Q & A About "Grief"

Grief.com

David Kessler, Grief Expert

Grief.com  has received over one million visitors and is visited by 167 countries.

[Summary by: Caesi Bevis, Editor]

“About Grieving” (Summary)

What is ‘grief’?

Grief is missing what we are emotionally attached to. There is private grief, such as missing a person, place or thing, or even a job, or loss of a home.

And there is public grief, such as missing a public personality, such as Princess Diana, when she passed away. We miss public figures when we feel or felt connected to the person.

If you grief the loss of a job, you may also be grieving the loss of your identity. Many people identify themselves by their job title.

What is the difference between “grief” and “mourning”?

Grieving is internal, and mourning is what you see on the outside. You cannot “see” grief.

Why do we sometimes compare ‘how’ people mourn?

We should not compare how people experience loss. We cannot see how people grieve internally and they may not show it externally.

Should people mourn loss of a pet?

Yes. It is natural to mourn loss of a beloved pet. Do not “disenfranchise” people by dismissing their feelings as not valid.

How long does it take to grieve?

Grieving and mourning is not on a timeline. It takes as long as it takes. There is no formula. If you resist feeling the feelings around grieving, then the feelings exist  or remain. Just be present to feelings. There’s nothing to fix. Grieving is normal, a natural state. The only way to really end it to move on is to go through it to the new normal. To heal you must feel.

Tags: about grieving, sadness, what is grief