Causes, Effects, And Stages Of Grief

Name: Professor’s Name: Course: Date: Grief Grief is a normal internal feeling that human beings come to experience at a particular time or moment in their lives. No matter what causes it, it consumes a lot of energy from an individual. However, some individuals tend to mistake bereavement for grief. Grief, is majorly known as the feeling one experiences as a result of the loss of a loved one. Grief, according to Oxford English Dictionaries, is “intense sorrow, especially caused by someone’s death.” Grief, according to Collins English Dictionary, can also be defined as “a feeling of extreme sadness.” Bereavement on the other hand is the state one is in after experiencing a loss. In simple terms, grief is a normal internal feeling a person experiences when reacting to a loss. It does not necessarily occur due to the loss of a loved one. Grief can be caused by other daily life events which later come to have drastic effects or impacts on the life of an individual. Generally, it takes many forms on each and every individual depending on various factors. One’s relationship to the person dying, one’s disposition or personality, their age¸ and the number of losses they have experienced among others are some of the factors grief takes on a human being. Every individual undergoes a different experience and as a result, the grief manifested is experienced in a different manner. Causes of grief There are various causes of grief; for instance, one can lose a loved one such as a family member, a spouse or fiancé, a close friend, dismissal from work or loss of a job, marital separation, dispute or trouble with family members and a child running away from home. People get to experience the above mentioned causes differently depending on the factors mentioned earlier on. One may be losing a loved one or be dismissed from work for the first time whereas another person may have already encountered such experiences before. How they respond to such situations is totally different even though both of them are hurt. Grief instills angst or concern in someone thus making it hard for them to settle. “If you’re feeling anxious, some of this might be down to uncertainty about the future. You might find it gives you a sense of control to make a list of things that are likely to change, and things that will stay the same, now the person has died” CITATION Cur14 \l 1033 (Curie). Effects of grief An individual who is experiencing grief for the first time often has a negative perception of life. Most of them tend to distance themselves from God and other people that they have a relationship with. Many people believe that God might have prevented the occurrence of the loss of a job or a loved one. Some stop going to church while others let the grief or sadness consume them. Most of them believe that there is no reason to continue living as they cannot do without the deceased. Persons who have experienced grief before tend to act strong in a way even though the feeling wears them down. Nevertheless, they still carry on with their lives and believe that certain occurrences are bound to happen. Additionally, grief brings about fatigue as a person is completely exhausted over lamenting about their problems. Also, one experiences loneliness as they find it hard to create a bond they once had with the deceased. Grief plays a great role in the life of an individual and everyone goes through it. Not only does it affect one emotionally, but also affects them physically and mentally. Emotionally, whenever one is grieving, it is evident they will cry a lot and feel completely sad. Some people, nonetheless, avoid crying but grieve secretly deep within themselves. “While we may not give any thought to how our grief affects us physically, it’s unlikely anyone who suffers personal loss will endure the grieving process without any effect on physical health” CITATION Hea16 \l 1033 (Living). Grief depletes or drains one of their energy physically and consequently, their immune systems get weak thus making them susceptible to chills and ailments. Grief also affects people mentally as some refuse to accept the fact that they can no longer be with their loved ones, their jobs or their spouses. Some eventually come to fall into depression hence start having thoughts about the cause of their grievances and believe it is actually in existence and that they are not dreaming or having illusions. Stages of grief The effects of grief have negative impacts on the life of a person and subsequently, majority individuals often end up succumbing to the specific stages of grief. Below are the particular stages of grief an individual accedes to regardless of the cause of their grievances. Denial Denial is the first stage of grief. Many people use grief as a tool to help them survive their losses. Having lost someone makes most of them lose their purposes in life. To them, life is senseless as they cannot do without their loved ones or jobs. An individual who experiences or learns of a loss first sits down and thinks deeply about it. Some believe that it is not actually happening. Others refuse to accept the facts. Many end up in shock or/and feeling numb. Coming out of such a feeling is not easy for them. Majority struggle to find a way to carry on with the rest of their lives but it is not easy for them. Some people view it as...