What emotions are present during the first 30 days of dealing with grief?
Most people feel some amount of shock and denial. This is OK because it is typically how our minds initially deal with a significant loss. In both unanticipated and anticipated death, we might feel disoriented and have a great sense of having been yanked out of the world we knew. We sometimes say, “This can’t be happening.” We might feel out of control, disorganized, confused, lost, emotionally overwhelmed and physically ill. Some people may get into the role of taking care of others and making arrangements, while others may withdraw or get hysterical. There may be changes in a person’s usual ways of behaving and patterns of eating, sleeping or relating to others. Particularly with a sudden death, there may be shock, a temporary absence of feeling, crying, anxiety, anger and guilt, as well as sadness. In an anticipated death, there can be trauma and exhaustion that comes after you’ve seen your loved one suffering, along with guilt, sadness and even relief. People who are grieving often
