Various psychological interventions are available to help individuals address the negative thought patterns and emotional distress that accompany grief. Skills-based approaches such as ACT, CBT, and DBT can help individuals to reframe their thinking, so that they can come to terms with the loss and begin to heal. Counseling can also help individuals find peace, acceptance, and closure.
COMING TO TERMS WITH GRIEF AND LOSS
Understanding Grief and Its Impact on Life
Grief is a natural and deeply personal emotional response to loss. Whether it’s the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, or the loss of a job or dream, grief can overwhelm the individual, impacting their emotional, physical, and psychological well-being. The feelings of sadness, confusion, anger, and despair that often accompany grief can feel all-encompassing. While it’s a normal response to loss, when grief becomes prolonged or overwhelming, it may interfere with day-to-day functioning and overall mental health. At such times, support and treatment are crucial to help navigate through the grieving process and eventually heal.
What are the Major Symptoms of Grief?
Grief manifests in many forms, each person’s experience being unique. Common symptoms of grief include:
Emotional Symptoms
Deep sadness, anger, guilt, loneliness, or numbness.
Physical Symptoms
Fatigue, changes in appetite or sleep patterns, headaches, or stomach issues.
Cognitive Symptoms
Difficulty concentrating, confusion, or a sense of disorientation.
How Can Counseling Help with Grief?
Grief can feel isolating and overwhelming, but therapy can provide a safe and supportive environment to express these emotions. Grief counseling empowers patients to process feelings, reflect on the loss, and create a new vision for the future. A therapist can guide you in navigating the complexities of your specific loss, honoring your feelings while also helping you gradually to learn to live in the absence of something beloved.
What are the "Five Stages of Grief"?
The Five Stages of Grief, introduced by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, describe common emotional responses that people often experience after a significant loss. These stages are not necessarily linear and don’t represent a strict path. Instead, the stages offer a framework to help people understand the complicated feelings that accompany grief. People may move between stages, revisit them, or experience several at once.
Denial
Denial often appears as shock, numbness, or disbelief. It protects you from being overwhelmed by giving your mind time to absorb what has happened. You may feel disconnected from reality or find yourself thinking, “This can’t be real.” Denial is a temporary buffer that helps you begin the process of grieving in your own time and by finding a place that feels safe to address the emotions.
Anger
As the initial shock fades, anger frequently emerges. This anger can be directed at others, at yourself, at the person you lost, or at the specific circumstances of the situation. Anger can provide a temporary sense of protection against deeper feelings like fear or sadness; however, prolonged or unrestrained anger can cause damage to the relationships that are needed to thrive in the long term.
Bargaining
Bargaining involves trying to make sense of the loss by imagining ways it could have been avoided, or if the situation is still occurring, ways that you could win back control. This stage may be accompanied by guilt as you replay moments and decisions leading up to the loss, wondering if you could have avoided these feelings by having navigated the situation differently. Bargaining allows a grieving person a way to emotionally negotiate with the pain before fully accepting the loss.
Depression
As reality settles in, deep sadness or withdrawal can occur. This form of depression isn’t a sign of weakness or mental illness; it is a natural emotional response to a significant loss. You may feel overwhelmed, lose interest in usual activities, or experience changes in sleep or appetite. For someone experiencing a deep loss, this stage can last much longer than it does for others who did not feel the same attachment. It is important to understand that every person’s feelings about a loss are unique, and there is no standard for how long the pain should last or how deeply it should be felt.
Acceptance
Acceptance doesn’t mean that the loss no longer impacts daily life, but rather that the loss is recognized as part of your new reality. You begin to re-engage with life, rebuild routines, and find ways to move forward while honoring the hole that the loss has left in your life. Acceptance is something that develops over time and cherishes what was lost in a way that allows the grieving person to move forward again.
Contact Us Today!
At Stuart J. Nathan, Ph.D. and Associates, we are dedicated to providing compassionate, evidence-based care for individuals seeking support with their mental health. Whether you’re looking for professional guidance, interested in collaboration opportunities, or hoping to join our experienced team, we’re here to help. Connect with us today and take the first step toward lasting wellness and growth.