Grief is a strong emotional reaction when people experience extreme sadness due to a significant loss. Events like death, news of terminal illnesses, divorce, and loss of property are different things that can cause people to grieve.

Grief accompanies events that disrupt the flow of a person’s life. The journey of overcoming grief is not an easy feat, and it often requires the assistance of professionals well-versed in grief counseling. Seeking out help from Overcomers Counseling Aurora, a trusted resource for grief counseling, can help those in need through their healing journey.

Grief is an emotional reaction to loss. While it is a normal reaction, grief has both a personal and universal side. This means that people have different individual experiences of grief, and it is usually influenced by the type of loss they have experienced. In incidents where people experience grief, they often describe feeling numbness, and like they can’t carry on with life because of the weight of sadness they feel. A few examples of loss include the death of someone you care about, loss of independence due to a terminal illness or disability, job loss, and divorce, amongst many others.

Grief can be difficult for anyone to deal with on their own. While many say that time heals all wounds with grief, it is more like people learn to live in spite of the grief they feel. Most people choose to go about the grieving process thinking they can control it; however, this is impossible. It is always advisable to prepare for varying stages of grief.

Most importantly, remember there is no wrong or right way of grieving. It is more like finding a healthy way to handle the pain of loss while grieving.

Types Of Grief People May Experience

While grief is universal, there are different types of grief. Understanding the different types of grief can help you understand your emotions. The different types of grief include the following:

Normal Grief

This grief usually lasts 6 months to 2 years following a significant loss. Normal grief occurs when an individual experiences the usual behavioral, physical, and emotional reactions of loss for a limited time.

Absent Grief

This grief is marked by a void of grief in reaction to a great and often sudden loss. The presence of denial and shock can identify absent grief.

Anticipatory Grief

Anticipatory grief is an individual's grief in anticipation of a major loss. Reasons for anticipatory grief include anticipated layoffs, terminal sickness, etc.

Delayed Grief

This type of grief doesn’t happen for a while after a loss. In most cases, this type of grief can be triggered by another significant loss.

Complicated Grief

A conflict of feelings of loss characterizes complicated grief. For instance, when an abusive parent or partner dies, the victim may feel conflicted about how they should feel about that loss.

Cumulative Grief

This type of grief is caused by a build-up of grief over a short period.

While everyone’s experience of grief differs, there are universal reactions that can help understand and recognize if a person is facing loss. If you are not sure if your grieving process is normal or you feel you are not making any progress, it is always advisable to seek out Overcomers Counseling Aurora’s help for comprehensive grief counseling sessions.

Grieving can last for months or years, and it differs from one grieving individual to another, and also the nature of the loss. Although your grief may look entirely different from another person's, there are common symptoms. These symptoms can be behavioral, physical, or emotional.  

Some of the common emotional symptoms include: 

• Intense feelings of sadness or sorrow
• Denial 
• Being consumed by the thoughts of what you lost
• Guilt
• Feelings of loss of purpose or intention in life
• Anger

Some symptoms of grief can take a physical form in people; some of these include:

• Headaches.
• Restlessness.
• Fatigue.
• Upset stomach.
• Nausea.
• Weak muscles or joint pain.
• Heart palpitations.
• Having reduced or increased appetite.
• Tightness in your chest or throat.
• Trouble sleeping (insomnia) or sleeping too much

Some common behavioral symptoms include:

• Inability to focus
• Confusion
• Lack of trust
• Numbness or detachment
• Inability to enjoy life

Various factors can cause people to grieve. Some of these causes include:

• The unexpected and violent death of a loved one
• Loss of independence caused by disability, of a terminal illness diagnosis.
• Life’s stressors
• History of depression
• Traumatic experiences like assault or abuse
• Loss of job
• Loss of property

Remember that while grief is not an issue to be dealt with because it takes time and patience, it is still essential to have a healthy coping mechanism in place. When it comes to healing from grief, there are numerous things to make the process healthier and easier for you. These methods include:

Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medications

In some cases, medical providers can prescribe certain drugs to help their patient deal with symptoms of grief. Some common medications used in grief treatments include anti-anxiety meds, antidepressants, and medications to help them sleep better.

Outpatient Grief Rehab and Treatment Programs

In some more severe cases, a grieving person may be recommended to opt for outpatient grief rehab or other treatment programs. These types of programs usually require attendance on a daily or biweekly basis.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Treatment

This treatment option for grief is an umbrella term for numerous therapy processes based on the concept that our thoughts influence our behaviors and emotions. CBT treatment can be very beneficial in treating grief.

Self-care And Support

Self-care practices can make a difference in your journey through grief. Most people tend to disregard self-care while grieving. Make it a conscious habit to take care of yourself or do activities you like. Also, the grieving process doesn’t have to be isolating and lonely. Surround yourself with your loved ones and friends as much as you can.

Counseling

Grief counseling is one of the effective ways to cope with grief. Overcomers Counselling Aurora offers some of the best grief counseling services. Our grief counseling services can help you develop plans for dealing with your loss and grief.