Adjusting to life after losing a partner means you can feel lonely, sad, despairing, empty, angry and/or guilty. It is also possible to feel like the person who has died is actually present with you. Some people say that they can smell or hear their partner, following their death.

How does losing a partner affect you?

Death of a spouse at any age is a life-shattering experience. In addition to psychological impacts such as depression, grief can have physical consequences such as sleeplessness and loss of appetite. For some, the death of a loved one can result in stress cardiomyopathy, often referred to as “broken heart syndrome”.

What is it called when you lose a spouse?

: a man who has lost his spouse or partner by death and usually has not remarried.

How long should you wait to date after losing a spouse?

If you need to make important decisions, you should wait for at least one to two years following such a significant loss. This will give you sufficient time to process the death, go through the stages of grief, and regain some of your diminished cognitive capacities.