Throughout the course of our years, we all experience a loss at some point in our lives. In fact, statistics show that 1 in 5 children will experience the death of someone close to them before 18 years of age. Feelings of grief and loss are not always associated with death, however, but commonly surface after a loss of some kind – whether it is the loss of a loved one, a severed relationship, a pregnancy, a pet, or a job.
When a person loses something or someone valuable to them, feelings of grief can be overbearing. Grief can leave a person feeling sad, hopeless, isolated, irritable, and numb by affecting them mentally, emotionally, and physically. It’s important to understand that healing from grief is a process and everyone copes with this emotion differently. Many people suffer from ambiguous loss, when there is no closure to losing a relationship with someone who is alive, or it is not known whether they are alive (e.g., when a soldier is Missing in Action for years on end, or when a partner suffers from Alzheimer's, or when an adult child refuses to speak to their parent). Many people don’t know what to say or do when a person is grieving, but be sure to have patience with the individual (including yourself) throughout the entire process.
Grief and loss can be treated effectively. You can learn ways to cope with the pain of loss. Through psychotherapy, a client may:
- Improve coping skills
- Reduce feelings of blame and guilt
- Explore and process all emotions associated with loss and grief
- Find meaning to help deal with the pain of loss
- Develop hope for coping and living with the loss
Consider seeking professional support if feelings of grief do not ease over time.