How Grief Affects You Physically & Emotionally
Nobody experiences grief the same way. We go through the stages of grief differently and never in the same manner as someone else. Grief can come from any loss, not just the death of a loved one. You can grieve for a job loss, moving, or a loss of a pet.
Even though the actual experience of grieving is different for everyone, it can manifest itself differently. Grief not only affects someone emotionally but physically as well. Here are some common ways that grief affects your physical and mental health.
How Does Grief Affect Your Emotions?
Grief is best understood through the lens of our emotions. When someone is grieving, their mental health takes the greatest toll—many of these emotions cycle through the seven stages of grief. Shock, anger, disbelief, guilt, and sadness are the most common. But they are never done in order, and you can experience each stage multiple times. There is no right or wrong way to grieve.
Grief And It's Effect On Physical Health
The emotions you experience during grief can be really intense. But a lot of people don't realize that grief also impacts physical health as well. There are four main ways that grief can affect physical health.
Changes In Appetite And Digestive Problems
Grief can change appetite or eating habits during the mourning period. Some people may stop eating or forget to because they are overwhelmed by this new chapter. Still, others will turn to food for comfort and over-eat or eat less nutritious foods. This is one of the most common physical transformations.
Digestive issues are also common. Someone may feel nauseous frequently without explanation or experience GI issues or stomach aches.
Pain
We don't just experience emotional pain with grief. There's research that shows that grief can actually increase the amount of inflammation in the body, contributing to the presence of physical pain. Physical pains are commonly experienced by someone who is grieving.
These can include:
Muscle pain and tension
Neck or back pain
Chest pains
Headaches
Changes In Sleep
Many people will also notice changes in their sleeping habits during the grieving process. Some will experience insomnia or sleep disruptions. At the same time, others will want to sleep more than they normally would. Grief can directly impact anxiety levels, which can cause insomnia, or depression levels, which will make someone want to sleep all the time. When there's a disruption or change in sleeping habits, it can then, in turn, worsen all the other symptoms associated with physical health and grief.
Cardiovascular Problems
After a huge loss, the body's nervous system goes into overdrive. When this happens, it can have a big impact on the organs in the body, especially the heart. During the immediate days after the loss is experienced, it can leave the body so overwhelmed that it could lead to someone experiencing a stroke or heart attack.
If you are experiencing chest pains or a dull ache, it's important to seek help immediately from a doctor. While it may just be a panic attack, pain in your chest should never be ignored.
Coping With Grief
Grief changes us in so many ways. Whether it is from the loss of a loved one, a job, a pet, or a big change in life, it's something that we will all experience at some point. Even though grief is a universal experience, that doesn't make it any less challenging to deal with.
If you are having trouble coping with this new chapter, reach out to me for grief counseling. Together, we can find ways to help you feel more prepared to take on this next chapter.
