Línea 024 — atención a la conducta suicida
Call 024
Free, confidential, 24/7 (Ministerio de Sanidad).
Someone to talk to
The admin ends. Grief does not run on a schedule. You do not have to be "bad enough" to call any of these.
What to do when someone dies in Spain
Teléfono de la Esperanza
717 003 717
Emotional support and crisis help, every day.
Cruz Roja — Te Escucho
900 107 917
Emotional support by phone.
What to do when someone dies in the UK
Samaritans
116 123
Free, 24/7, for anyone in distress.
Cruse Bereavement Support
0808 808 1677
Grief support helpline.
What to do when someone dies in the United States
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988
Free, confidential, 24/7.
Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741741
Free crisis support by text, 24/7.
Anywhere
Your own doctor
—
Tell them if you are struggling to eat, sleep, or cope. Grief can need care too.
Find a Helpline (international)
findahelpline.com
A directory of free crisis lines by country.
What to say
Telling someone the news
"I have some very sad news. [Name] died [yesterday / on Tuesday]. I wanted you to hear it from me." Then pause — you do not have to fill the silence.
Asking for help
Make it specific and easy to say yes to: "Could you pick up the children on Thursday?" is easier to answer than "let me know if you need anything."
Telling work
"A close family member has died and I need to take some time. I will follow up about the practical details, but I cannot do that today."
When it is too much
It is fine to say: "Thank you for thinking of us. I am not able to talk about it right now, but I will reach out when I can."
Looking after yourself
- Eat something, drink water, and rest when you can. Exhaustion makes everything else harder.
- Grief has no schedule and no "right" way. Relief, numbness, and anger are all normal.
- Accept specific offers of help. Letting people do one concrete thing is a kindness to them too.
- If you cannot eat, sleep, or function after a while, tell your doctor. You do not have to be "bad enough".