Almost all my work in some way comes back to him, though.

Sorry for your loss, it's always a really difficult time when you lose someone so close.

I'm sure your friend knew how much you cared, it's almost an unspoken thing between best buds just because it doesn't need to be said. You connect on a level that is so much more profound then just general friendships.

Mourn for your friend, think of him, share your memories of him with others who knew him, but also know he wouldn't want you dwelling about it. He'd want you to spend your time living your life to the full.

Easier said than done, I know. Your friend is a part of you, a part of your life and experiences and in a way, will always be with.

Give it time and mourn in your own way, but also live your life.

I'm sorry for your loss, OP. I mean that. I hope you're okay.
 
I deal with it by pouring myself into the creation of something, mostly an illustration or a story. I've actually found that I subconciously sort out my issues when I write stories that, on the surface, would appear to have nothing to do with my life. Every character reflects a real world issue I have to varying degrees. Every situation is an allegory for what I'm facing on the outside. Characters solving their internal struggle is like me solving my internal struggle. If a mentor character dies in the story, it can be a reflection of a real world loss. The protagonist dealing with it helps ease me along the path of recovery. If he or she is brave enough to accept what happened and move on with life, then I am brave enough, too. It's not as if I actively assign characters to people I know in real life. It just sort of happens this way. The subconscious has a way of getting baggage out. The process can be very cathartic.
 
Drawing or painting a picture doesn't have the same problem-solving nature that writing does for me. It's more to just dump out my emotions onto paper. Furiously scratching into paper to create the image of, say, a screaming and contorted face gets raw anger out effectively.

The most important part of this process is that the end result is tangible. If I can't stand to look at whatever I create, I have the option of burning it, throwing it out, or ripping it up. Or, I can be proud of what I create. I can point at it and say, Bitches one and all, I did this. I can also share the result of my grief with others. Allowing people to see my secret, internal grief takes away a little bit more of the pain I keep bottled up every time. If something is intangible, like mourning via a bottle, then I have to understand the pain and destroy it on some higher, metaphysical level. A physical thing in front of me is much easier to deal with.
 
If you are interested in this sort of thing but feel storytelling or drawing isn't for you, then know that there are multiple avenues of creation you can pursue. Metal working and wood carving are both physically and mentally demanding, and can draw a lot of the anguish out of you when you're scraping at wood with a huge knife or banging away at metal with a gigantic hammer. I would imagine fixing up a car or tending to a garden would have the same result, too, and I know people who find Minecraft incredibly soothing for this very reason. 
 
Otherwise, I sleep too much, I cry a lot and get panic attacks. It's never an easy road, no matter how good your coping mechanisms. I wish you the best of luck.

 The one thing I will say is that telling the people in your life you love them is a great thing, but don't think for one second that your friend didn't know you felt that way. Everyone tortures themselves over this stuff, but if you take a step back you'll realise that you know that your loved ones care for you, regardless of how the express it; there's no reason to ever think they don't realise you feel the same way.

Cry, don't be afraid to let yourself be sad.

It's a cliche, but it's a cliche for a reason: it works. I lost a very close friend to a suicide drug overdose almost a decade ago, and things still occur that fuck me up. I let it out when I can, because otherwise I would regress to the emotional robot I was back then.

Being creative is another way to channel some of that stuff in a positive way. Some of my best fiction and poetry has been written due to being depressed for whatever reason (particular after a loss). It doesn't have to be wrist-slash depressing writing either, its more just about channeling the badness until you are last that particular moment.

The one thing I will say is that telling the people in your life you love them is a great thing, but don't think for one second that your friend didn't know you felt that way. Everyone tortures themselves over this stuff, but if you take a step back you'll realise that you know that your loved ones care for you, regardless of how the express it; there's no reason to ever think they don't realise you feel the same way.

Are you saying your best friend died?  Edit: Is there some weird Elfen Lied talk going on here?

I don't know what happened, but I can assure you it's a normal feeling. The few people that reach out to me are very dear, and I constantly worry that they're going to die or I'll lose contact with them and they'll never know how important and valued they are to me. But I have trouble expressing my feelings sometimes- I worry I'll come across as clingy, or they won't interpret my feelings as legitimate, or the words just won't come out. But when they do, even if I just blurt out some long-winded appreciation speech out of nowhere, it always feels good to get it off my chest.
 
I don't know how to deal with loss myself. Lately I've just been dwelling on everything I've even minorly screwed up on and losing all motivation to do the right thing and move on.

games

Are you saying your best friend died? 
 
Edit: Is there some weird Elfen Lied talk going on here?

Memory repression.

But then some pink-haired girl with horns showed up and fucked it all up.

As much as I pride myself on being able to articulate fairly well with the written word, sitting down and trying to make your feelings come across while writing, still seems to be something that is difficult for me. I have a weird compulsion lately where before I go to sleep, I feel the need to put something up on facebook trying to describe my feelings for people and what they mean to me. I tend to write status updates before I fall asleep trying to express my feelings for someone or several people, such as tonight where I tried to let the most important people to me, know how much I love and appreciate them.
 
I know in essence what I'm doing is trying to get over the guilt I have for not telling my best friend how much I love him and appreciate him. I know he knew it, but I look back and realize I didn't tell him as often as I should. I'm getting emotional up in this bitch.
 
Besides the obvious suggestion of you guys making sure everyone you love knows how much you love and appreciate them, how do you guys deal with loss? That doesn't involve drinking cause I have that one down pat.