Common Responses to Grief

• A feeling of tightness in the throat or heaviness in the chest.
• An empty feeling in the stomach and loss of appetite.
• Restlessness and a need for activity, accompanied by an inability to concentrate.
• A feeling that the loss isn't real, that it didn't actually happen.
• A sense of the loved one's presence, like finding yourself expecting the person to walk in the door at the usual time, hearing their voice or seeing their face.
• Aimless wandering, forgetfulness, and inability to finish things you've started to do around the house.
• Difficulty sleeping, frequent dreams about your loved one.
• A tendency to assume the mannerisms or traits of your loved one.
• An intense preoccupation with the life of the deceased.
• Intense anger at the love one for leaving you.
• A need to take care of other people who seem uncomfortable around you, by politely not talking about the feelings of loss.
• A need to tell and retell and remember things about the loved one and the experience of their death.
• Crying at unexpected times.

These are all natural and normal grief responses. It is important to cry and talk with people when you need to.

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