Where’s the Grief?

When most people hear the word grief, they immediately think of death. Yet grief often enters our lives quietly, without a funeral, condolences, or permission to slow down. It can arise from changes, losses, and life-altering circumstances that leave us feeling unsettled and unseen, especially when no one else recognizes what we’re carrying.

Grief is woven into everyday life through the many situational losses we experience. For example, caring for a family member with a chronic illness is widely recognized as a grieving experience. Grief can show up emotionally, physically and/or behaviorally and it can significantly affect a person’s ability to maintain overall well-being.

The symptoms of grief can closely resemble depression and are sometimes medically overlooked, leading to a diagnosis of depression and a prescription for antidepressants to ease the pain. While medication can be helpful, it does not resolve the grief itself. When disenfranchised grief goes unrecognized and unaddressed, it doesn’t simply disappear. Instead, it can linger beneath the surface, intensifying with subsequent losses or manifesting in other ways such as headaches, ulcers, or more serious health concerns.

Processing grief offers many benefits, including empowerment, relief, comfort, peace, and clarity in addressing the core issues related to situational loss. These outcomes are strong reasons to acknowledge and not allow grief to fester. While it may feel easier to avoid grief and focus solely on joy, true healing comes from acknowledgment, assessment and assistance.

Naming your loss is the first step toward healing. By allowing yourself the space to process grief through reflection, conversation, or professional support, you can strengthen your ability to cope and move forward with greater resilience and wholeness.