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Grief

Are You Drowning In Grief?

57% of Americans have experienced a loss in the past 3 years.
You are not alone.
The majority of people are grieving the passing of someone they love.

32%

Death of a Family or Friend

20%

Death of a Pet

3%

Death of a Spouse

2%

Death of a Child

43%

Haven't Experienced Death in the Last 3 Years

The Facts

What is grief?

Grief is a deep and instinctual response that we experience after a loss. You may find yourself awash in feelings that conflict with how you think you should feel. Grief is often so powerful, that it can affect both your physical and mental health.

The Facts

What causes grief?

While we often associate grief with the death of a loved one, that’s not always the case. Any loss can trigger symptoms of grief, including:
  • A divorce, separation, or a break-up
  • Job loss
  • A serious diagnosis of yourself or a loved one
  • The death of a pet
  • A miscarriage
  • A loss of friendship
  • Selling an old family home
  • Feeling unsafe after a trauma
  • Retirement
  • Loss of financial stability
  • Loss of health

The Symptoms

What are the symptoms of grief?

If you are grieving, along with all the feelings you may also experience some or all of the following physical symptoms:
  • Nausea and upset stomach
  • Diarrhoea and other digestive issues
  • Extreme fatigue
  • Increased inflammation
  • Sore muscles and an achy body
  • Headache
  • Heartache
  • A weakened immune system
  • Sleep disruptions

The Urgency

Don't waste any more
time submerged in grief

Grief can make us want to retreat and hide. While grief is part of a natural process in how we experience loss, sometimes it can help to have someone be there in the dark times. Therapy can help you process your loss. Even if talking about your feelings is not something you are used to doing, it can help. If you find yourself isolating or feel like you are drowning, it is important to reach out for help.

“The reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not ‘get over’ the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same nor would you want to.”

– Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

The Understanding

The Five Stages of Grief

It’s important to know that you may not experience the five stages in order. You may feel angry, then skip to bargaining, before moving on to denial and then acceptance. Some individuals stay in a particular stage longer than others. There is no prescribed way to grieve. But if you reach for support here, you will have someone at your side every step of the way.

Denial.

Feeling out of touch with reality or in denial about what may have happened. You may also feel shock, numbness, fear, disbelief, and being un-present.

Anger.

As reality sets in, anger is a normal emotion to feel. Whether it’s directed at yourself, your loved one, or the situation in general. You may also be feeling anxiety, resentment, irritation, guilt, and frustration.

Bargaining.

You may experience feelings of helplessness and desperation, or recurring thoughts of “what if” and “if only”. You may also experience the struggle to find worth and meaning.

Depression,

There comes a time when the fog begins to clear and the permanence of your loss becomes real. This can be the time when keen new feelings of sadness set in. You may feel more isolated, turning inward for reflection, or have feelings of helplessness, hostility, and emptiness.

Acceptance.

After accepting the reality, you may move into a deeper sense of calm. Sadness, shame, and regret may still rise, but the earlier tides of bargaining, denial, and anger ebb and flow less frequently. You may also experience being more drawn back into life, searching for and finding new meaning, and a sense of something new emerging.

“No one ever told me that grief felt so much like fear.”

~ C.S. Lewis