Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Be in the know
• Method 2 of 3: What to Tell a Friend Who Grieves
• Method 3 of 3: Helping a Disadvantaged Friend
• Tips

No one can take away the pain or sorrow of a friend caused by the death of a friend or family member. Grief is an intense and powerful emotion, causing discomfort in family and friends. You may feel embarrassed or worried that you don't know what to say to your friend. However, you can help your friend through the grieving process with your compassion, understanding, and kindness.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Be in the know

1. 1 Have patience. There is no right or wrong way to grieve, and it can take months or years to get over the grief.
2. 2 Reassure your friend that he can feel anger, guilt, fear, depression, and remorse. The process of grieving is very emotional and like a roller coaster - one day your friend may not have the willpower to get out of bed, and the next day, he may scream, scream, or even laugh.
3. 3 Talk to your grieving friend. Sometimes, bereaved people feel isolated and alone. You don't have to have all the answers. Indeed, sometimes it is enough to just listen or hug to support a friend in grief.

Method 2 of 3: What to Tell a Friend Who Grieves

1. 1 Admit death. You can help a grieving friend without being afraid to use the word death. Trying to mitigate the situation by saying something like, “I heard you lost your husband,” can make her angry. The husband is not lost. He died.
2. 2 Let your friend know that you care about him. Be open and honest when dealing with a grieving friend. Sorry is a good word in this situation.
3. 3 Offer help. It's okay if you tell him that you are sorry for him, that you do not know what to do, but want to help in any way. He may ask you to help sort out the photos, go to the grocery store, or help mow the lawn.

Method 3 of 3: Helping a Disadvantaged Friend

1. 1 Take the initiative and offer to help an orphaned friend, or simply show willingness to work.
   • Deliver food to your bereaved friend's house. Often, loved ones forget to eat, and a favorite snack or meal from a restaurant will provide them with adequate nutrition.
   • Help with the funeral. If your friend has never had to lose a loved one, he will not know how to prepare a funeral. You can help an orphaned friend by offering to write an obituary, help him find a church or memorial hall, and help him find someone to serve.
   • Clean up your grieving friend's house. He may be in a state of shock and may not be able to do his normal household chores. Often family and friends from out of town will come and stay with the funeral, and cleaning the house may also be their responsibility.
2. 2 Continue to provide support after the funeral. Grief takes a long time, and you can help an orphaned friend by staying in touch with them after the memorial. Call him on the phone, call him for lunch, and talk about the man who died.
3. 3 Watch for signs of severe depression. It's normal for a grieving friend to feel depressed, but if they can't get to school or work, have trouble sleeping, can't eat or eat all the time, they may need extra help.
   • The process of grieving varies from person to person. If your grieving friend doesn't seem to get better over time or talks about suicide, intervention may be needed.
   • If he is focused only on death, has hallucinations, or is unable to complete his usual daily activities, offer to join a therapy group or talk to them about making an appointment with the family doctor.

Tips

• Don't ask an orphaned person you know how they feel if you haven't experienced a similar situation.
• Don't say that the person who died is in a better place now. Your grieving friend cannot believe it, and may think that only life can be best for a person.
• Never tell an orphaned friend to rush to recover. This will make the friend feel like he needs to be above the grief, and can make him angry. Grief has its own schedule.
• Keep in mind that different people react differently to the death of a loved one. It is not normal to never talk about a deceased person, but it is not good to talk about him all the time.
• Give your friend a hug and tell him that you regret losing them.
• Don't leave your friend alone, but don't be with him all the time. He needs some space.