Tips to Understand and Navigate Grief | Solh Wellness

Grief, a response to loss, includes emotional suffering brought on by both large and insignificant losses. Even though mourning is frequently associated with severe emotional anguish, knowing its historical background can be illuminating.

Around the start of the 1200s, the word "grief" first appeared in the English language. It originally meant experiencing agony, suffering, and adversity. The name has its roots in the Old French word "grief," which denoted misfortune, and the noun "griever," which denotes loads or sorrows. The Latin words "gravare" and "gravis," which imply to make heavy or weighty, respectively, can be linked to this Old French origin.

This historical evolution highlights the ideas of weight, suffering, and difficulty and makes comparisons to how we today perceive grief as an emotional torment that manifests physically. Many people describe their sorrow as a burden on their shoulders, a heavy covering over their hearts, or a profound, all-consuming suffering.

Modern society recognises grief as a typical response to loss. The intensity of the mourning reflects the strength of the loss-related affection or connection. When a loved one or close family passes away, it can be extremely upsetting and typically results in changes that have a significant impact on one's life.

Current perspectives acknowledge that grief can be sparked by any substantial loss, despite the fact that traditionally death has been the predominant cause of melancholy.

Some causes of grief include:

• Loss of employment

• Social connection as a result of isolation

• Miscarriage

• Divorce

• "Empty nest," the period when a child has grown up and left the family home 

• Issues with your health that limit your mobility, opportunities, or self-confidence

• diagnosis that will change your life or the life of a loved one 

• Loss of a beloved pet

• Loss of a close relative

Dealing with loss involves a variety of emotional, mental, physical, and behavioural reactions, all of which can differ from person to person and change over time. The terms "grief," "mourning," and "bereavement" have diverse connotations in this context.

• Grief: This encompasses the emotional reaction to loss. Along with shock, sadness, denial, despair, helplessness, and rage, it also elicits feelings of relief or helplessness. You might feel nostalgic for happier times before the loss, which might cause you to sob uncontrollably.

• Mourning: The aftermath of loss adaptability. It is shaped by societal standards, cultural customs, and religious convictions. It entails changing routines and personal viewpoints as well as getting used to life without the gone entity.

• Bereavement: This word describes the period of time that a person experiences grief. It denotes the time when grief-related feelings and reactions are at their peak.

Grief manifests through diverse dimensions:

• Emotions: Emotions include everything from worry and depression to shock, numbness, grief, and anger. You may feel helpless, guilty, or relieved. Tears may be unintentionally triggered by nostalgia or yearning for the past.

• Thoughts: Grief can cause disbelief, uncertainty, and trouble focusing. Possible themes in the thinking include losing the deceased individual. In various circumstances, people may have hallucinations or see things that others don't.

• Physical Symptoms: Physical symptoms may include a tightness or heaviness in the throat or chest, stomach discomfort, headaches, numbness, muscle tension, pain, or extreme weariness. It's possible that grief makes you feel poorly.

• Behaviours: Grief alters a person's behaviour through affecting sleep patterns, making things less enjoyable, making them irritable, or making them snappish. Energy levels could change, which could result in agitation or unusually high levels of activity. It might also have an impact on a person's religious or spiritual experiences, causing them to reconsider their beliefs or develop a different perspective on what really matters in life.

Self-care tips to navigate grief:

• Acknowledge feelings: In order to heal, you must be able to recognise and name your feelings. This clarity makes it simpler to identify the appropriate rituals or practises to address the circumstance and also makes it possible for you to describe your experience to others.

• Prioritise Self-Care: After acknowledging your emotions, make time for the essential self-care. establishing relationships with oneself through reflection. Keep off other people's pathways and focus on what you need at this moment.

• Accept Change: Acknowledge how losing someone has changed both you and your needs. Consider your current priorities while putting aside previous expectations, societal norms, and other people's judgements. Focus on the things that are most significant to you at this time.

• Support for Physical Health: Your mind directs its energies towards emotional recovery. Improve your grieving process by keeping yourself physically healthy. Avoid using drugs and alcohol, take breaks when needed, find company when you want it, and take part in happy activities.

• Communicate Needs: It might be difficult to console bereaved family members. By outlining your requirements, empower them. Be specific when requesting assistance. Express your want for isolation by saying "I appreciate your offer to join, but I'll listen to music alone." Request involvement instead by saying, "Can we walk together this afternoon?" It promotes your recuperation and allows family members to share in your journey.

Conclusion

Grief is a highly individual experience, even among family members who are grieving the same loss. It frequently happens in waves or cycles, with intense feelings lasting for several hours or days and then being followed by intervals when things are more or less normal. These cycles could become less challenging over time as you adjust to the loss. Adjusting doesn't imply you don't care about the loss; it just means you become used to grieving over time. Dates like holidays or anniversaries may bring up feelings of grief, but by adjusting, you can approach these occasions with new eyes.

Since mental health is important, we at Solh Wellness have selected a variety of effective self-help techniques to improve your mental wellbeing. Our services include goal-setting, mood analysis, self-assessment tests, journaling, and access to a large library of enlightening content. Utilise our extensive self-help resources to take control of your path to mental health improvement and personal growth.