Grief is an innate reaction that arises when an individual experiences the loss of someone, something, or a cherished connection they have formed.
Whilst grief is traditionally thought of occurring with the loss of a loved one it can also occur after a wider range of events.
Common events which lead to grief include:
Loss of a loved one
Through separation or divorce
The loss of sense or safety or predictability in a person’s world
Loss of employment
Physical incapacity
Onset of disability
Loss of community
Loss of one’s home
Miscarriage
Loss of a friendship
A loved one experiencing serious illness or disability
Loss of a pet
Common responses to grief
Grief can influence the physical, emotional, behavioural, cognitive, and spiritual aspects of an individual’s life. Grief can be an overwhelming, all-consuming feeling. Every person will respond differently to grief.
Some of the common ways which grief can present include:
Sadness
Confusion
Helplessness
Shock and disbelief
Denial
Anger
Feelings of guilt
Fear
Changes to sleeping patterns
Difficulties concentrating
Preoccupied thoughts about the loss
Some people who experience grief might find it helpful to talk openly about their experience and their feelings, others might prefer time alone to process what has happened. In most cases, after experiencing a loss, grief does lessen over time as an individual learns to cope with their loss, however can still be significantly felt a long time after the loss has occurred. You may still experience feelings of grief, months or years after the loss was experienced. These feelings might be consistent, or you may go long periods without having felt grief.
There is no right or wrong way to experience grief. There are no standard time frames in which you might expect grief to resolve, each person will learn to cope with their loss differently.
Match with a Psychologist
Getting help
If you have suffered from a loss and are finding you are having some difficulties in coping, seeing a psychologist can help you to adjust to this change and work towards living a meaningful life. A psychologist can help you by listening to your story, understanding you and your loss, and can help you to find ways to cope through the grieving period.
If you would like support to cope with your loss and feelings of grief you can contact us at Strategic Psychology via phone, email or drop in to our office to arrange to meet with one of our trained psychologists for a confidential discussion.
No referral is needed to make an appointment. However, you can arrange for an appointment with your GP to discuss your mental health and the support which may be available through Medicare to access treatment services. If you are eligible for a Mental Health Treatment Plan, your GP can provide this to you to bring along to your session which will allow you to access a rebate through Medicare.