Grief affects us, body mind and soul
When you really stop to think about it, grief affects more than just your emotions and mental health. Grief affects your entire being; heart, mind, body and soul. Those observing you will notice this, but as the person grieving, you may not consciously notice the major toll grief is taking on yourself. The truth is, grief does affect every part of us, physically, mentally and emotionally. Recognize these impacts so that you can adjust your life accordingly and be gentle with yourself during this difficult time.
Heavy Heart
Losing someone close to you to death is heart-wrenching. It hurts to think that you’ll never have the chance to see your loved one or hear their voice again and there’s nothing you can do to change what happened. Your heart aches and you start to wonder if you will ever know happiness again.
Cloudy Mind
Your mind is elsewhere during the grieving process. It feels like your head has been surrounded by a dense fog, with no real sense of direction or purpose. You think about one thing and one thing only; the person you lost. It’s hard to think beyond that, so doing any kind of intellectual thinking seems nearly impossible.
Fatigued Body
Grief takes a physical toll on your body. Your energy is zapped so you don’t feel like doing anything. Many days you’d rather stay in bed than get up and face the day. It’s okay to give in to that fatigue sometimes, but try not to make this a habit. Some days you may have to push yourself to make it through the day.
Bruised Soul
Death has a way of shaking our faith and chipping away a small piece of our soul. We feel the effects of loss right down to our very core, and the pain radiates out to all other aspects of our life.
Although you can’t see it now, your body will mend itself in time. Your body will gradually start to heal itself and you will feel your spirits lift. It takes time, and there will be setbacks, but have faith and take comfort knowing that this person that you’ve changed into in the wake of death is only temporary. There is healing in grief.
By Chelsea Hanson