Bereavement and grief aren’t light-hearted topics. Bereavement refers to the process of recovering from the death of a loved one, and grief is a reaction for any form of loss. Both encompass a wide range of emotions such as shock, fear, wanting to turn back time, anger, and deep, deep sadness.
The process of adapting to a loss can dramatically change from person to person, depending on her or his background, beliefs, expectations, relationship to a person who’s passed, and many other factors.
Common symptoms of grief can be physical, emotional, or social.
A few common symptoms in these categories are:
Physical
- Crying and sighing
- Headaches
- Loss of appetite
- Difficulty sleeping
- Weakness
- Fatigue
Emotional
- Feelings of sadness and yearning
- Feelings of worry or anger
- Feelings of frustration or guilt
- Feelings of fear and dread
Social
- Feeling detached from others
- Isolating from others
- Behaving in ways that are not typical for you
Every grieving experience is different. A person may be able to continue their day-to-day routine after one loss, yet not be able to get out of bed after another loss. Whatever your personal symptoms are, grief and bereavement counseling have been proven to help.
If you are experiencing grief-related thoughts, behaviors, or feelings that are distressing, please contact us today.