Grief is a natural response to loss.
Grief is the emotional suffering one feels when something or someone we are attached to or love is taken away.
The grief associated with death is familiar to most people, but we also can grieve in connection with a variety of losses throughout our lives; such as losses associated with unemployment, ill health, the end of a relationship, changes to accommodation and finances.
The grief experienced with the loss of areas of our City and homes post Earthquakes is a poignant example of the ongoing connection and attachment to places with positive and familiar memories.
There is a grief process,and the stages we experience are regarded as natural and healthy. These phases can ebb and flow and include shock, depression, despair, anxiety, then a gradual acceptance and hope.
Feelings of loss are a normal part of life but can create ongoing psychological issues when severe or associated with depression. Sustained stressors and multiple losses can contribute to our ability to work through the process.
With any significant grief event we understandably experience a range of emotional and world view changes e.g the way we view life, ourselves, and our relationships. Focusing back into living is the challenge.
A range of approaches can assist us to move through the grief process.
These include acknowledging and processing the grief related feelings, and making meaning from our loss.
Self-management approaches are also helpful to manage the tension and stress associated with grief.
Should you need advice in this area, call Graeme Clarke on 348-5595 to get his professional help.