Grief is not a simple emotion. It encompasses a lot of aspects in psychology. Losing a loved one is painful, but it is bound to happen. Not only did you lose his physical body, but you also lost the bond between you. Loss is not just emotional, but it is also social and mental.
It also has a lot of behavioral implications. Sometimes, we also use bereavement to define it. However, grief and bereavement have different meanings, if you will look at it from a technical perspective.
Grief is the reaction to loss, while bereavement is the condition of the loss.
The causes of grief is a wide spectrum of situations. Many times, we think that this is possible if someone died. What many do not know is that losing a job can also cause it, or moving to a new house. The death of a pet can cause grief, and so does a friend how moved away.
There are so many things in life that can cause grief, but the most common that is highlighted is death. Grief is a natural human condition. Essentially, it is a response to a loss. A loss can also show how people deal differently with it.
Each person has a way to deal with a loss. Some people cry, and some don't. What this entails is that there is no right or wrong way to grieve. There is no natural way to grieve over a loss.
Despite this, there are some prevailing expectations about grieving. A popular one is called the Theory of the Five Stages of Grief. Although this has long been debunked, many people still believe in it and make it a basis as now to assess the emotional condition of a person who suffered a loss.
This theory describes five stages of emotions that people go through. It is widely believed that it is the right way to deal with a loss to ensure emotional health, and that the person is said to be able to live normally again after reaching the fifth and final stage.
These stages are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
Grief is a difficult thing. A loss is a challenge that may seem like there is no bright future ahead. At the very least, it is very difficult phase in life. People overcome it, but some fail and end up being depressed, unable to function again in society.
Being depressed is normal, but the grieving person is expected to be back in normal emotional conditions in time. No one in the world is strong enough not to feel a loss, and not react to a loss.
Sometimes, people who suffered a loss can never be completely normal. The wounds are so deep and they can end up being distrustful, or paranoid. This happens usually if the cause of death is criminal, accidental, or medical.
Despite this, there is one positive thing we can expect, if only you allow time to heal the wounds of a loss. People around a grieving person should be patient, and wait until the person who suffered a loss is ready to move on.
Below are some resources about grief.
Read through these resources to understand the different aspects of grief, find organizations that can help you, and understand how to cope with grief.