Grief and Loss

What is Grief and Loss?

Grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. Often, the pain of loss can feel overwhelming. You may experience all kinds of difficult and unexpected emotions, from shock or anger to disbelief, guilt, and profound sadness.

You may associate grieving with the death of a loved one, which is often a cause of the most intense type of grief, but any loss can cause grief, including:

  • Divorce or relationship breakup
  • Loss of health
  • Losing a job
  • Loss of financial stability
  • A miscarriage
  • Retirement
  • Death of a pet
  • Loss of a cherished dream
  • A loved one’s serious illness
  • Loss of a friendship
  • Loss of safety after a trauma
  • Selling the family home

Signs and Symptoms of Grief and Loss

While loss affects people in different ways, many of us experience the following symptoms when we’re grieving. Just remember that almost anything that you experience in the early stages of grief is normal, including feeling like you’re going crazy, feeling like you’re in a bad dream, or questioning your religious or spiritual beliefs.

 

Here are some emotional and physical symptoms of grief:

  • Shock and disbelief
  • Guilt
  • Nausea
  • Aches and pains
  • Anger
  • Weight loss or weight gain
  • Sadness
  • Fear
  • Lowered immunity
  • Insomnia
  • Fatigue

Australian Helplines

In case of crisis, please contact:

Your local GP or treating psychiatrist, if you have one

Are you ready to make a change?

You are very welcome to get in touch, for any enquiries or questions you may have, or to schedule an appointment.

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