Specific Losses Causing Grief
- Death of a loved one
Mourning the loss of a parent, child, spouse, unborn child, and more
- End of relationship
Divorce, separation, friendship, death of a pet, and more
- Loss of a job and/or financial stability
Recession job loss, foreclosure on a house, bankruptcy, and more
- Health problems
Life threatening illnesses, handicap conditions, birth defects, and more
- Other life challenges
Death of long held dreams, giving up an addiction or affair, and more
Coping with the Loss...
Everyone Grieves and Copes Differently
It is important to know that you will get through it. The following may help you understand and be less anxious about the changes that are happening to you.
Expressions of Grief
Grief may be expressed in many ways: anger, depression, changes in behavior, such as over/under eating,
over/under sleeping, restlessness, withdrawing, irritability, brooding, as well as tears and pain.
These are normal feelings and not signs of mental illness.
Phases or Stages of Grief
Grieving "through" a loss takes time and depends on you and your personal characteristics.
There is no right answer as to how long the grieving process may take - weeks, months, or even years.
Important!
Please remember that you can be successful in life,
even while continuing to grieve an important loss.
There are many stages of grief. While each person is different, some common stages of grieving are periods of shock, numbness,
denial, anger, depression, loneliness, and acceptance. Your path may be different -- each person has their own unique recipe for getting
through grief.
You Can Make It
There are many things you can do; some are helpful and will promote healing, others are destructive and may cause more and
prolonged difficulties. Sometimes you might get stuck in the grieving process and not be able to move into a healthy acceptance of the loss.
I am here to guide you through it. You don't have to go through it alone.
Recover to Live Again
When Grief and Sadness Don't Go Away
If the sadness and anger don't go away with time, you will need help processing the loss.
I am a mental health professional, who can help you start your healing process. Working with a professional will help prevent long term
emotional, physical, and relational problems in your future. The sooner you seek counseling, the sooner you will feel better.
Take action
Take action immediately to help yourself or a friend. If any of the following fits the situation, please do not wait.
It is important to make the call today to get help and support through professional grief counseling.
When to Call 911
Call 911 or other emergency services if you:
- Cannot stop thinking about death or suicide
- May cause harm to yourself or someone else
- Hear voices that tell you to hurt yourself or someone else
- Have a sudden change in behavior, such as drinking more alcohol than you normally do
When to Call A Professional Counselor
Call a professional counselor if you are experiencing any of the following complex grief symptoms:
- Feel like you don't want to live
- Wish you had died with your loved one
- Blame yourself or others for the loss
- Feel numb & disconnected from others (more than a couple of weeks)
- Have difficulty trusting others since your loss
Also, call a professional counselor if your depression symptoms include:
- Death or suicide thoughts continue
- Feel hopeless and detached (more than a couple of weeks)
- Feel worthlessness or overwhelming guilt
- Loss of interest or ability to do normal daily activities
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty remembering things
- Difficulty making decisions
- Feeling tired all the time
- Sleeping a lot
- Difficulty falling asleep
» Also see the Depression Checklist
Steps to Healing
Getting through the grieving may require getting professional help. As a professional therapist, I can help you through that time.
We will work together and find healing. As you grow and start to move forward we can connect you with others who have met similar challenges.
A grief and loss support group can help sustain you through your healing process.
It's normal to feel sadness, depression, and even anger following a loss. As time passes, these feelings and emotions should become
less intense. If the feelings remain intense, it is important to get help through professional counseling.
There are many life challenges that can cause grief. The bigger the loss, the more intense is the sadness and grief. No matter what your loss is, you can heal, recover and live again.
