My dad passed away in October. I have no words to express the pain.
I’m feeling bombarded, first with sorting every out as I’m his next of kin. Then it was my birthday which was super hard. Now it’s his birthday today. Its made me feel ill. Then it’ll be Christmas in a few weeks. I feel like I’m ok (ish) for a week then there’s something else I’ve got to contend with and it pulls me back down.
I’m well aware that’s there’s people dealing with much worse than me but I just want to hide away. Is this normal to feel like this?
Thank you for bravely reaching out. I’m so sorry to hear about your dad. You are not alone. I’m not sure if you’ve seen our Losing a parent category. But there you can connect with other members who are living with grief after losing a parent.
I’m sure someone will be along to offer their support to you. In the meantime, you might find these Sue Ryder resources helpful to read.
Our Losing a parent page talks through some of the emotions you may be experiencing
Our Grief Guide self-help platform which has information, resources and advice to help you through your grief
Important dates can feel extra hard, but we’re here to help if you need us.
You might find our guide to coping with important dates useful, Sue Ryder Grief Guide
If you do find yourself needing extra support this Christmas, please visit our online bereavement support at sueryder.org/support The community is here for you, too.
I’m so sorry that you have lost your dad. I lost my mum in September and feel so overwhelmed by doing life without her. I’ve had my birthday since then which was incredibly hard and Christmas can just disappear for all I care as I don’t have any interest in it. I would happily hide myself away if my work and family allowed me to. The constant demands of daily life are exhausting when inside I’m in turmoil. Be kind to yourself, you’ve had a lot of firsts to get through already with both your birthdays. One day at a time and know that you are not alone.