Bereavement and grief aren’t light-hearted topics. Bereavement refers to the process of recovering from the death of a loved one, and grief is a reaction for any form of loss. Both encompass a wide range of emotions such as fear, anger and deep, deep sadness.
Addiction often involves grief for both the partner and the addict. Loss of self, loss of what you thought reality was, loss of the dreams you had, loss of what you thought your relationship was. The process of adapting to a loss can dramatically change from person to person, depending on his or her background, beliefs, relationship to the person who’s passed, and other factors.
Common symptoms of grief can be physical, emotional or social.
A few common symptoms in these categories are:
Physical
- Crying
- Headaches
- Loss of appetite
- Difficulty sleeping
- Weakness
- Fatigue
Emotional
- Feelings of sadness and yearning
- Feelings of worry or anger
- Feelings of frustration or guilt
Social
- Feeling detached from others
- Self-isolation from social contact
- Behaving in ways that are not normal for you
Every grieving experience is different. A person may be able to continue their day-to-day routine after one loss, yet not be able to get out of bed after the loss of someone else. Whatever your personal symptoms are, grief and bereavement counseling have been proven to help.
If you are experiencing grief-related thoughts, behaviors, or feelings that are distressing, please contact me today so we can schedule an appointment.