Losing a loved one is the most terrible experience in life, causing anguish and agony. These sensations are often painful and have a profound impact on our life. Everyone’s recovery period from these sentiments varies. However, some people may find it difficult to deal with their emotions. That is why you should understand about the stages and symptoms of these feelings of sadness and loss, as well as when to seek professional support. Visit the best Mental Health Clinic in Brooklyn at Doral Health & Wellness or log on to Behavioral Health – Doral Health & Wellness NY.
Stages and Symptoms of Grief
Psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross introduces 5 stages of grief. These stages of grief are based on her studies of feelings of patients who were facing terminal illnesses and experiencing negative life changes and losses such as the death of a loved one or a breakup.
5 stages of grief
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
If you are experiencing any of these emotions followed by a loss, it helps you to know your reaction is natural and takes time to heal. However, not everyone who grieves goes through these stages and that’s okay. Similarly, you do not need to go through each stage in order to heal. Some people resolve their grief without going through any of these stages. It is also possible you may go through these stages of grief but not in sequential order, so don’t worry about what you are feeling and which stage you’re supposed to be in.
Even Kubler-Ross herself never created these stages as a rigid framework that applies to everyone who mourns. In fact, she mentions in her last book that these 5 stages of grief are never meant to help tuck messy emotions into neat packages. Instead, these are responses to loss that many people have but not typical responses to loss, as there is no such thing. “Your grief is yours, as is your life.”
Grief as a roller coaster
Instead of thinking of grief in stages, we may consider grief more like a roller coaster full of ups and downs, highs and lows. Like many roller coasters, the ride starts rougher in the beginning, the lows may be deeper and longer.
Similarly, difficult periods become less intense and shorter as time goes by, but it takes time to heal from a loss. Even years after a loss, especially at special events such as a family wedding or birth of a child, we still experience a powerful sense of grief.
Symptoms of grief
Symptoms of grief can vary from person to person, as loss affects every person differently, many people may experience the following symptoms of grieving (or not). Just remember that whatever you experience at the early stage of grief is normal, including feeling like you’re going crazy, feeling like you’re in a bad dream, or questioning your spiritual beliefs.
Emotional symptoms
These are some of the common emotional symptoms of grief you may experience:
- Shock and disbelief: Straight after a loss, it becomes unbelievable to accept what happened. You may feel numb, have trouble believing that the person is gone, or even deny the truth. If someone close to you dies, you may keep expecting them to show up, even when you know they are gone.
- Sadness: Profound sadness is the most universal symptom of grief you experience. The feelings of emptiness, despair, yearning, or loneliness hurt you inside which makes you cry a lot or feel emotionally unstable.
- Guilt: You may regret or feel guilty about things you did or were not able to do for them or couldn’t say to them. You may feel guilty about certain feelings such as relief when a person dies after a long, difficult illness. You may feel guilty for not having done everything in your power to save them, even if it is completely out of your hands.
- Fear: A significant loss also triggers worries and fears about other people who are close to you. For example, if you lose your partner, job, or your home, then you feel anxious, helpless, or insecure about the future. You may even encounter panic attacks. The death of a loved one can trigger fears about your mortality, facing life without that person, or the responsibilities you will face alone.
- Anger: Even if the loss was nobody’s fault, you still feel angry and frustrated. If you lose a loved one, you become angry with yourself, God, doctors, or even the person who died and abandoned you. You may feel the need to balance the feeling of the injustice that happens to you.
Physical symptoms
Most people think grief is only an emotional or mental process, but in reality, it often manifests in the body as well. The stress caused by loss can trigger a variety of physical symptoms that are sometimes overlooked or mistaken for unrelated health issues. Understanding these reactions can help individuals and caregivers respond with empathy and provide the right kind of support.
Common physical symptoms of grief include:
Nausea – The intense emotions associated with grief can disrupt the digestive system, leading to stomach discomfort or a persistent feeling of queasiness.
Lowered immunity – The stress of grieving can weaken the immune system, making the body more vulnerable to infections and illnesses.
Weight loss or gain – Many people experience changes in appetite during grief. Some may lose interest in eating altogether, while others may use food as a coping mechanism.
Fatigue – Grieving is emotionally and mentally draining. It often leads to a persistent sense of tiredness or lack of energy, even with adequate rest.
Insomnia – Sleep disturbances are common. People may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or may wake up feeling unrested due to an overactive mind or emotional distress.
Aches and pains – Emotional tension can lead to muscle tightness, headaches, chest pain, or general body aches that have no clear medical cause.
It’s important to recognize that these physical symptoms are a normal part of the grieving process. However, if they persist or worsen over time, seeking support from a healthcare provider or mental health professional is recommended. Addressing both the emotional and physical effects of grief is essential for holistic healing.
When to reach out to a professional?
If you are not able to handle your fear, guilt, emotions, and anxiety that are associated with the death of a loved one, then get professional help. They are trained in helping people to better manage their emotions and feelings. They teach them how to build their resilience and develop strategies to get through their sadness and improve their lives.
Coping with Grief and loss is a difficult process with time and patience. Understanding your feelings and emotions and sharing them in whatever way makes you feel right, is the best way to cope with Grief. If you are struggling with your feelings and emotions and do not know how to manage them then seek professional help to learn how you can handle feelings and improve your life.
If you need professional help with your feelings of grief, then don’t hesitate to contact us. If you need help regarding grief and loss, visit Doral Health & Wellness’s Mental health clinic in Brooklyn. Call us on 718-DORAL-55,+1-718-367-2555 to get a consultation. If you need help learning coping methods, register your information and make direct contact with our doctors and psychiatrists to learn those methods, log on to www.doralhw.org. Doral Health and Wellness has the best Doctors and Psychiatrists who specialize in Behavioral health, make accurate diagnoses, and craft tailored treatment programs. Visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212.
