Just as each grief experience is unique, so are the emotions of grief. If there are others around you grieving the same loss, their feelings of grief may be different than yours. There is no right or wrong way to feel you are grieving.
Allow yourself to feel all the emotions you need to feel. Try not to ignore them. Also, don’t let others tell you how you should feel. Remember that whatever you are feeling is right for you.
There are many different emotions of grieving — too many to list here. Some common feelings shared by grieving people are:
Feelings of Frustration
You may be frustrated that just when you feel as if you’re moving forward in your grieving process, you get pushed back again. But, this kind of back-and-forth is normal. Grief is an emotional — not an intellectual — journey. This means you can’t reason your way through grief. It might feel awful now, but letting yourself feel these different emotions will help you heal.
Feelings of Anger
Anger over a loss is normal. You may be angry with yourself, with the person who died, with someone else, or with God. It’s okay to be angry. Recognize your anger. Then let it out in ways that do not hurt yourself or others. Scream in your car, hit a pillow, or go for a walk or run to release anger.
Feelings of Shock
It is also normal to not feel anything at all after a loss. You may feel stunned, lost, or empty for a period of time. If you feel this way for a very long time, reach out for help.
