Life’s Hard Hits: Signs That You May Be Having Difficulty Managing Grief!

When we think of the term grief, we often associate it with death. We hear it in terms of loved ones or other people dying and it is often painted out to be a bad or negative thing. It’s often paired with actions and or feelings such as crying, feeling sad, depressed, lost, angry and being in pain.

Grief means very deep sorrow. Sorrow is deep distress caused by loss, disappointment, or other misfortune.

What many fail to recognize is that grieving can and does take place in circumstances outside of death. The loss of a job, the end of a particular season of life, relationships coming to an end, getting news of a terminal or other serious diagnosis, and even becoming a mom and grieving your life prior to having children.

The process of grieving is not above any of us, and all of us will experience it to some extent throughout the duration of our lives.

So why does this matter? Understanding grief, what it may look or feel like, and what you can do to seek help when you are dealing with issues related to grief can be the difference between you living your best life and you being stuck in a really dark and undesirable place.

While grieving tends to have a negative connotation, it is possible to grieve in a healthy way, which may ultimately lead to more positive feelings throughout the grieving process.

This may look like celebrating the life of a lost loved one, embracing a new season of life, being at peace and content after the loss of a job or feeling empowered after a bad breakup.

Read this twice. You can miss something or someone and still be at peace. You can feel hurt and still be empowered. You can no understand and still keep moving forward.

Grieving isn’t about just getting over it, because the truth of the matter is, that some situations are not meant to be gotten over. Rather, it’s important for us to properly categorize our different life situations that bring about grief and maneuver through them in a health way.

So what are some signs that you may be grieving or may be having struggles with managing grief?

-         Suicidal Thoughts

-         Depression

-         Difficulty completing daily task

-         Difficulty focusing on work, school or other responsibilities

-         Not being able to connect with others

-         Substance abuse to cope with the pain or hurt

-         Increased irritability

-         Numbness

-         Bitterness

-         Detachment

-         Preoccupation with loss

-         Inability to show or experience joy after a loss

-         Codependency

-         Living in fear of something bad happening

-         Fatigue

-         Headaches

-         Digestive problems

These are all things to look out for after experiencing a loss of any sort, as they could be indicators that you are having difficulty managing your grief.

What to do when you are struggling with grief.

If you or someone you know are having difficulties with grief, it may be a good idea to see a therapist and or join a grief support group. It’s important to know that you are not alone and even if your grief or specific situation doesn’t look like that of someone else, it doesn’t invalidate your feelings and concerns.

You owe it to yourself to ensure that you are well. If you are in the state of Alabama, Oddesty K & Associates is currently accepting new clients and can help you gain better control of your grief, better understand the process of grief and learn ways to live better and be better. Request Therapy Services Now.

Remember, the struggle is definitely sometimes real, but the goal is to overcome every mental encounter.