Unlike a broken arm, a doctor can’t tell you how long you will be recovering from grief. It can vary from person to person and situation to situation.
Losing a loved one is a very challenging part of life, and it can be hard to cope with the grief that comes along with that. You may even find that your grief takes a while to sink in as you take some time to process the loss. There is no cookie-cutter way to experience this type of suffering; therefore, there is no way to know how long your grief will last.
Grief Over Time
People will start to feel better as time goes on, and they will become better at coping with the loss of their loved one. But the grieving process will always take time. Things such as getting up, going to sleep, or eating may become more manageable, and day-to-day life will be easier to handle. Therefore, it’s important to accept help and support during this time as it won’t last forever.
What Does Grief Feel Like?
Understanding the signs of grief in yourself and others is important, so you know when to seek support or identify someone going through a grieving process.
3 Common Symptoms of Grief:
Emotions
Anxiousness, sadness, hopelessness, numbness or anger are common emotions during a grieving process, and they may even become overwhelming at times. However, these are normal emotions to feel considering what you or your loved one is dealing with.
Physical symptoms of stress
Unfortunately, emotional stress can take a physical toll on the body.
These symptoms include a racing heartbeat, fatigue, difficulty breathing, and weight loss or weight gain due to changes in appetite. These symptoms are common during grief but tend to ease with time and good support.
Depressing thoughts
It is not uncommon to have very negative thoughts and feelings of hopelessness, lack of motivation or extreme sadness. You may experience confusion, and disbelief and have difficulty concentrating at work or talking to others because the grief may become all-consuming.
If you or someone you know feels depressed, there are bereavement support lines you can call or you can request to speak to your GP about counselling or other coping mechanisms for your grief and depression.
Summary
You may find that you go through the stages of grief multiple times or have a rollercoaster-like experience during your grieving process. Familiarising yourself with what grief feels like is an excellent way to self-reflect on your experience with grief and notice the symptoms of grief, so you know when to seek further support from friends and family or a professional.
Some people find wearing memorial jewellery can help them with their grief. For example, you may wish to choose something to personalise, such as photo jewellery or paw print jewellery, to help you subtly notify others of your loss. Or you may want to wear your piece of memory jewellery as a personal reminder of the person you have lost.
