Symptoms:
There can be five stages of grief. These reactions might not occur in a specific order, and can (at times) occur together. Not everyone experiences all of these emotions:
* Denial, disbelief, numbness
* Anger, blaming others
* Bargaining (for instance “If I am cured of this cancer, I will never smoke again.”)
* Depressed mood, sadness, and crying
* Acceptance, coming to terms
People who are grieving may have crying spells, some trouble sleeping, and lack of productivity at work. Also over-eating, not sleeping well, dizziness, headaches.
Treatment
Family and friends can offer emotional support during the grieving process. Sometimes outside factors can affect the normal grieving process, and people might need help from:
* Clergy
* Self-help groups
* Social workers
The acute phase of grief usually lasts up to 2 months. Some milder symptoms may last for a year or longer. Psychological counseling may help a person who is unable to face the loss (absent grief reaction), or who has depression with grieving.
Prevention:
Grief should not be prevented because it is a healthy response to loss. Instead, it should be respected. Those who are grieving should have support to help them through the process.
Outlook (Prognosis):
It may take a year or longer to overcome strong feelings of grief, and to accept the loss.
The above was from an article about dealing with anxiety and grief. Now, I don’t believe in anxiety. Or more accurately – I do not believe anxiety cannot be dealt with by natural remedies such as proper exercise, eating, sleep, vitamins and friends. And of course time. B12 is good for it. So that’s good since I already take B12. I know I should get back on my exercise routine but right now taking the dogs out for their mornings walks is all I can do. The idea of getting up at 5am to do my stepper has just not been possible. But I think I need to get back to it. I’ve been craving comfort food and actually allowing myself to eat it sometimes. This should really stop asap but then I get really hungry and so I eat. The idea of salads or only protein sounds entirely unpleasant. Sleep? Well….some nights I do and some it’s harder. I find I cannot fall asleep until after 12am now. And I wake up at 3am and then again or 4 or 5am. But there have been a few nights where I slept till 6:30am.
I’ve been having chest pressure (not pain so much as a crushing sensation if that makes sense) and getting highly stressed over the dumbest little things. I have always handled stress pretty well. So this bothers me. It’s been hard to concentrate at work. I feel like I have to double check everything just to make sure I didn’t make a mistake (which I do not do.) I am wondering if I’m forgetting things. I don’t want to make any decisions (like goofy ones like go to Tahoe or not, invite people for Thanksgiving or not.) I get very stressed and just want to watch TV or read. Just curl up and do nothing. So. Not. Me. This also really goes against my general “suck it up and deal with it” attitude. All the stuff I’ve been reading say to talk it out, let out the emotions. So I’ve let them out here a bit tonight I guess.
I have a bunch of pics of my brother and I up on my dresser which made me sad today as today was the first day I confronted looking at them. But I can’t move them or put them away. It’s only been 2 weeks. Only 1 since I got back from Florida so I guess I should expect this. But who really expects this?
Ok. Enough whining. I need to go hug a husky.
8:39 am on November 21st, 2010
you’re entitled to feel the way you’re feeling.
cut yourself some slack.
don’t be so hard on yourself.
and give yourself permission to do whatever it is you want/need to do – to get you through the next while – whether it’s hugging your huskies or curling up in a ball in bed at night and watching Star Wars over and over again or eating Cheetos. So what? You’re going through one of the most painful periods in your life. it won’t last forever – so it’s okay.
you’ll get back on track – it’s your nature to be strong, positive, active etc…
but right now – it’s okay to just – do things that might feel a bit more comfortable or comforting for you.
take care,
jojo
12:47 pm on November 24th, 2010
The passage of time and staying busy will help.