Grief is known to cause a host of physical symptoms. This may be a surprise to most people but it's important to remember that grief is a full-body experience. Grief can cause body aches such as back pain, joint pain, intense stiffness, and even headaches.
Body Aches and Pains
Aches and pains are a common physical symptom of grief. Grief can cause back pain, joint pain, headaches, and stiffness. The pain is caused by the overwhelming amount of stress hormones being released during the grieving process. These effectively stun the muscles they contact.
It is very common to feel tired, or exhausted, when you are grieving. There are many reasons why you may feel tired, especially if you were caring for the person who died. Strong emotions along with all the practical things you may have needed to do after they died, can also leave you feeling exhausted.
Grieving isn't just an emotional process. It can be surprisingly physical too, leaving you exhausted, achy, restless and even with cold or flu-like symptoms. Your mind and body are run down and burnt out, and you might feel that way for weeks or even months.
Often the second year is the hardest as that's when the real grief work might begin. This is the time when you may be ready to face your grief head on and deal with any issues that are holding you back. If you're not ready yet though, don't feel guilty. There is no deadline and everyone grieves in their own time.
What is the hardest stage of grief? Depression is usually the longest and most difficult stage of grief. Depression can be a long and difficult stage in the grieving process, but it's also when people feel their deepest sadness.
Grief can be stored in various parts of the body, such as the heart, lungs, throat, and stomach. People may also experience physical sensations like heaviness in the chest or tightness in the throat when experiencing grief.
Prolonged grief disorder is characterized by this intense and persistent grief that causes problems and interferes with daily life. Grief is a natural response to the loss of a loved one.
In the aftermath of your loved one's death, the symptoms will be at their most extreme. But they typically lessen over time. However, some people do experience symptoms cyclically—they might have a good couple of months when they're feeling better, then have a setback as grief returns to the forefront of their mind.
Grief or bereavement releases the hormone cortisol in reaction to stress that breaks down tissue and, in excess, can lead to collagen breakdown and accelerated aging. High cortisol levels prompt the skin's sebaceous glands to release more sebum. This in turn results in clogged pores, inflammation, and an increase in p.
One common characteristic of grief is exhaustion. If you are newly bereaved, you may be feeling more tired than usual. You may feel so tired that you think you may have the flu as the only other time you have experienced this weakened state is when you have been ill.
Intense exhaustion is a common symptom in early grief, often preventing people from accomplishing even simple tasks. Your body may feel fragile and weak, almost as if you have the flu.
It's physically exhausting to grieve, so give your body the time it needs to rest, as your body may feel fragile and tired. According to psychologist Catherine M. Sanders, PhD, bereaved people can get so weak that they can actually feel like they have the flu.
Taking care of yourself is one of the best things you can do to keep healthy and move through this difficult time. Grief will get worse before it gets better. Often the hardest times comes four to six months after a loss.
Genuine pleaders showed more contraction of two facial muscles related to grief and sadness: corrugator supercilii, one of the three muscles of the eyelid that helps wrinkle the forehead, and depressor anguli oris, a mouth muscle that is associated with frowning.
After practicing TRE® people often use the words 'grounded', 'relaxed' and 'calmer' to describe their feelings. After a period of several months people have reported relief from illnesses such as Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Eczema and IBS.
The painbody takes many forms and manifestations: hurt, hate, depression, self-hate, anxiety, fear, alienation, despair, emotional drama (making mountains out of molehills), blame, even physical illness. The painbody can be active or dormant. In this way and many more, the painbody is like a virus.
Our attachment to others makes us feel safe, secure, and connected in the world. From the time we're born, we immediately try to attach to our primary care givers. So when we lose somebody that we love, when we lose somebody to whom we are connected, that pain, that mourning, that grief, that is the pain of detachment.
Practice the three C's
As you build a plan, consider the “three Cs”: choose, connect, communicate. Choose: Choose what's best for you. Even during dark bouts of grief, you still possess the dignity of choice. “Grief often brings the sense of loss of control,” said Julie.
Shock, denial or disbelief.
It is natural for our minds to try to protect us from pain, so following a loss some people may find that they feel quite numb about what has happened. Shock provides emotional protection from becoming overwhelmed, especially during the early stages of grief, and it can last a long time.
People were at higher risk for dying of heart failure when someone very close to them died. The death of a spouse or partner increased the risk by 20%, the death of a child by 10%, and the death of a sibling by 13%, although the loss of a parent did not increase the risk of death.