What to Know About Grief

Grief is an intense emotional response to loss, whether it’s the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, a shift in identity, or a major life transition. It affects emotional, mental, and physical well-being, influencing one’s thoughts, behavior, and everyday life. Recognizing how grief impacts the whole person can lead to greater empathy and support for healing. Gaining insight into grief helps guide the journey through sorrow, offering connection, clarity, and strength during a time that can feel overwhelming and disorienting.

Understanding Grief 

Grief is a multifaceted experience that can affect every aspect of life. It is also a universal experience that affects nearly all lives at some point, connecting people through shared journeys related to loss. Grief can involve intense emotions such as sadness, anger, confusion, and sometimes relief, all of which can change quickly. There are also physical side effects that can impact health and diminish quality of life. 

Grief and Mental Health

The connection between grief and mental health is important, as grief can trigger or worsen depression or anxiety, especially when the grief is prolonged or complicated ^[1]. In addition, the strong feelings and changes that accompany loss can make daily tasks difficult to complete and can isolate a person from their usual support networks. 

Grief and Physical Health

Beyond mental health, grief also impacts the body. Physical symptoms like fatigue, changes in appetite, sleep difficulties, and aches or pains are common. The body’s stress response activates during grief, releasing chemicals that can impact health. Grief can place the immune and cardiovascular systems under chronic stress. Persistent emotional strain can increase inflammation and vulnerability to conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and other serious illnesses ^[2]. 

Research has shown that grief can impair sleep, disturb appetite, weaken immune function, and even manifest as physical pain ^[2]. These symptoms are often overlooked or misunderstood, yet each plays a significant role in a person’s overall well-being during bereavement.

The whole-person experience of grief manifests in different ways and requires compassion, patience, and often professional help.

Normal Grief

Grief affects mental health in varied ways, and not all grief looks the same. Though each person processes loss differently, there are common patterns in the grieving process. One core pattern is known as normal or common grief, which is contrasted with complicated or prolonged grief.

Normal grief includes two main stages: acute grief and integrated grief.

Acute Grief

This is the initial reaction following a significant loss. It is often characterized by shock, denial, sadness, and deep longing, whether the loss involves the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, the loss of a role or ability, or similar life changes ^[3]. Emotions during this time can be raw and overwhelming.

Integrated Grief

In this phase, memories of the loss become less painful and are transformed into sources of comfort and meaning. A person begins to reengage with life while continuing to honor the loss. This process involves emotional, physical, and social shifts, reflecting a healthy, ongoing bond with the death or loss ^[3]. Rather than moving on, people learn to carry who or what they’ve lost as part of life’s evolving story. For many, the intense feelings gradually lessen as they adjust over time ^[4].

Features of normal grief may include:

• Waves of sadness, anger, guilt, or confusion
• Sleep or appetite changes
• Difficulty concentrating
• A return to day-to-day functioning
• Finding moments of connection to the loss

Over time, emotional balance is restored in normal or common grief experiences, even while the memory of the loss is honored and cherished.

Complicated Grief

While many people move from acute to integrated grief over time, not everyone experiences this natural transition. Sometimes, grief becomes prolonged, intense, and disruptive. This is known as complicated grief or prolonged grief disorder ^[4]. This is a condition characterized by persistent sorrow that interferes with a person’s ability to function in daily life.

People with complicated grief may feel “stuck” in mourning. Unrelenting yearning, difficulty accepting the loss, and an ongoing sense of emptiness are common ^[4]. Unlike normal grief, which gradually eases, complicated grief does not diminish and may worsen with time if left unaddressed.

Symptoms of complicated grief may include:

• Intense longing or preoccupation with the loss
• Inability to accept the loss or move forward
• Avoidance of reminders of the loss
• Feeling numb, detached, or hopeless for extended periods
• Difficulty engaging in relationships or responsibilities

Complicated grief can co-occur with major depressive disorder, increasing the risk of functional impairment and poor mental health outcomes ^[5]. When these conditions coexist, the result is often immense sadness, hopelessness, and social withdrawal. The emotional intensity of prolonged grief combined with the cognitive and physical symptoms of depression can interfere with personal relationships, work, and quality of life.

It’s important to note that complicated grief is not “grieving too long.” It is a distinct mental health condition that requires therapeutic intervention ^[5]. Recognizing the difference between normal and complicated grief is essential for providing the right support to address grief and related mental health issues.

Coping with Grief

A healthy coping process in dealing with loss must address emotional healing as well as physical well-being. A supportive, holistic approach helps people to move forward, rather than remaining stuck or experiencing complicated grief. Recognizing the multifaceted nature of grief, researchers have developed evidence-based models and interventions to guide the healing process. These approaches emphasize flexibility, connection, and self-compassion.

The Dual Process Model

One widely accepted framework for understanding grief is the dual process model. This approach suggests that people move between loss-oriented coping, where a person confronts the emotions and pain of loss, and restoration-oriented coping, where the person reengages with daily life ^[6]. Shifting between the two is normal and necessary, allowing space for grief and growth.

Finding Meaning After Loss

Reflecting on the impact of a loved one’s life, honoring memories, or finding meaning and purpose in the face of loss can ease emotional distress and support physical health. This process integrates the loss in a way that feels grounded and restorative ^[7].

Therapeutic Interventions

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective for coping with grief, especially complicated or prolonged grief. CBT helps one process emotions, identify unhelpful thoughts, and develop coping skills ^[8]. 

Social Support

Peer support groups and spending time with trusted friends or family reduce isolation and protect against depression during the grief process ^[9]. These connections are important for people coping with grief and are a reminder that no one has to face grief alone.

Long-Term Outlook

Coping with grief is a dynamic and deeply personal process. For many, over time, grief gradually integrates into life, allowing space for healing and growth. This integration doesn’t mean forgetting the loss or “moving on” completely, but rather finding a new way to live that honors what was lost while embracing what remains. As the intensity of acute grief lessens, many people experience post-loss growth: renewed relationships, a strengthened sense of purpose, and new ways to find meaning.

However, it is crucial to recognize that not all grief journeys follow the same path or timeline. Some losses, especially those that are sudden, traumatic, or complicated by other factors, can lead to prolonged distress or complicated grief. In these cases, ongoing support from mental health professionals, support groups, or trusted community members becomes essential. Continued care helps prevent grief from becoming overwhelming and supports a healthier adjustment over time.

Embracing a holistic approach to healing that addresses both emotional and physical well-being can make a difference in the long-term outlook. Nurturing the body through rest, nutrition, and gentle activity, alongside emotional support and therapeutic interventions, promotes resilience and helps rebuild a purposeful life after loss.

A Universal Yet Personal Journey

Grief is a universal experience that touches every culture and community, yet it remains deeply personal and unique to each journey. While the pain of loss may feel all-consuming, compassion from others and a strong social support network play essential roles in easing this burden. Healthy coping strategies, such as seeking connection and expressing emotions, help navigate the difficult path through sorrow.

Learning how grief affects emotions and healing illuminates the path toward recovery. Every small step taken toward healing honors the depth of the lost connection and acknowledges the significance of the grief. This journey affirms that life can regain meaning, hope, and even moments of joy, and serves as a powerful reminder of the human spirit’s capacity to grow through loss.