Understanding Grief
Bereavement Support
Signs and Symptoms of Natural Grief*
There is no right or wrong way to mourn a loss. If you are in crisis and feel you may do harm to yourself or someone else, please tell someone who can help right away. You might experience emotional responses, thoughts, physical sensations or other behaviors that are normal and natural signs of grief. Be kind to yourself while you are grieving. Try to remember that the way you’re feeling or acting may be the result of grief, even if your response does not seem to be linked to the loss you have suffered.
- Shock
- Numbness
- Relief
- Sadness
- Yearning (empty arms)
- Anxiety
- Fear
- Anger
- Guilt or regret
- Loneliness
- Helplessness
- Hopelessness
- Abandonment
- Loss of Control
- Disbelief
- Ruminating (circling) thoughts
- Confusion
- Disorganized thinking
- Unable to concentrate
- Occupied with thoughts of the child
- Sense of presence of the child
- Visual and auditory hallucinations
- Dreams of the child
- Hollowness in stomach
- Tightness in chest
- Heart palpitations
- Sensitive to noise
- Sense of detachment/depersonalization (nothing seems real, including self)
- Breathlessness
- Muscle weakness and/or tension
- Lack of energy
- Dry mouth
- Gastrointestinal disturbances
- Sleep disturbances
- Loss of appetite or increased appetite
- Searching, yearning or calling out
- Crying
- Sighing
- Seeing the deceased
- Absent minded behavior
- Restlessness with or resentment over usual activities
- Visiting or avoiding places that hold memories of the child
- Carrying or wearing objects that belonged to the child
- Treasuring objects that belonged to the child
- Avoidance of reminders of the child
- Social withdrawal
- Unwillingness to initiate and/or maintain routine activities
- Taking on mannerisms or behaviors of the child
*Adapted from Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy by J.W. Worden and Bereavement by C.M.Parkes, 2007
Important Numbers
If you are in crisis and feel you may do harm to yourself or someone else, please tell someone who can help right away. Call 911 for emergency services or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.
-
Toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Call: 1-800-273-8255
-
Local 24/7 Crisis Line
Call: #211 -
Crisis Text Line
Text: HOME to 741741 -
International Postpartum Support
Call: 1-800-944-4773
Text: HELP to 800-944-4773 (English)
or
971-203-7773 (Spanish)
Get Support and More Information
For more information about our grief and bereavement support, please call (321) 841-9692.
