Coping with the first anniversary of their death
Anniversaries can be especially difficult to cope with, and it’s important to remember that everyone experiences grief in their own way – there is no right or wrong way.
It is normal to feel as though you’re grieving as intensely as when they died again when significant dates are coming up. Anniversaries can be especially difficult to cope with, and it’s important to remember that everyone experiences grief in their own way – there is no right or wrong way. Grief is complicated, and you may feel different to your sibling, parent or friend around the first anniversary.
Well-meaning friends or adults may tell you that the first year is the hardest… For some people, this may be true, but it doesn’t mean that you suddenly find life so much easier after the one-year anniversary. It may feel less difficult over time, or it may always be a part of your life – just a little less powerful.
The anticipation and build-up to the day itself can feel daunting - it can help if you prepare for the anniversary date. You could have a few different plans in mind and choose the one that feels most manageable on the day. You can acknowledge it in the way that suits you:
Spend time with other supportive friends and family
Spend time reflecting and remembering your special person
Do something they loved to do, or that you enjoyed doing together
Wear their favourite colour
Listen to their favourite music (even if it’s cheesy)
Eat their favourite meal or treat
The list is endless. Or you may feel like doing nothing at all, treating it as your regular day – after all, every day can be difficult – not just this one particular day. Don’t try to force yourself to react in a certain way and allow yourself the space to feel or do something that feels right for you.
Self-care is so important – it’s important to remind yourself that you matter! Here are a few ways you can look after yourself:
Talk with someone you trust, express your genuine feelings. It may help you feel less alone. Write down how you feel, maybe share it with someone who is there for you.
Take care of yourself – eat healthy food, aim to get enough rest and sleep with a regular evening routine, and do exercise you enjoy.
Take part in activities for fun – try new ones, join clubs, go with a friend, or alone – change things up a bit, treat yourself, make new memories.
Try not to compare yourself to others, whether that’s friends, family, or people on social media. It’s okay to do things your own way, however that looks and feels for you.
Seek help if you need it. Reach out to trusted friends, family, and professionals. You’re not alone, and we’re here to help.
Anniversaries can be especially difficult to cope with, and it’s important to remember that everyone experiences grief in their own way – there is no right or wrong way.
Amy, Youth Ambassador, shares her personal experience of feeling alone at Christmas as well as some advice for other young grieving people.
Discover ways our Youth Ambassadors manage their feelings at Christmas time and into the New Year without their person.
Dom, Volunteer and former Youth Team member, shares a reflection on grief over time as a 27 year old.
How you can encourage your school, college or university to adopt a radical new way of supporting bereaved students.
Between a wedding and a grave: bearing witness in a broken world. What a childhood visit to Pakistan taught me about grief, hope, and the stories we still need to tell.
Youth Ambassador Jasmin shares her experience of sibling loss and ways she copes with grieving for her brother.
Youth Ambassador Ben shares his reflection on being a son when you are bereaved of a parent.
Grieving for someone you have no memories of can feel complicated. Discover ways to express your grief from our Bereavement Specialists.
Our bereavement support team share ways to cope when feelings about your grief come up unexpectedly.
Feeling angry when you're grieving is completely normal, but it's important to find healthy ways to cope with your feelings. Hear from our Youth Ambassadors.
Whether your bereavement happened recently or a long time ago, grief can re-surface when starting a new venture in your life, such as starting a new job. Here are some things to consider if you’re grieving and entering the world of work.
Grief can sometimes feel difficult to talk about, making it hard to make sense of your feelings. Poetry can offer a way to explore those emotions.
When a student dies from your school, it can bring up lots of big feelings, not just for the students who were close to them but also for those who did not know them.
Grief might make special days feel different for you, but does that mean you should not celebrate?
Ways to cope with your grief this summer when you have a lack of routine.
When someone important to you has died, it can be very overwhelming to think about where to start. Who do you need to inform? How do you do it? Where do you get help and advice?
Support, guidance, and ways to manage your grief after the death of your baby or child. This is written specifically for young parents aged 25 or under.
Some tips for taking care of yourself when you're grieving for a celebrity or public figure.
How MrBeast's YouTube video* was about more than just losing 110lbs and what we've taken from it. Written by a Winston’s Wish Bereavement Support Worker.
Understanding your feelings after the death of someone important to you who didn't know or support your authentic identity.
Advice from our bereavement support team about navigating grief with a learning disability.
