Grief is a reaction to a loss in your life. Whether it’s the death or departure of a person or pet, grief comes in many different forms. It can even stem from a loss of a job or a big disruption towards a regular routine you’ve come to have in your life. The most important thing here is to know that what you are feeling is valid. It’s key to know that there is no hard and fast rule on how you should grieve for a loss.

It’s an emotional response. However, grieving can take on various behavioral, physical, and even mental expressions. A good way to make sense of it is to understand that there are different kinds of grief.

If you are going through a certain loss right now, then allow us to help you get through it. Below are the different forms of grief. We hope that this guide will help you better understand what you’re feeling and would aid in pulling you through these tough times.

 

Normal Grief

Not to be misled by it being “usual”, “easy” or “typical”, normal grief is still just as emotionally valid as others. The difference is most people who feel normal grief are able to go through their daily activities and can still function normally despite the circumstances.

Normal grief is often associated as the ability to move towards the acceptance of loss. People who are also undergoing through this kind of grief is expected to feel a gradual decrease of the emotional intensity they felt.

 

Delayed Grief

Another form of grief is delayed grief, wherein the people experiencing don’t go through the effect of the loss until after some time. These emotions are often felt after another loss or as a result of something completely unrelated. For example, someone can end up suddenly experiencing it in the middle of a trip to the grocery store or during a meeting.

Reactions in this form of grief are typically excessive towards a current situation. It’s only later one realizes that it is the result of a loss they previously had to go through in their life.

 

Complicated Grief

This kind of grief is also known as prolonged or traumatic grief. Here, people who experience this have a far more intense and longer emotional response to the loss they are experienced. Compared to normal grief, people who undergo complicated grief are often unable to function on a daily basis. They cannot go about their activities anymore the way they used to. This is one form of grief that can lead to graver situations like self-destructive behavior, persistent feeling of guilt, low self esteem, a radical change in lifestyle and even contemplating suicide.

If you are undergoing through this kind of grief, know that you are not alone. There are plenty of people who are willing and open to offer support for you. Moreover, remember that you should never carry this burden on your own.

 

Anticipatory Grief

Another form of grief is anticipatory, wherein the process starts long before the actual loss occurs. For example, this is experienced when someone finds out his or her loved one is dying or moving to another place where it will be difficult to stay in touch. People who experience this often spend a lot of time wondering what their lives will be once they lose what is precious to them.

It can be hard to talk about anticipatory grief, since it is sometimes perceived as paranoia or overthinking. However, we again would like to say that grieving takes on so many forms. People take to loss differently. It can be challenging to talk about a loss that you are anticipating. However, know that it is not unreasonable.

 

Disenfranchised Grief

There is a kind of loss that sometimes other people find ridiculous or unreasonable. For example, losing a pet is an intensely personal experience that can lead to deep sadness. However, this can be a completely disjointed experience for those who don’t have pets or didn’t know your pet personally. This is what we refer to as disenfranchised or ambiguous grief.

Some will find what you are going through insignificant to them. It could also be the loss of a spouse, a long-time house help or even a dream job that you just lost. Caregivers who begin to see that their patients are now going through dementia or physical impairment can also experience it.

 

 

We hope that this guide can help you make a better sense of what you are going through physically, mentally and emotionally. Remember that there are various channels of support you can reach out to, be it family, friends, relatives or a support group. You never have to go through this trying times alone.