Grief

Grief

Symptoms of bereavement, grief and loss

Bereavement, grief and loss can cause many different symptoms, affecting people differently. There is no right or wrong way to grieve.

As well as bereavement, there are other types of loss, such as the end of a relationship or losing a job or home.

Some of the most common symptoms include:

• shock and numbness – this is usually the first reaction to loss, and people often talk about “being in a daze.”
• overwhelming sadness, with lots of crying
• tiredness or exhaustion
• anger – towards the person you’ve lost or the reason for your loss
• guilt – for example, guilt about feeling angry, about something you said or did not say, or not being able to stop your loved one from dying

Often, these feelings do not occur all the time, and powerful emotions may appear unexpectedly.

Loss, grief, or bereavement can make it hard to know why you’re acting or feeling differently.