Grief & Loss

Grief is a normal response to loss. It is the painful emotion you feel when you have lost someone or something. Any time something significant is taken away from us, we grieve. You may feel that the emotions you are experiencing are too much for you to cope with and feel overwhelmed by your loss. You also feel that these feelings will never go away. Some people will feel better in weeks or months, others may take years. Many people associate grief with the loss of a loved one; however any loss has the ability to cause grief and can include;

Death of a loved one or the death of a loved pet
Deteriorating health
A relationship breakup or divorce
Loss of a job
Retirement
The loss of a dream

Coping with the loss of someone or something you care about or love can be very difficult and painful.  It is important to know that there is no “normal” time period to grieving.  Grief is a distinctly individual experience and each person can experience grief in vastly different ways.  All are normal reactions to a significant loss.  As stated above, grieving is a normal response to loss. However, occasionally our grief reaction may become unhealthy and our behaviour destructive.  This is when grieving becomes complicated.

Complicated grief may include the following symptoms:

Emotional Responses

Apparent absence of grief
Panic attacks or constant worrying
Continued longing for the significant loss
Persistent anger or hostility

Physical Responses

Considerable weight loss or gain
Regular nightmares resulting in insomnia
Unexplained aches, pains and stomach upsets

Behavioural Responses

Prolonged loss of interest in pleasurable activities
Isolating self from support people and social contacts
Self-destructive behaviour (excessive alcohol consumption, skipping meals etc)

Experiencing any of these symptoms for a short amount of time is not necessarily indicative of complicated grief.

While there are no right or wrong ways to grieve, there are useful ways of coping with the intense emotional pain you’re experiencing.  There are methods of coping which allow you to go through the process in a healthy fashion, allowing you to grow and move forward.

Understanding what is and isn’t healthy can assist in the grieving process.  If you feel you may need help dealing with your grief, or suspect may be unhealthy, please contact Dr Crawford & Associates on 07) 3205 9759. We guarantee to see you within 48 hours.

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