Introduction
When someone experiences a loss, they may react emotionally, behaviorally, culturally, spiritually, or in other ways. Grief’s effects on the body result in a lot of crying, exhaustion, and tiredness most of the time, agitation and restlessness, and shortness of breath. These responses are only a few of the various ways that people’s minds react to loss.
Anger at God, searching for life’s purpose, and a newfound sense of spiritual stability are spiritual reactions to grief. Understanding grief and strategic coping methods will help the affected individuals overcome its effects. Thus, the paper explains various types of suffering and their physical, psychological, social, and spiritual responses.
Summary of Types
A few distinct mourning experiences depend on a person’s strength. Anticipatory grief is when a person experiences this kind of sadness; they know something terrible could happen but do not know what is happening. Isolated grief is shared by a single individual without the knowledge or sympathy of those around them (Wallace et al., 2020).
Although death is something that all humans must face, it is essential to note that different cultures have different norms when grieving the loss of a loved one (Fernández & González-González, 2022). There are several speculations concerning the afterlife; however, many individuals from a culture that expects to see loved ones again when they die help ease the pain (Harris & Ho, 2022). A deceased person’s ghost may be able to torment the living in some societies.
Physical Symptoms
Grief’s physical manifestations are common and expected, such as disbelief, uncertainty, and inability to focus. A person can have hallucinations or a heightened awareness of sounds or sights (Fernández & González-González, 2022). Sleep disturbances, lack of appetite, and extreme fatigue are all possible side effects.
Fatigue is a common reaction to the emotional toll that grief takes. Grief often causes sleep disruptions, especially insomnia. Some people have a decreased appetite due to grief (Harris & Ho, 2022). After a loss, it is not uncommon for a person to experience these hallucinations.
Psychological Responses
Painful emotions may only persist for a few days but may come and go in waves. The powerful emotions may return as they accept the situation, and they may find that the frequency of their mourning cycles decreases. According to Wallace et al. (2020), grief responses manifest in various physical and mental manifestations. Shock, numbness, grief, denial, rage, guilt, helplessness, melancholy, and desire are just some of the emotions that a person who has suffered a loss may face. Crying can happen for no apparent cause.
Spiritual Aspects
When individuals experience profound sorrow, they often must face and reconsider their most fundamental assumptions about God, religion, and death. A person’s faith may strengthen if they turn to God for solace and strength after the death of a loved one. An individual’s beliefs and feelings about God or the afterlife may shift (Wallace et al., 2020). Some spiritual effects of grieving are doubting one’s spiritual convictions, reinforcing those views, experiencing a loss of meaning, and searching for a new purpose.
Conclusion
It is acceptable to behave differently than usual when mourning. Studies show that people have trouble getting to or staying asleep through grief. Another challenge a person can experience is difficulty eating or performing daily activities. When mourning, people can be prone to anger outbursts, or their energy levels may fluctuate. Loss and grief might cause people to reevaluate their values and worldviews. This has the potential to enrich their spiritual life and give them a fresh perspective on the purpose of life.
References
Fernández, Ó., & González-González, M. (2022). The dead with no wake, grieving with no closure: Illness and death in the days of coronavirus in Spain. Journal of Religion and Health, 61(1), 703-721.
Hare, E. R. (2021). “How lonely sits the city”: An exploration of loneliness and human connection in the Hebrew Bible, in conversation with select modern empirical research on loneliness (Doctoral dissertation, King’s College London).
Harris, D. L., & Ho, A. H. (Eds.). (2022). Compassion-based approaches in loss and grief. Taylor & Francis.
Wallace, C. L., Wladkowski, S. P., Gibson, A., & White, P. (2020). Grief during the COVID-19 pandemic: considerations for palliative care providers. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 60(1), e70-e76.