What Are Some of the More Uncommon Effects of Grief?
You’ve heard of the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. But what about the uncommon parts of grief that you haven’t heard about? When you go through a traumatic event, whether it’s a breakup, divorce, or death of a loved one, you might experience grief in a way that you don’t recognize.
It’s important to remember that everyone experiences grief differently, so your grieving process might look differently compared to your friend or loved one who is grieving the exact same event. If grief, or bereavement, has taken control of your whole life and has left you feeling like you have nothing, you should seek professional help. A therapist can give you ways to cope with your mental suffering and help you sort through your feelings.
Knowing the Less Common Effects
Some common effects of grief are emotions like sadness and anger, or feeling tired, or losing your appetite. But sometimes grief impacts us differently than usual. Grief can manifest itself in physical ways as well as the more expected emotional ways.
Good Therapy lists some physical effects of grief and reminds readers that getting help is the first step in the healing process. Here are some more uncommon effects of grief that you should be aware of if you’ve experienced a traumatic event:
- Feeling numb. Commonly, people who are grieving will show their sadness openly. Sometimes when you feel grief, you feel numb and do not express sadness in the way that people might expect you to. People process sadness and grief in different ways, so even though you might seem unaffected and numb, it could just be your way to process your deep sadness.
- Feeling relief. If your loved one passes from a long illness, their passing might make you feel relief. That doesn’t mean you’re happy they’re gone. It actually means you feel relief for them that they are no longer in pain or suffering. Just because you feel that relief doesn’t mean you don’t feel sad. Bereavement is complex, and you’re likely to feel many emotions throughout the process.
- Heart problems. Some people might feel anxious when they are experiencing grief, which gives them tightness in their chest. But that can progress into more serious problems if it is severe chest pain. People with deep bereavement can acquire heart problems from the stress.
- Aches and pains. While depression is commonly associated with grief, not many people know that the emotional pain can manifest into physical pain in the body. Aches and pains can occur all throughout your muscles. Though this discomfort might feel serious, it most likely is not.
- Lowered immunity. Under extreme stress and sadness, the body’s immune system can become suppressed. This could lead to something as minimal as a cold, or a sickness as taxing as the flu.
- Financial stress. When you lose the person who was the main provider for your family, or even partial contributor to the finances, it can be tough to figure out how to make up for that economic loss on top of your physical and emotional loss. Financial stress is difficult on its own, but it can also worsen your symptoms of grief.
Although some of these symptoms involve pain that feels like the result of a serious illness, it most likely is the result of grief. If you feel like something is seriously wrong, it is always best to seek medical help. Regardless of the cause, your pain is real and valid.
Where to Get Help
Other than seeking professional help, routine is recommended for those who are grieving. Keep doing the everyday things that you used to do, like cleaning, making a meal, and getting a shower. Although it might take a long time to feel normal again, doing the small, normal, everyday things in your life will help you get through the day a little bit at a time. Harvard Health Publishing advises going on short walks every day or eating three meals a day even when you don’t have an appetite from your bereavement.
A traumatic event can put you through a lot of physical, emotional, and financial stress. When the event was the wrongful death of a loved one, even more of that stress can go into the necessary legal proceedings to hold the responsible party accountable. When you’re already grieving, legal processes can feel like they’re too much to bear.
That’s where Bey & Associates, LLC can help. Our wrongful death lawyers in Cincinnati will take care of the legal side of things while you focus on getting your life back to normal. We will fight for justice so that you might receive some much needed closure. Contact our law firm so we can discuss your case.