Bereavement is the period of grief and mourning after a death. It is part of the normal process of reacting to a loss. Grief may be experienced as a mental, physical, social or emotional reaction to the loss. For example, mental reactions can include anger, guilt, anxiety, sadness, depression and despair. Physical reactions may include sleeping problems, changes in appetite, physical problems or illness. How long bereavement lasts can depend on how close you were to the person who died, if the person's death was expected and other factors.

While many who grieve are able to work through their loss independently, accessing additional support from appropriate professionals may promote the process of healing. Grief Counseling, professional support groups or educational classes, and peer-led support groups are primary resources available to the bereaved. In the United States, local hospice agencies may be an important first contact for those seeking bereavement support and is part of the hospice care benefit.

For some people, the normal grief reaction becomes much more complicated, painful and debilitating, or what's called complicated grief. In complicated grief, painful emotions are so long lasting and severe that the individual may have trouble accepting the death and resuming his/her own life. Treatment is available to help people with complicated grief come to terms with their loss and reclaim a sense of joy and peace.

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