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Grief & Bereavement

How does grief impact our lives?

Grief can affect every part of our being and lives: physically, mentally, emotionally and even socially. Reactions can range from anger, guilt and anxiety to changes in appetite or social behavior. When in a state of grief, we may even find ourselves grieving past losses.

Common reactions to loss include:

Physical sensations such as hunger, nausea, breathlessness, shakiness, headache, sensitivity to noise, and chest or throat pain.

Behaviors such as sleep and appetite disturbances, crying and sighing, social withdrawal, increase in illness or accidents, increased use of alcohol, drugs or nicotine, and changes in personal hygiene habits.

Feelings that may include frustration, irritation, misdirected hostility, depression, guilt, yearning, fear and relief.

Thoughts such as disbelief, confusion, obsessive thinking about the deceased, and a sense of finality.

Spiritual reactions ranging from searching for broader meaning and embracing religious rituals to questioning of faith or returning to previously abandoned beliefs and practices.

Adapted from Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy: A Handbook for the Mental Health Practitioner, second edition by William Worden (1991).

The information on this website should be used only in a general sense to help you understand the grief process people typically undergo before and after death.  It should not be used as a substitute for professional guidance or counseling.

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More in this section:

• How does grief impact our lives?
• What is bereavement and what are its common stages?
• What is anticipatory grief?
• How can I help the healing process?
• Where can I receive grief and bereavement support?

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