The Mental Health Process of Recovering From Grief and Loss

The mental health process of overcoming grief and loss is different for each person. Read on to learn more about the grieving process. Sadness can reach severe levels during grieving. Guilt and anger can even accompany this feeling. The toll of a great loss is huge. Understanding it can make your recovery easier.

An overview of the mental health process of grieving

Feelings that occur during this mental health process of grief can be confusing. The stages of grief can come differently for every bereaved person, but the general stages are categorized as follows:

• Denial: This allows the mind to take the loss at a gradual pace. It prevents the individual from getting too overwhelmed with negative feelings.
• Anger: It is when the individual faces the pain of the loss. Frustration can set in during this part of the mental health process. The anger may be toward the deceased, other people, or a higher power.
• Bargaining: This is when the grieving individual dwells on what could have been done to prevent the loved one’s death. Making a deal with a higher power often happens during this stage.
• Depression: This is when the bereaved person understands the loss that happened. This can lead to loss of appetite, crying, or regret.
• Acceptance: It is when the individual accepts that the loss is real and it cannot change. The individual will start to move on at this point.

Every person passes through these stages in their own way. The individual may revisit each stage or skip stages while going through the mental health process. Many people experience grief all over again whenever there are reminders of the loss. A birthday, anniversary, or another loss can trigger grief again.

The symptoms of grief

Every person grieves differently. Even so, grief tends to show in similar patterns. This shows how the mental health process of grief happens in that individual. The bereaved person may feel guilty about the things that may or may not have been done or said while the deceased was still alive. Disbelief and shock may show in the individual as well. This shows that the person finds it difficult to accept the loss.

Sadness or emptiness is what people call the feeling after losing someone dear. This emotional instability can show in the form of crying or feeling numb. Fear can also lead to insecurity, anxiety, and helplessness. Anger is also common in people who are going through the mental health process of grieving. Physical symptoms can also show, such as: the inability to perform daily activities, wishing to have died along with the deceased, and feeling disconnected and sad for several weeks.

Treatments to support the mental health process

In some cases, a person may not go through grieving that well. This can be debilitating enough to prevent the grieving person to do daily activities. Seeing a doctor or therapist can help the individual go through the mental health process of grief. Talk therapy can help the individual express the negative feelings from the loss. The treatment will be more effective if the patient takes medication. Meditation, massage, and aromatherapy can also help the person cope with loss.