Grief

   Grief can be defined as the emotional suffering that occurs naturally in response to loss. Emotions that are associated with grief include sadness, anger, shock, guilt, disbelief, shame, and regret, amongst others. The experience of grief may also cause physical symptoms such as difficulty eating, trouble sleeping, nightmares, and inability to think clearly. Unfortunately, the greater the loss, the more severe the experience of grief symptoms can be.

                While grief is most commonly associated with the death of someone you love, many other of life’s experiences of loss can prompt one to grieve. The loss of a pet, a divorce or breakup, loss of a job, a miscarriage, loss of income or financial stability, loss of physical and mental function, and retirement are ordinary scenarios that can trigger emotional suffering. Truly, any loss in general that is unique to an individual can prompt feelings of grief. In fact, transitions that one may look at as positive may cause grief, such as graduating college or moving to a new home. This is because while there is positive forward motion, a loss is experienced, nonetheless.

                The most interesting thing about the subject of grief is that there is no one right way to do it, and there is no telling how long the grieving process can take. It is truly an individual ordeal. Some may move through the grieving process within a few weeks. In other cases, it may take an individual months or years, and that is ok too. The ironic thing about grief is that trying to speed up the process by ignoring your feelings and pretending that everything is ok will likely only prolong the process. It is ideal to let the feelings come and go organically, and for the process to move at its own pace.     

If you would like to speak to a professional counselor or psychologist about loss or your individual experience of grief and are in the Chicago area, please feel free to contact Olive Branch Counseling Associates, Inc. at 708-633-8000. We are located at 6819 West 167^th Street in Tinley Park, Illinois 60477.

Hillary R.,

Masters Level Intern, 2024

Sources –

Smith, M. (2024, January 8). Coping with grief and loss. HelpGuide.org. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/grief/coping-with-grief-and-loss.htm