My thoughts on Grief

Grief and loss are among the most delicate and moving topics in psychology and daily life, despite being a totally natural part of human life and experience.

Everyone handles loss and grief in their own unique way. It is an individual process. While there aren't necessarily any right or wrong ways to do this, most are constructive and beneficial.

What does it mean to grieve? Grieving is a reaction to a tremendous personal loss. While sadness is a normal reaction to loss, grieving can be seen as its extension.

We grieve when we experience a huge personal loss, job loss, breaking up a relationship, receiving news about a serious illness or death, or even selling our family home.

Sometimes very normal changes in life like finishing school, moving to another country, or switching a job can be perceived as a loss. Separating from your partner, divorce or finding yourself feeling alone can also feel like loss.

Symptoms of Grief

Grieving affects all aspects of our functioning, from physical, to emotional and cognitive. Here are the most common symptoms.

Emotional Symptoms:

Sadness, Anger, Guilt, Blame, Confusion, Denial, Fear, Anxiety, Irritability, Panic, Loneliness & Shock.

Physical Symptoms can include nausea, fatigue, dizziness, enhanced heartbeat, sickness, headaches, migraines, shortness of breath, extreme hunger, extreme loss of appetite, weight gain, weight loss, hyperventilation/panic attack, chest pain, sore muscles, upset stomach.

Cognitive Symptoms may include confusion, difficulty with concentration, memory loss/fogginess, loss of hope, even preoccupation with the thought of grieving. Delusions.

Behavioural Symptoms may include – crying, overactivity/under activity. Irritability and aggressive behaviour, sleeping difficulty, loss of interest in activities, restlessness.

Before you come to terms with what has happened, emotions and symptoms can come in phases. We usually don’t have much control over it, but knowledge about the process can only help.

Although there’s no one way to conceptualize grieving, we can say that there are some standard stages, described by Dr Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. These five stages are only an outline, not a fixed, linear path, and the real process can take various forms.

DENIAL

ANGER

BARGAINING

DEPRESSION

ACCEPTANCE