Grief’s profound effect on your health

Grief never comes at a good time and we never know exactly how we may respond to it.  Losing a loved one can have intense effects on our health both mentally and physically.  Bereavement encompasses the fact you are going through a major stressor and that you’ve lost a close relationship.  This loss can understandably leave you feeling out of control and disoriented. This is why researchers have found grief to be a total bodily phenomenon with serious and wide-ranging effects from taking a toll on our cognition to our digestion.

Emotions run high any time we experience a situation bringing severe grief.  This is to be expected and everyone deserves to have their feelings validated and acknowledged.  But, if your grief is beginning to wear on you resulting in certain effects on your mind and body, then it is time to seek help.  Put hesitation aside and seek advice from your physician or a mental health counselor to get you through this difficult time. 

Here are some common symptoms mourners may experience and how it manifests on your health:

·      Changes in thinking

Extreme grief can result in increases in anxiety and stress.  This increase can cause noticeable impairment in ability to concentrate, decision making, and even physical reaction time known as psychomotor retardation.  This means activities requiring a great deal of skill such as driving, operating a riding lawn mower, climbing a ladder, etc. can be hazardous to your health when under severe duress from mourning.

For those who have lost a beloved spouse, it is far more likely to develop serious mental health issues possibly leading to depression or even thoughts of suicide.

·      Can lead to “broken heart syndrome”

We’ve all heard of dying from a broken heart but there is truth in that statement.  Broken heart syndrome, also known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy, is a serious dysfunction of the heart suffered after losing a loved one.  Typically attributed to stressful events, the condition is usually transient.  Most people who experience broken heart syndrome believe they are having a heart attack.  They can experience symptoms similar to a heart attack including chest pain and shortness of breath.  However, there is no evidence of blocked coronary arteries in this syndrome and most people will have a full and quick recovery.

·      More prone to infection

Your immune system takes a beating when going through the grief process.  As immune system functioning weakens, it makes you more vulnerable to illness resulting in a greater likelihood of coming down with a virus or infection. 

·      Increased sensitivity to aches and pains

Intense grief leads to depression, despondency, and loneliness. These emotions are brought on by a reduction in chemical neurotransmitters in the brain of serotonin and norepinephrine.  These compounds help to relive pain and boost mood.  But when these “feel-good” hormones are abnormally low like they can be in grieving individuals, it can be normal for them to be more sensitive to aches and pains.

·      Trouble with fatigue and insomnia

When under extreme stress, it is not uncommon for one to find the ability to fall asleep difficult leading to more fatigue the next day. Chronic insomnia can lead to chronic fatigue.  Along with a lack of sleep can come mood swings and irritability.  Because one is going through a time of high anxiety, irrational mood swings are also to be expected.

·      Eating disturbances

A common after-effect of grief is digestive disruption and problems with appetite.  The nervous system chemicals that contribute to our emotional state also affect healthy hunger signals.  Some may find themselves eating too much by resorting to emotional eating to self-comfort with food or eating too little due a lack of appetite because of the loss they’ve suffered. 

·      Exacerbated medical problems

Another phenomenon that can erupt is a worsening of any existing medical problems or healing that slows down when a person is under extreme stress.  It is not unusual for those who’ve experienced a major loss to be seeing their doctor more frequently with chronic medical complaints. 

·      Feelings of loneliness

With grief can come loneliness or feelings of isolation.  These intrusive thoughts can be debilitating making a person feel they are not connected to the world or with others around them. 

·      Depression and substance abuse

Prolonged grief can trigger anxiety attacks and depression. Research has found that about a quarter of people who lose their spouse experience clinical depression and anxiety in the first year. 

Also associated with bereavement can be substance abuse.  This is particularly so among men who are going through profound grief.

Coping and treatment

Consequences to our health from grief can be serious but grief in and of itself is not considered to be an illness.  Grief is considered a natural response to loss and when we lose someone we love and that loss is permanent and impactful, grief is also permanent. This is why talking with someone trained in responding to a major loss such as a grief counselor can be extremely helpful in terms of a positive outcome in finding a “new normal.”

To help someone going through the grieving process, it is important the person is taking good care of themselves and their grief.  Be present to make sure they are eating well, drinking water, and getting regular physical exercise, all which can improve a person’s quality of life.

To grieve alone is not good.  When we reach out to others going through a rough time such as grief, this can help them reconnect with others who care, making the bereavement process a little more tolerable.