The Physical Aspects of Loss

The Physical Aspects of Loss
July 15, 2009 by

By Kirsti A. Dyer MD, MS, FT –

People experience many losses in their lifetime. The most common loss is the death of a loved one, but people experience other losses e.g. loss of a relationship, loss of a job or loss of health. Most of these losses result in some type of a grief response. Grief is the entire body’s response to the loss–mind, body and spirit.

A person grieving a loss may feel grief in many different ways–physically, emotionally, spiritually, socially and intellectually. He or she may experience a variety of body complaints that include:

Fatigue

Problems sleeping (insomnia)
General aches and pain
Backaches
Stomach pains
Intestinal symptoms (diarrhea, constipation, pain, discomfort)
Chest Pressure
Palpitations
Panic Attacks
Increased Anxiety
Many of these physical complaints are potentially serious and require a medical evaluation to exclude a serious medical disorders before determining that the symptoms are due to grief.
read more here
the physical aspects of loss Open to Hope Foundation