Losing a parent can feel like losing your grounding point. Grieving the loss of a parent can disrupt your daily routine, relationships, and sense of stability. You may feel overwhelmed by sadness, anger, numbness, or even relief. Whatever you’re feeling is OK, as grief affects every person differently.[1]
Although there’s no right or wrong way to grieve, many people need tools and support after a parent dies. Grief counseling, bereavement support groups, or grief therapy can help you learn how to heal while honoring your parent.[1][2]
This page can help you better understand the impact of grieving the loss of a parent by exploring:
Your parent likely raised you, supported you, and loved you unconditionally. So it can be hard (if not impossible) to fathom life without them. When grieving the loss of a parent, you may experience a whirlwind of emotions – from sharp sadness to delayed numbness or anxiety. You may even feel like your identity has shifted or like you’re worried about your own death.[1][3]
Additionally, grief isn’t uniform for everyone. Some might cry all the time, while others may worry that they’re not crying enough. It’s also common to mentally replay both happy memories and arguments with a parent. You could feel positively about your childhood, while still being stressed about your family dynamic. Experiencing any or all of these feelings is normal and is an expected component of grief.[1][2]
Parents shape the way we relate to other people and the world around us. If you had a great relationship with your parent, you may feel like you’ve lost that person who you leaned on for support. If you had a distant or conflicted relationship, you may mourn the relationship you wished you had.
You may even grieve what your parent could have become with more time. Remember, it’s normal to have mixed emotions about your relationship with your parent.[1]
Grief looks different for everybody. Some days you may feel angry, and others you might feel fine. Your feelings about your parent’s death may change depending on who you’re spending time with or the time of year.
Everyone experiences grief differently, but there are some common emotional and physical symptoms that occur, including the following.[1][2]
Grief can alter the way you feel about your story or your future family events, like weddings or holidays. While most of these feelings are normal, if they start to interfere with your day-to-day functioning, grief counseling or mental health treatment can help.[2][4]
Additionally, grief can trigger chemical reactions in your body that make you feel physically ill. You may feel tired all the time, on edge, or generally off. Here are some of the physical symptoms associated with grief.[1][2]
While these symptoms shouldn’t alarm you, if they worsen or inhibit your ability to function, it may be important to reach out to a doctor or mental health professional.[1][2]
Grief doesn’t have an expiration date. You may find yourself spiraling for months after losing a parent, or you may experience bouts of grief years after they’ve passed. Anniversaries, songs, or certain smells may trigger your grief.[2]
With time, grieving your parent’s death may not hurt quite as badly. But you will likely always love and miss them. However, if you find that your emotions and physical symptoms aren’t improving after six months or feel completely stuck in your grief, you may be experiencing something known as “complicated grief.”[4][5]
Complicated grief – also known as prolonged grief disorder – is when your symptoms don’t improve past a certain point.
Symptoms of complicated grief include:[4][5][6]
If you feel like you’re unable to move forward from your loss or return to your regular routine, a grief therapist can help you work through these symptoms.[7][6]
Additionally, grief after losing a parent you were close to may be more likely to become prolonged. If your parent was your rock, you may feel like you’ve lost a part of yourself. You might have relied on them for advice and feel their loss during times of major change. Joining a support group or seeing a bereavement counselor can help you grieve your parent while honoring their legacy.[1][2]
Alternatively, grieving a complicated relationship with a parent can also lead to conflicting feelings. You may feel guilty for feeling angry at your them, thinking that you shouldn’t. Grief counseling can help you work through these emotions and find peace with your relationship.[1][2]
Grief and depression have many similar symptoms. You may:
If you feel worthless, hopeless, or no longer enjoy anything, your grief may have triggered a depressive episode.[2][5]
Depression symptoms often include:[2][5]
If you’re having suicidal thoughts, contact the emergency services number available to you (such as 911) or your local crisis hotline. Help is available.
AMFM is here to help you or your loved one take the next steps towards an improved mental well-being.
Grief takes time, so don’t expect to rush your healing process. Making sure you eat, sleep, and spend some time outdoors can help. Here are some other ways to cope with grief:[1][2]
Give yourself grace as you navigate grief. You’ll likely feel tired or on edge more easily than usual. If you can’t manage to keep yourself together every day, take small steps and focus on taking care of yourself.[2]
However, grief can’t always be handled through coping strategies. Sometimes, people need professional support to navigate this difficult time. We explore some of these options next.
