Bereavement

As we progress through life, we will suffer from the loss of a loved one which can be a sad and upsetting time. It is normal to go through a period of grief, where we will learn to cope and adjust to daily life. We all manage loss in different ways, and there is no right or wrong way to experience grief. 

Being at university, it can be a tough time to experience loss, as usually you are far away from your usual support network. Staying in regular contact with your support network during this time can help you manage these feelings of grief.

Grief can often feel like it comes in waves, which can initially feel intense and overwhelming. These waves can feel like they come out of nowhere or when you are faced with something that reminds you of the person you lost. When you first lose someone, it can feel as though you are constantly being hit by enormous waves of grief – sometimes so close together that it feels as though you hardly come up for air between them. As time passes, these waves will feel smaller, and less frequent as our life expands around our grief.  

If are experiencing a loss of a loved one from suicide, you may have conflicting feelings about their death, including confusion, anger, rejection, or guilt. It can be common to have thoughts of suicide after a loss, and it is important to reach out to talk to someone during these times. Please see our In Crisis Now page for further contacts and support. 

What support do we offer? 

Student Services can help support you if you have experienced a loss. Our team is here to listen and help you process and manage grief. You can access guided self-help or meet with a practitioner one-to-one to discuss this and find the most appropriate level of support.  You can email support.advice@st-andrews.ac.uk to talk about further support.

Alternative Internal Resources

You can access self-help through various University channels such as:

  • ShelfHelp, which has an eBooks that can help you manage your grief.
  • SilverCloud, there is an optional module that your practitioner can add to one of the programmes on grief and loss.
  • TogetherAll - a safe, online community where people support each other anonymously to improve mental health and wellbeing. (This service is available until February 2023. After this time, we recommend that you reach out to SHOUT).
  • Chaplaincy, are available for staff and students to discuss grief in a one-to-one or group setting.

External Resources

If you would like to access some self-help materials here are a list of alternative support resources.