Symptoms of Grief
- Lantern and Stave
- Nov 16
- 1 min read
There are many symptoms that one experiences after losing someone. This is a list of a few of them broken down into categories. There are some symptoms that contraction each other. Most people while grieving tend to gravitate to one extreme or the other. While everyone grieves differently there are a few common symptoms.
Emotional
Fear
Anxiety
Panic
Feelings of worry or dread
Sadness/sorrow
Longing for what’s gone
Loneliness
Desire for connection
Numbness or detachment
Feeling of emptiness or meaningless
Vulnerability and helplessness
Anger
Irritability
Bitterness
Relief and Guilt/self-blame
Cognitive & behaviour
Shock
Poor attention span
Forgetfulness or confusion
Difficult to concentrate
Difficulty finding the right words
Difficulty maintaining focus
Feeling overwhelmed by choices
Withdrawal from social activities
Changes in daily routines
Increased substance use
Avoidance of reminders of the deceased
Physical
Exhaustion and fatigue
Sleeping issues (insomnia or oversleeping)
Appetite and weight changes
Nausea or gastrointestinal issues
Tightness in the body and discomfort
Headaches and other body aches
Tightness in the chest or throat
Heart palpitations and shortness of breath
Easily startled
Getting sick often
Social
Struggling to care about daily matters
Neglecting personal care and hygiene
Hypersensitivity to loss
Increased need for support and being dependent on others
Being withdrawn and avoidance
Isolation from friends and family
Easily agitated and snapping
Intense responses to minor events
Relationship difficulties
Spiritual
Difficulty finding meaning or purpose
Existential crisis
Questioning one faith/beliefs
Loss of connection
Anger towards God
Spiritual Numbness
Feeling closer to a higher power or strengthened faith.
As for how we cope with loss, there are many different theories. We will look at some of the more common theories in the next few blogs.
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