If you ask a hundred people what grief is, no doubt you’d get at least two hundred answers. Grief is not only different for everyone, but it also unfolds differently depending on the type of loss, the notice that you might have had, and all the feelings and circumstances that surround that loss.
Grief is a natural, deeply personal response to loss.
That’s probably the easiest way to answer the question, and it’s a definition that comes from a hospice website, though I think we could dig deeper into the word “natural” there, because what would be natural for you might not be for someone else, and therein lies the problem and the reason why people tell you to just “get over” your loss. Just because one person doesn’t have grief affect them, and there are many reasons for this which could include unhelpful coping mechanisms, doesn’t mean another person isn’t deeply affected and both states are natural for those individuals.
I prefer to say grief is a highly individual and deeply personal response to a loss.
No two grief paths look the same. Ever.
Grief goes far beyond sadness. It includes a complex wave of emotions, physical symptoms, and even behavioral changes. Grief could include anger, frustration, denial, depression, confusion, or even emotions that are too difficult to name. Those physical symptoms can include tiredness, body aches and pains including an aching heart or chest space, headaches, an increased susceptibility to colds or illnesses, or other physical manifestations of grief. None of those are wrong. And none of those are going to last forever.
What I’d like to explore is the different processes that grief, especially the loss of a beloved companion animal, can manifest in your life and the unique ways your grief path is unfolding before you. If you’re ready to take the journey, I encourage you to schedule a call with me and let’s talk. You’re not alone.
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