Consequences of grief

Grief can impact on your life in many ways. One loss can lead to another and another, creating a ripple effect that drains you of your physical, emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing.

Physical impacts of grief include: shortness of breath; loss of appetite; crying; fatigue and sleep problems. It is important to reduce the physical impact of grief by maintaining a healthy diet and having adequate rest.

Emotional impacts of grief include: numbness; loneliness and emptiness; anger and resentment; confusion; deep and ongoing sadness; and a loss of interest in things that used to bring pleasure.

Social impacts of grief include: withdrawal; isolation; conflict due to people having different grieving styles; unrealistic expectations of others. Sometimes carers withdraw from others in order to cope with their grief or to avoid negative judgement.

Spiritual impacts of grief include: loss of meaning and a search for new meaning; questioning your spiritual beliefs; strengthening your spiritual beliefs.