Loss can cause complex emotions that leave a grieving person feeling like their life is forever changed. Symptoms can feel intense, even affecting your physical health or leading to other challenges like substance abuse as you attempt to numb the pain. Many things can cause grief, including changing jobs, loss of a marriage or same-sex partner, health problems, death, or any other circumstance that leads to a changed life.
Grief is a natural response to loss, involving emotional suffering and painful emotions—it’s a normal part of life, but can feel overwhelming. The grieving process is highly individual, with no right or wrong way to feel or grieve, and not everyone experiences it in the same way. You may feel guilty, numb, angry, sad, or anxious.
Grief can disrupt daily life, causing physical symptoms and intense emotions that can be difficult to manage. It’s essential to understand that grief is a unique experience, and what works for one person may not work for another, so it’s crucial to find your own way to work through grief.
Grief can be triggered by various types of loss, including the death of a loved one, major life changes, or traumatic events, and can affect anyone, regardless of age or background. Risk factors for difficult grief include personality factors, proximity to the situation, and the presence of other mental health conditions.
There are several types of grief, including anticipatory grief, disenfranchised grief, and complicated grief, each with its own set of challenges and emotions.
Coping with grief requires a range of strategies, including seeking support from friends, family, or a support group, and finding healthy ways to express emotions, such as through creative activities or exercise. It’s essential to allow yourself to feel your emotions, rather than suppressing them, and to find ways to honor and remember your loved one, such as through sharing stories or creating a memorial.
Therapy can be an effective way to process grief, especially for those experiencing complicated grief, and can provide a safe and supportive environment to explore emotions. Self-care is also crucial to help manage physical and emotional symptoms. Some important ways to care for yourself include:
Finding ways to maintain a sense of connection to your loved one, such as through rituals or traditions, can also be an important part of the grieving process.
When you experience grief, people often talk about the stages of grief, which are as follows:
The important thing to remember is that these stages of grief are not linear. You can move through the five stages in any order, skip stages, or come back to one over and over. You may be unable to do household tasks one day, feel ashamed the next, and then swing into feeling okay. Just when you think that you've moved on, you may start to feel anxious or start feeling sad again. There is no right or wrong way to experience grief.
Grief counseling and therapy can provide a safe and supportive environment to process grief and can be tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual, including family members and children.
A grief counselor can help you develop coping strategies, work through difficult emotions, and find ways to honor and remember your loved one and can also provide support and guidance for those experiencing traumatic grief. Therapy can be one-on-one or in a group setting. A grief support group can be particularly helpful for those who feel isolated or unsupported or who are struggling to manage their emotions.
Bereavement support services, such as those offered by hospices or funeral homes, can also provide valuable support and guidance and can help individuals navigate the grieving process. Online groups and resources can also be a helpful supplement to traditional therapy and can provide a sense of connection and community for those who are grieving.
Finding support is crucial when coping with grief and can come from a range of sources, including friends, family, support groups, and mental health professionals. Support groups can provide a sense of community and connection with others who are experiencing similar emotions and can be a helpful supplement to traditional therapy. Online groups and resources can also be a helpful way to connect with others who are grieving and can provide a sense of support and guidance.
It’s essential to find a support system that works for you, whether that’s a formal support group or an informal network of friends and family, and to prioritize self-care and seek professional help if needed. Local community resources, such as bereavement support services or counseling, can also provide valuable support and guidance and can help individuals navigate the grieving process.
Remembering and honoring your loved one can be an important part of the grieving process and can involve activities such as sharing stories, creating a memorial, or engaging in rituals or traditions. Finding ways to maintain a sense of connection to your loved one, such as through photos, mementos, or personal items, can also be helpful and can provide a sense of comfort.
It’s essential to find ways to honor and remember your loved one that feel meaningful and authentic to you, and to prioritize self-care and seek support from friends, family, or a therapist if needed.
Remembering and honoring can also involve finding ways to celebrate your loved one’s life, such as through special events or activities, and can be a powerful way to process grief and find a sense of closure. You can do this within your family, friend circle, or religious community. Taking time to reflect on your loved one’s life and legacy can also be an important part of remembering and honoring and can help you find a sense of meaning and purpose.
Whether you are grieving the loss of family members, the ending of a marriage, a child losing their health, or moving across the country, a professional can help you navigate the stages of grief. Bereavement counseling can help you to understand the process a little more about what to expect and help normalize the experience.
At Williamsburg Therapy Group, our team of doctoral-level Chicago psychotherapists allows you to work with a trained professional that can create a treatment plan and offer a variety of practical strategies, healthy coping skills to improve mental health, and techniques that can help manage symptoms of chronic or acute grief.
Whether you experience grief yourself or are worried about a loved one's symptoms, seek treatment by reaching out to our customer service coordinator to get matched with a mental health care professional who specializes in grief management and who can offer tools and strategies to process your feelings and feel an interest in life again.