Grief is a natural response to loss in life. In some cases it can become prolonged and devastating. The normal grieving process usually occurs over the course of about two years for the loss of a close relative or dear friend, and while everyone is different in how they grieve it can be taken that if severe grief is still felt many years later that something has gone wrong in the grieving process.
Grief can lead to:
- Loss of Appetite
- Anxiety / Panic
- Discomfort such as stomach pain, chest pains, headaches, etc,
- Fatigue or Lack of energy
- Sadness and crying
- Forgetfulness
- Feelings of numbness, emptiness, or meaninglessness.
- Poor sleep
- Anger, fear, and Guilt
- Feeling withdrawn or disconnected from family and friends
- Unsettling/sad dreams
- A sense of holding back from living life
Grief can also trick us into wallowing or staying in the state of grief. A common thought is that ‘If I were to get over it, it would be a betrayal of how important they were’. In reality it’s hard to imagine that anyone who has passed on, would want us to continue to suffer. However, it’s one of the common feelings surrounding grief.
Thankfully prolonged grief can successfully be treated with both Hypnotherapy and EMDR.
The goal in such cases is to keep the memories of the deceased but to remove the excessive hurt.
Normally this allows you to recall the good times and not just to be drawn to the memories that are painful.
Personally I like to think that living a full life with cherished memories of the deceased is a more fitting testament to them than a life spent in pain and holding back.
For more information on how I can help you, please contact me. I’ll be happy to chat and answer any questions you might have about what support I can give.