Grief counseling provides a safe space to begin processing your loss. Whether you need help working through traumatic memories or simply require a space to talk, grief counseling can help you:[1][7][6]
Grief therapists can guide you through your process without forcing you to move on from your parent. If you feel like you can’t cope with your loss, there are therapists who specialize in healing from grief.[7][6]
Further, there are many types of mental health treatment that can help with grief, depending on your specific symptoms and needs.
Individual therapy can provide you with one-on-one support as you process private memories or trauma. For instance, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help you recognize negative thought patterns.
Complicated grief treatment can help if you’re experiencing prolonged grief disorder. Or, if multiple people in your family are grieving your parent’s loss, you might benefit from family therapy.[7][6]
Finally, group therapy can allow you to connect with people who have gone through similar experiences after losing a parent.
In some severe cases of grief, residential treatment may be required. If you’re experiencing severe substance misuse, suicidal ideation, or an inability to take care of yourself, you may benefit from residential treatment.
These programs provide 24/7 psychiatric care and therapy to help you through one of the most vulnerable times in your life. Reaching out for help is never a sign of weakness.[1][4][5]
A Mission For Michael (AMFM) provides treatment for adults experiencing various conditions. Grief support is a phone call away – call 866-478-4383 to learn about our current treatment options.
See our residences in Southern California’s Orange County & San Diego County.
Take a look at our homes on the east side of the Metro area in Washington County.
View our facilities in Fairfax County, VA within the DC metro area.
When a parent dies, it can affect everything. You suddenly have to learn how to exist without the person who helped shape you into who you are. Recovery can help you find ways to live your life while still honoring them. You can find that peace and continue on your long-term healing journey with the help of professionals.
Grief recovery isn’t about forgetting your parent; it’s about learning how to live your life while honoring them. It means creating new routines or rituals that help you grieve while moving forward.
AMFM (A Mission For Michael) Mental Health Treatment can help. We personalize grief treatment to your specific symptoms and needs – and encourage you to heal at your own pace. We believe you can hold the memories of your parent alongside a bright future where you can experience freedom from heavy grief.
We provide a range of treatment programs, including residential and outpatient treatment programs. AMFM Mental Health Treatment offers an intimate, focused mental health treatment experience for adults in home-like settings that are carefully maintained to be peaceful, comfortable spaces. Our team of expert clinicians believes in treatment persistence so you can achieve lasting, life-changing outcomes.
Our locations in California, Minnesota, and Virginia accept insurance and are in-network with most major providers. To check your insurance coverage for mental health care, simply complete our confidential online verification form or call us at 866-478-4383.
Reach out to us to learn more about how we can support your healing. There is no obligation or cost to have a helpful conversation with one of our caring team members.
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If you’re experiencing grief after the loss of a parent, you may understandably have some ongoing concerns. To help, we’ve provided the following answers to questions we commonly receive.
Losing a parent can hurt so much because they often feel tied to our identity, family history, safety, and feeling of belonging. Once your parent dies, you may not only grieve them but also everything they represent to you.
Grief doesn’t have a timeline. Some people experience intense grief right away for months, while others may not experience episodes of grief until years later.
Yes. It’s common to feel numb after a major loss like death. If you feel numb for several months or if it stops you from enjoying life, consider contacting a grief counsellor.[1][2]
Yes. Losing a parent can cause depression. This may be the case if you feel like there’s no hope, you cut yourself off from others, you can’t function day-to-day, or you don’t want to do anything.[3][2]
Some signs you may be experiencing complicated grief include:[4][5][6]
You should seek grief counseling if your grief feels uncontrollable, it never gets better, you can’t work or maintain relationships, or you feel hopeless. You can always contact a therapist – there’s no such thing as “too soon” to seek support.[1][2]
Absolutely. Therapy can help you work through any relationship with your parent, even if it was a complicated one. A grief therapist can provide you with a safe space to process your emotions.[1][2]
At AMFM, we strive to provide the most up-to-date and accurate medical information based on current best practices, evolving information, and our team’s approach to care. Our aim is that our readers can make informed decisions about their healthcare.
Our reviewers are credentialed medical providers specializing and practicing behavioral healthcare. We follow strict guidelines when fact-checking information and only use credible sources when citing statistics and medical information. Look for the medically reviewed badge on our articles for the most up-to-date and accurate information.
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