Behavioral Changes You Might Experience While Grieving | Grief Symptoms

Loss can be an extreme stressor on the body. Some physical symptoms include: 

• Insomnia 

• Headaches

• Lightheadedness 

• Fatigue 

• Unexplained aches & pains

• Change in appetite 

Loss impacts the body and mind. Some emotional symptoms include: 

• Irritability

• Depression

• Anger

• Denial

• Increased anxiety and/or fear

• Numbness / detached from emotions

The stresses of grief can lead to unexpected body responses such as: 

• Increased blood pressure 

• Mild hallucinations 

  • Grieving individuals have reported instances where they feel as though they saw their loved one driving past them or walking past them in a crowded room. Such changes in perception are linked to an individual’s yearning to see their loved one. For children, hallucinations can happen as the child tries to process a loved one’s death. As a coping strategy, children may invent new realities where their loved one still exists. 

References

Cleveland Clinic. “What Is Grief?” Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, 22 Feb. 2023,

my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24787-grief.

Hairston, Stephanie. “How Grief Shows up in Your Body.” WebMD, 11 July 2019,

www.webmd.com/balance/grief-stages-special-report/20190711/how-grief-affects-your-body-and-mind.

Mughal, Saba, and Waqas J Siddiqui. “Grief Reaction and Prolonged Grief Disorder.”

Nih.gov, StatPearls Publishing, 2023, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507832/.

Wolfelt, Alan. “You’re Not Going Crazy — You’re Grieving!” Center for Loss & Life Transition,

21 Dec. 2023, www.centerforloss.com/2023/12/youre-not-going-crazy-youre-grieving/.