What is grief?
-
Kathy Sowder of TherapyLiveCare answered:Grief is the emotional impact a person feels as the result of a loss. Grief commonly includes a sadness, anger, sense of confusion, difficulty thinking or making decisions, fear, and often guilt. The more attached to the person or object lost, the greater the emotional impact may be. Sometimes grief affects one`s ability to eat, sleep, focus, have energy, and to enjoy activities. Grief is a process; it may come and go, and there is no time limit for resolving grief. It is important to get support by sharing one`s feelings, and not denying them.Helpful? 1 person found this helpfulGrief is the emotional impact a person feels as the result of a loss. Grief commonly includes a sadness, anger, sense of confusion, difficulty thinking or making decisions, fear, and often guilt. The more attached to the person or object lost, the... More -
Marty Tousley answered:Grief is a natural, yet highly personal, response to loss. It can follow loss of any kind, including unusual and secondary losses. Examples include death of a loved one and loss of a cherished pet, and losses stemming from major life transitions, such as graduation, moving, marriage or divorce, job loss, incarceration, disability or alteration in health status. Grief can affect us in every dimension of our being: physically, emotionally, cognitively, behaviorally, socially, financially and spiritually. Grief and mourning are highly individualized, according to your own unique personality and life experiences, as well as your relationship and the nature of your attachment, how the loss happened, the support system you have around you, your own past experience with loss, and your particular religious and cultural background. Neither an illness nor a pathological condition, grief is a natural process that, depending on how it is understood and managed, can lead to healing and personal growth.Grief is a natural, yet highly personal, response to loss. It can follow loss of any kind, including unusual and secondary losses. Examples include death of a loved one and loss of a cherished pet, and losses stemming from major life transitions,... More -
Healthwise answered:Grief is a normal reaction to a significant loss that may cause feelings such as sadness and preoccupation with the loss. Grieving is a process that typically progresses through stages, from becoming aware of the loss, to feeling and expressing grief, eventually ending with adjustment to the loss.
A person can develop feelings of grief over the loss of a job, one's good health, an opportunity, or a beloved person or animal. Grieving can also elicit physical symptoms brought on by the stress of grief and life adjustment, such as problems eating and sleeping, headache, tightness in the throat, or body aches and pains. Grieving usually lasts from 2 to 6 months after a loss, gradually improving with time. But a person may have episodes of grief for up to 2 years following a loss.
Intense grieving can resemble depression. Long-term grief can lead to depression, but in most cases a person who is grieving does not have a major depressive disorder. If symptoms of depression persist without improvement for more than 2 months during a period of grief, the person should call a doctor.
Grief is a normal reaction to a significant loss that may cause feelings such as sadness and preoccupation with the loss. Grieving is a process that typically progresses through stages, from becoming aware of the loss, to feeling and expressing... More -
Discovery Health answered:Merriam-Webster Online defines "grief" as a "deep and poignant distress" caused by, or as if by, bereavement.
The word can be traced back to somewhere between the 12th and 15th centuries, depending upon which linguist you consult. It is rooted in different languages, too. In Anglo-French, gref means injustice or calamity. In Vulgar Latin, grevis means heavy or grievous. All of these cultures appear to hit the nail on the head when they coined the term, which is associated with feelings of sadness, despair, confusion, anger, anxiety and guilt.
Grief also can have a physical impact on those who are experiencing it. Bereaved individuals often experience insomnia, fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentrating and weight fluctuations.
Merriam-Webster Online defines "grief" as a "deep and poignant distress" caused by, or as if by, bereavement. The word can be traced back to somewhere between the 12th and 15th centuries, depending upon which linguist you consult. It is rooted in... More -
RealAge answered:Grief is a normal, natural response that one experiences when faced with a significant loss or threat of loss. Death, divorce, illness, financial problems, job loss, or cherished property and other significant losses may provoke a grief reaction characterized by feelings of sadness and despair. The grief process consists of several phases including denial, bargaining, anger, depression, and acceptance. People do not necessarily pass through all stages in sequence.
Remaining in one of the stages may be a signal that grief has evolved into a clinical depression. The amount of time that it takes for someone to recover from a significant loss depends in part on the nature of the loss. A grieving person may find that having a strong social support system, adequate coping skills, and taking care of him- or herself physically (e.g., resting, eating a nutritious diet, and exercising in moderation) may hasten recovery.Grief is a normal, natural response that one experiences when faced with a significant loss or threat of loss. Death, divorce, illness, financial problems, job loss, or cherished property and other significant losses may provoke a grief... More -
Dr. Michael Hirsch answered:People often use the terms grief, bereavement, and mourning interchangeably. Yet they are not quite the same. At its simplest, grief can be described as intense sadness stemming from a loss. Experts define it as any reaction to bereavement, which is the loss or death of someone or something important. Thus grief is the sorrow you feel, but it also includes many other feelings that accompany bereavement, such as numbness, anger, guilt, despair, irritability, relief, or anxiety.
People often use the terms grief, bereavement, and mourning interchangeably. Yet they are not quite the same. At its simplest, grief can be described as intense sadness stemming from a loss. Experts define it as any reaction to bereavement,... More
