots of useful content, including podcasts about mindfulness and overcoming anxiety.
Rethink Mental Illness
Rethink offers crisis and recovery services, advocacy, online resources, support groups and much more. Each year, they help tens of thousands of people manage their mental wellbeing.
0300 5000 927
Lines open 9:30am to 4pm Monday to Friday
Mental health support as part of Bupa health insurance
I’m already a Bupa health insurance customer
If you have mental health cover as part of your Bupa health insurance, we can refer you to a consultant or therapist, and you may not even have to see your GP first†. Or we can put you through to one of our mental health nurses.
0808 256 1766^
^Calls may be recorded and to maintain the quality of our service we may monitor some of our calls, always respecting the confidentiality of the call.
I’m not a Bupa customer, but I’d like to find out more about health insurance
If you’re looking for mental health support as part of a broader health insurance policy, we can look after you, your family, or your employees.
†Direct Access telephone services are available as long as the symptoms are covered under the policy. If your cover excludes conditions you had before your policy started, we’ll ask you to provide evidence from your GP that your symptoms are not pre-existing for a period of up to two years from policy start date (or up to five years in the case of mental health). We can then refer you to a consultant or therapist through the Direct Access service. Always call us first to check your eligibility.
Bupa health insurance is provided by Bupa Insurance Limited. Registered in England and Wales No. 3956433. Bupa Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Arranged and administered by Bupa Insurance Services Limited, which is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales No. 3829851. Registered office: 1 Angel Court, London EC2R 7HZ.
