Counseling Center

Grief

What is grief?

Grief is emotional feelings caused by a change or an end in a familiar pattern of behavior. When grief is being expressed it comes from a loss of a person, divorce, possession, etc. Mourning would be another way to express your loss.

What causes grief?

Losing something or someone important can cause grief.

Symptoms of grief

There are many symptoms of grief that can affect many parts of your life. You may experience some but not all of these symptoms.

A lump or tightness in your throat when you think about your loss
Anxiety
Crying at things that are not normal to cry about
Depression
Difficulty talking about your loss
Feeling like you cannot breathe
Having trouble making decisions
Loss of appetite
Changes in moods
No energy to do activities
Repetitive talk about your loss
Trouble sleeping
Unable to pay attention
Chest feels heavy and rapid heartbeat
Sadness
Hospice, a service that you and your family can use, if you are experiencing grief over a death. This service is also provided for other grief experiences

Treatment

The following are good ways to help you deal with grief:

Give yourself time to heal
Ask family and friends for help
Cry when you need to
Face your pain. Find someone with whom can talk to and share your feelings.
It’s ok to be angry about your loss.
If you have setbacks, do not panic. Be nice to yourself.
Keep a diary or a journal. Try painting, singing or playing a musical instrument. Letting your feelings come out creatively is very helpful in working with grief.
Learning more about grief will help the healing process.
Sometimes, caregivers might suggest short-term medicines.
Take care of yourself. Eat well and get plenty of sleep.
Try to accept the loss.

Additional Information

Understanding Grief		Good Grief
Clichés About Loss		Myths About Grief

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Grief