Grief and loss

You can experience a sense of grief or loss for many reasons – the death of someone you care about, your parents separating, breaking up with your partner, or even moving to a new city. There's no one-size-fits-all solution for dealing with grief, but there are ways to look after yourself.

Ask ReachOut

Have questions? Get anonymous, professionally backed answers to your questions, sourced from ReachOut articles and resources. Just Ask ReachOut.

Working through grief

It’s devastating when someone you love passes away, whether it’s a family member, a friend, or even a family pet.

Image of young man sitting on a round barrel outside. You can't see his face, only his body from the shoulders down. He is resting his hands in his lap and is slightly hunched over.

Common reactions to death

Find out about common reactions to death and grieving, and what you can do when you’re going through this difficult time.

Tools for coping with grief and loss with Allira Potter

Yorta Yorta woman Allira Potter shares how hard it was to lose her mum, and offers advice for those experiencing their own grief and loss.

young man and woman supporting each other 1

Dealing with grief when something bad happens in the world

You can feel grief over something even if you aren’t personally affected. Learn why you might be feeling sad, angry or guilty, and how to work through your grief.

How to deal with sad anniversaries

Learn more here about common reactions to anniversaries and how to cope with these sad times.

Feeling grief when someone famous dies

If you or everyone around you is sad, there are things you can do to feel better.

My sister, myself

Read how one girl was so consumed by grief that she began adopting the personality of her late sister, and how, over time, she was able to move towards healing.

Waking from the nightmare

She lost her sister. Her parents divorced. She was sexually abused. Read how she took control of her own nightmare.

Sorrow with a silver lining

She lost her mother and all her mother’s possessions, and was abused by her father. Now she’s engaged to the love of her life and is completing a degree. This is her story.

My unforgettable friend

Kourtney shares her story of how she’s dealt with her grief since finding out about the death of her best friend.

Boy and girl on beach with christmas hats

Managing grief during the festive season

The festive season can feel pretty awful when you’ve lost someone you care about.

Image of a teen boy who is looking down at the ground.

Give grief time

Matt talks about his journey back from grief after losing a close friend to brain cancer.

Boy looking away from camera in red sweater

Damo’s anger over his friend’s death

Damo reveals how he dealt with his intense feelings of anger, guilt and remorse after his friend suicided.