Hey. Recently my elder brother died, three months ago to be exact. I don't know what it is, but I feel isolated with him gone. I don't feel myself, and I'm not sure why. I want to speak to someone about this, but I have bottled up my emotions for years, and I don't like opening up to people, so I don't know what to do, or who to speak to, for in real life help.
Thanks.
Sam
Hi there,
Losing someone you care about can be really tough. When someone's been a part of our lives for so long, their death is a big change that can happen very suddenly. It takes time before you can move on and it's okay to feel however you feel. Letting feelings out can be difficult because it can feel like you're very exposed. Finding the right person to share feelings with can make it a little easier.
When someone dies, it may be very sudden or something that was expected for a while. However someone dies, nobody can know for sure how they'll cope with the change that comes after they're gone. It will be different for everyone and there's no right or wrong way to deal with death.
Feeling lonely and isolated can make it more difficult to get help. Finding the right person to talk to can make things much easier. Some people feel they want to share their feelings with someone they know very well, like a family member they trust or a close friend. Others may feel more comfortable letting things out to someone anonymous who they can trust - such as a Childline counsellor.
To work out what works for, you may find it useful to talk to one of our counsellors first and see what it feels like. You only have to say as much as you want to and you can end the call or chat anytime you want. Childline is a safe place to try opening up and seeing what it feels like.
I hope this has helped you. Thanks for sending me this letter.
Sam
Need help straight away?
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
Ask me a question
You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I read every single letter but I can only answer a few each week. My replies are published here on my page.
