Helping a friend in mourning: The worst thing you can say is nothing when they are grieving

When someone dies, there's nothing you can say to take away the pain, shock and emptiness. If only there was. Grief is a complex, powerful emotion that leaves people hollow, exhausted, angry, confused and broken, all at once.

So what do you say to a friend when someone they love dies? Reach for a cliché like "they're in a better place" and you've just complicated things with religion. Go for "I know how you feel" and you've implied that her pain is not unique. Try any other combination of platitudes - "you'll get through this", "everything happens for a reason", "they had a good life" - and you risk trivialising their loss.