When people grieve, or go through grief support, or “the five stages of grief,” they’re often coping with the loss of a loved one. But the truth is, grieving loss other than death is extremely common— and it’s normal. Whether you’re dealing with job loss, in the aftermath of a breakup, trying to understand a newly diagnosed illness, or mourning the end of a friendship, you aren’t alone, and your feelings are valid. Here are some important things we’ve learned about grieving loss other than death.
What to Know About Grieving Something Other Than Death
It’s Just as Intense
Grief and loss of any kind can be traumatic, either because they’re very sudden, especially painful, or both. You might notice changes in appetite or sleep, unexpected crying, frustration, or body pain. These symptoms of mental and physical distress can also happen at any time, which can make them just as difficult to cope with as grief after a death. If you’re noticing that the intensity of grief as a result of an upsetting life change is too much to handle, it’s a good idea to get the support you need as soon as you can.
It Impacts Relationships
Grieving of any kind may seem to be super focused on you and the relationship, job, or friendship you lost. But the truth is, it impacts your other relationships. Since mood swings are common during intense, traumatic grief, emotions like anger, bitterness, and suspicion can pop up in your otherwise healthy friendships where they’ve never been common before. If you’re starting to feel distance or strain between yourself and people you were close to before you started grieving, you might notice things change for the better once you seek grief support to help you unpack the pain of loss.
It Affects Your View of the Future
Of course, we know there’s truth to the maxim “grief has no timeline.” But one thing that’s not always as noticeable is that the longer we sit with grief, the more we might start to think, “I don’t want this to happen again.”
That can turn into a sense of dread, and you can start to feel anticipatory grief: you can assume another loss is just around the corner. You can start thinking of good relationships or good things as a ticking time bomb, and you may feel like it’s only a matter of time before you deal with all these hard feelings all over again. Grief support can help you break this cycle and can give you a clearer, more grounded path forward and a more realistic vision for your future.
Proactive Grief Support
SOL Mental Health is here for you no matter what you’re grieving. Our team of mental health professionals is experienced in diagnosing and treating grief-related mental illness and providing grief support.
Our holistic behavioral health philosophy gives you multiple options for your care, including working with a health coach, group counseling, individual counseling services, medication management, and nutritional support.
It’s easy to get started. Contact our team to complete a short screening and begin your intake process. We are eager to help you make a plan for a healthier body and mind as you grieve and heal.
Does My Insurance Cover a Therapist at SOL Mental Health?
SOL Mental Health is partnered with several insurance providers to make our services more accessible to you. You can verify your insurance through our website before scheduling an appointment.
