Grief: Pain of Losing

It is that moment when you glanced the calendar and realize that the anniversary date of losing a loved one is approaching, and the pain resurfaces no matter how many years have passed. It seems like yesterday, but you realize years have passed and there is still a part of you that feels that loss so deeply. No words can describe the day you feel a loss that is felt deep within your heart whether it is a death of someone including a pet, or ending of a job, relationship, friendship, or even loss of our health. Grief is a process, and no one can tell you how long it will take or the exact path you should take to heal from that loss. It will take time to process the grief or loss, but in time the sun will shine brightly again and the pain will have lessened. 

Grief is defined by VeryWellHealth.com as: “an expected response to a painful loss, the experience or duration of which can vary from one person to the next.” Grief is an emotional process, and an individual often does not have much power over how or when it is expressed. 

Grief can cause anger in some people. Others may experience depression symptoms and crying spells at random times triggered by songs, a conversation, a date, a smell, or a memory. Some seem unaffected by the loss, only to realize years later the flood of emotions coming to the surface that has to be processed and addressed. Others experience stages of anger, denial, depression, sleepless nights, issues with eating, isolation, and periods of time “feeling just fine” as they walk the path of coming to acceptance of the loss. 

It is not uncommon that individuals may need to seek treatment to help move through the grief process. Medications may need to be prescribed by a psychiatrist to assist with sleeping, mood disturbances,or depression symptoms to assist individual while emotions are so strong and raw. Attending individual therapy or grief support groups can help an individual process and come to acceptance of loss.  

Grief is a unique and individual process for each of us and may happen several times in our lives with each loss that we experience. We will all experience grief and loss at some point in our lives and it helps us to know that others have been able to move through it and accept the loss. 

Finding Acceptance is possible! Let us help! 

Northwest Behavioral Health Services 

2392 N. Edgewood Avenue 

Jacksonville, Florida 32254 

904-781-7797