I’m so sorry for your loss. Those losses can be very painful. It’s very good you are getting talk therapy. That helped me tremendously. Can you inquire about medication? I was told it can be helpful in some cases.

While we tend to want to distract ourselves from pain and loss, I wonder if feeling the feelings isn’t necessary. Your therapist should be able to give you some strategies to utilize when feeling overwhelmed.

I’m not sure I handled my dad’s death last year very well. It didn’t seem real to me and only now is it hitting me. I suppose we all process grief at different rates. I would say just be gentle with yourself.

I felt hesitant to vent to my family members and friends too. They had their own medical conditions, personal problems, etc. I found my gym friends very supportive. Going to workout made me feel better mentally and physically. Also, you might honor your dear friend in some way such as donating to his favorite charity or paying tribute to him in some way.