The death of a loved one, brings out different feelings and emotions in a person.
The range of emotions that a person can go though are
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance

Denial
'I can't believe that this has happened'
Some people put the whole thing out of their mind and pretend that it has not happened. They find it hard to believe that they will never see that person again.

Anger
Is a normal part of the grieving process and may show itself by the person pretending that they don't care about what has happened and they may walk away, another person may just go into themselves, or shut themselves away, another person may become abusive or physically violent to others or themselves.

Some people will be angry because they have been left alone and feel that they will not be able to manage on their own, or are afraid of what the future may hold without their loved one.
This may be an especially difficult time, particularly if the death was sudden, violent or unexpected, or the person was of a young age.
Anger can often be directed at other people, very often trying to apportion blame.

Some people will understand your anger and will try to help, others may find it difficult to support you, especially if they are trying to cope with bereavement themselves. This does not mean that they don't care or understand.

Bargaining
The need to bargain with ones self, God or a higher power, comes when the bereaved person would do anything to have that person back again and says ,'I will do anything if only things could back to how they were'.

Depression
Feelings of depression and that life is empty and of thinking, 'what is the use of going on, life seems to have no purpose '.

Often the person that is coping with bereavement will think they can hear the voice of their loved one , or think they have seen them walking in the street. Thinking you have heard or seen this person is a common experience and can happen at any time.

Acceptance
It takes time to adjust to the loss of someone you love or care for, some people find that these feeling never go away completely, but over time the acute pain of loss will lessen.

The acceptance of living without your loved one comes when you find yourself saying that you are 'ready to carry on with life'.

How to Cope with Grief
The old adage that 'Time is a Great Healer' is very true, give yourself time!. There is no set time of how long it will take to adjust to your loss, everyone reacts differently.

Be with caring people, family and friends, or join a self-help group of people who have been through the same experiences.

Express your feelings.
You may find yourself talking to that person as though they are still with you. Sometimes talking about that person to other people also helps, if you are feeling sad, angry or feel like crying, then let these emotions surface without feeling guilty.

Life has changed and in certain situations you may find that concentration and relationships are difficult for a while . Try to accept the changes, understanding that things will be different for some time while you are coming to terms with your grief - these are natural outcomes of your loss.

Go to other people for help if you need to talk or you are overwhelmed by your feelings. Other people may not recognise that you are suffering, or may not want to make the first move in case they infringe on your privacy. Let people know when you need companionship and support.

In coping with bereavement you may find that your health is suffering and that you are not coping, then go and see your doctor.

If other members of your family are suffering with their grief, get together, by talking and supporting each other the grieving process for each person becomes easier to bear. Be honest with children about what has happened and about how you feel. Encourage them to talk about their feelings.

Come to terms with your loss. Move towards acceptance of the death of your loved one. Work through your feelings of anger, bitterness and blame which may get in the way of moving forward in your life.

Make a new beginning. As the sense of grief becomes less intense, return to interests and activities you may have dropped out of and think about doing something new.

Wait to make major changes in your life. Consider waiting a year or more before making big decisions, any changes at this time may add to the stress you are already experiencing.

Do you need more help on coping with bereavement? Then go to the
information and support page at Coping with Bereavement and also the National Association of Widows