Four young people from the Winston’s Wish Youth Team have shared their memories of their dads and their tips for others coping with Father’s Day while grieving for their dads.
Ashleigh, Youth Ambassador, shares how she feels about her first Father's Day without her dad and includes some tips for other young bereaved people.
Grief is a really common theme in TV, film, books, and more, so why is it such a taboo subject for some people to talk about?
It can be really hard knowing how to support your partner when they are grieving for someone important who has died. It's completely okay to be unsure of what to say or do. Here are some suggestions of ways you can try to help.
Whilst it never goes away, grief does start to feel different over time. But what can that look or feel like?
One thing we all have in common is life and death. There are lots of different traditions to mark the occasion of a person dying.
Hear from Natasha, Youth Ambassador, about how reading helps her process her bereavement.
Bereavement support tips for those who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. Tap the live chat button or scroll down to find ways to contact Winston's Wish for further support.
Discover ways to store memories of your parents and express how you're feeling in your grief.
Find ways to cope with grief and its emotions as a teen or young adult without their parents.
Winston's Wish Bereavement Support Workers share top tips for looking after your mental health when you're grieving.
Feeling confused by your grief? You're not alone. Our Bereavement Support Team share some reasons why it can be confusing.
Over winter, with the darker evenings, feelings of loneliness can seem more overwhelming than ever.
Iman, Youth Ambassador, shares how she grieves at Christmas even though she doesn't celebrate the occasion.
Crying is a normal response when your person has died, no matter how long ago. There's no right or wrong way to grieve, and it's okay to let it out.
A guide for grieving young people from the Winston's Wish Bereavement Support Team.
Three of our Youth Ambassadors, Anna, Libby and Angharad, reflect on their first Christmas without their person.
Winter and the Christmas holidays can be a difficult time of year. Here are five ways to remember your person this season.
Winston's Wish Bereavement Support Workers share their 8 top tips for bereaved teens and young adults through the colder months.
Youth Ambassadors share the ways they remember their person digitally, through photo albums, playlists, and more.
Youth Ambassadors, Daisy, Freya, and Katie, share their personal views of their own secondary losses as a result of their bereavement.
Hear from some of the Youth Team about times when their teachers have helped them with their grief.
Our Bereavement Support Team have written some guidance on how to manage grief when you feel like you aren't able to be open.
Lilly shares an introduction to her grief experience and why it's so important to her to be a Winston's Wish Youth Ambassador.
Hear from some of their Youth Team about how they found support at uni.
Angus, Content Creator, says, "This message is about embracing change and not letting current moments pass you by."
Coping strategies to support you after a teacher has died
Tips from our bereavement support team to help you with big life changes like moving out as a young adult.
Useful tips to help you understand and cope with your grief.
Feeling sad that your person isn't there, guilty that you're celebrating your results, or proud of yourself for your results. There's no right or wrong way to grieve.
It can be very difficult knowing what to say and to be around someone who has experienced the death of someone close. Adults find it difficult too, so try not to feel bad about this.
The death of a friend may feel extremely difficult and can feel as significant as that of a family member. Whatever you're feeling is valid, and there is no right or wrong way to grieve.
Jack, Content Creator, writes about how managing his grief through running has led to him winning the Leeds Half Marathon 2024!
Iman, Youth Ambassador, explains about Eid and shares what it's like for her and her family to grieve during Eid.
Miranda shares about how she uses music in different ways to help express her grief and emotions.
Ashleigh writes about how both writing and music have helped her in her grief.
The Winston's Wish bereavement support team share top tips for managing grief this Father's Day.
Grace's dad died from cancer when she was eight years old, she shares how she remembers her dad on Father’s Day.
Feelings of worry are very normal when you're grieving. Read on to discover some ways to manage these feelings.
Useful tips for exam season if you're grieving
Youth Ambassador, Iman, shares about her Eid celebrations as a grieving young person
Content Creator, Angus shares his thoughts
Useful tips for exam season
Interview with Mark O’Sullivan, writer of Tell Me Everything
Tips to help improve your sleep when you're grieving
How poetry can be a useful way to express your feelings
Young people share what it's like to grieve while studying at uni.
Our bereavement experts are available to speak to for immediate support on weekdays from 8am to 8pm.
Get top tips from bereavement experts, and hear from Youth Ambassadors, Henri and Teigan, about their experiences of Mother's Day.
Phoebe's mum died when she was nine. She shares how she feels on Mother’s Day and how she remembers her mum.