What is Grief
Grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. Often, the pain of loss can feel overwhelming. You may experience all kinds of difficult and unexpected emotions, from shock or anger to disbelief, guilt, and profound sadness. The pain of grief can also disrupt your physical health, making it difficult to sleep, eat, or even think straight. These are normal reactions to loss—and the more significant the loss, the more intense your grief will be.
Whatever your loss, subtle or significant, it’s personal to you. Everyone’s response is different. There is no need to feel ashamed about how you feel, or believe that it’s only appropriate to grieve for certain things. If the person, animal, relationship, or situation was significant to you, it’s normal to grieve the loss you’re experiencing.
Healing Takes Time…
There is no right or wrong way to grieve, but there are healthy ways to deal with the grieving process. In time, you will be able to find ways to ease your sadness and come to terms with your loss, find new meaning, and eventually move on with your life. Healing happens gradually; it can’t be forced or hurried.
Some people start to feel better in weeks or months. For others, the grieving process is measured in years. Whatever your grief experience, it’s important to be patient with yourself and allow the process to naturally unfold.
Symptoms of Grief
While loss affects people in different ways, many of us experience the following symptoms when we are grieving. Some of the emotional responses to grief are shock and disbelief, sadness, guilt, anger and fear. You may feel anxious, helpless, or insecure. You may even have panic attacks. The death of a loved one can trigger fears about your own mortality, of facing life without that person, or the responsibilities you now face alone.
Many people often think of grief as a strictly emotional process, but grief often involves physical problems, including:
Fatigue
Nausea
Lowered immunity
Weight loss or weight gain
Aches and pains
Insomnia
We are Here to Help…
The pain of grief can often cause you to want to withdraw from others and retreat into your shell. But having the face-to-face support of other people is vital to healing from loss. Even if you’re not comfortable talking about your feelings under normal circumstances, it’s important to express them when you’re grieving. While sharing your loss can make the burden of grief easier to carry, that doesn’t mean that every time you interact with friends and family, you need to talk about your loss. Comfort can also come from just being around others who care about you. The key is not to isolate yourself.
When you’re grieving, it’s more important than ever to take care of yourself. The stress of a major loss can quickly deplete your energy and emotional reserves. Looking after your physical and emotional needs will help you get through this difficult time. We can help. Call Kalayil Psychiatry or schedule online today.