Grief and Loss

What is grief?
Grief is the process of sadness and adaptation to a significant loss.

Accepting that loss is sometimes an automatic process, but other times it is difficult or impossible for us to do, resulting in complicated and even pathological grief.

The grieving process is very important for adapting to the new situation we are facing. It's necessary to come to terms with the changes that occur in us and those around us after a loss.

How does grief affect you?
During the grieving process, it is normal for symptoms such as the following to appear:
On an emotional level: sadness, loneliness, anxiety, anger.
On a physical level: shortness of breath, emptiness in the stomach, muscle weakness, lack of energy.
At the cognitive level: disbelief, confusion, worry, hallucinations.
At the behavioral level: crying, dreaming about the deceased, social isolation, sleep problems.

How long does mourning last?
The duration of grief cannot be determined for a specific person, as losses are not comparable, nor are the people who suffer them.

The phases are:
Denial: is the defense mechanism that the person uses.
Anger: rebellion against what surrounds us.
Negotiation with reality: we try to make a pact with what we believe can save us (God, life).
Depression: Here you are already aware of what the loss entails, finding a way to express your anguish or needing help to overcome it.
Acceptance: You don't achieve happiness but you make peace with loss.

Grief-related issues:
Anticipatory grief
Unresolved grief
Chronic grief
Absent grief
Delayed grief
Inhibited grief
Unauthorized duel
Distorted grief