What is Grief?
Many people experience the emotion of Grief very differently. Grief is a very normal emotional and physical response to sorrow usually caused by the loss of a loved one. It can also be caused by a divorce, job loss, loss of health, and even moving away from family and friends.
How does Grief feel? You may feel angry, empty, and numb as if you are in shock. You may also notice physical symptoms such as trembling, nausea, weakness in your muscles, and may have trouble breathing. Some people also experience dry mouth and have trouble eating and sleeping. You may also have strange dreams or nightmares, be abscent minded, and feel totally apathetic towards work and others. You may feel angry and often have the feelings of guilt like “I wish I could have or should have done something different”. All of these feelings are completely normal during grieving and will pass. But how long does grief last?
Grief last as long as it takes you to accept and learn to live with your loss. For some, grief may last months, for others it can last years. Everyone is different and the length of time you spend grieving depends on your personality, your health, your culture and family background, and the relationship you had with the person or pet you have lost. It can also depend on how prepared you were for the loss. Before you can completely heal and complete the grieving process you need to be able to: 1. Accept your loss. 2. Work through the physical and emotional pain of grief, 3. Ajust to life without the person or pet, 4. Move on with your life.
You can do things while grieving to speed the healing process. One thing positive you can do is create a personal tribute or Pet Memorial to celebrate the life of your pet. Put it near your bed or on the family room fireplace mantle where you can see it often. Write a personal poem to your lost loved one and include a special tribute that will bring back good memories every time you look at it. Include a laser-etched picture or photograph to keep the memory of your favorite friend close to your heart.