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What is grief?
Grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional
suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away.
The more significant the loss, the more intense the grief will be. You may
associate grief with the death of a loved one—which is often the 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
The more significant the loss, the more
intense the grief.
However, even subtle losses can lead to grief. For example, you might
experience grief after moving away from home, graduating from college,
changing jobs, selling your family home, or retiring from a career you
loved.
Everyone grieves differently
Grieving is a personal and highly individual experience.
How you grieve depends on many factors, including your personality and
coping style, your life experience, your faith, and the nature of the loss.
The grieving process takes time. Healing happens gradually; it can’t be
forced or hurried—and there is no “normal” timetable for grieving. Some
people start to feel better in weeks or months. For others, the grieving
process is measured in years. Whatever your grief experience, it’s important
to be patient with yourself and allow the process to naturally unfold.