How Do I Know If I Need Grief Counseling?

Grieving is an incredibly personal and challenging process. No matter if you've had a loved one die or have faced a life-altering change, the grieving process can carry a heavy weight.

Grieving is normal after a loss; however, there are times when it is essential to have professional help navigating the healing process. In this blog post, we will review some of the signs that you would benefit from grief counseling and how it can help you in your time of need.

Intense or Prolonged Sadness

One of the first clear signals that you may be a candidate for grief counseling has to do with feelings of extreme or extended sadness.

When you constantly begin to feel that you are down, discouraged, or hopeless, and those feelings go on for a long time, it could signify that you need some professional help. Grief counseling may help you work through these emotions and seek healthier ways of coping.

Disrupted Daily Functioning

Grief often affects many of your day-to-day activities. If it's to a point where you can't function normally, you can't eat, sleep, or focus, you should talk to a professional. Grief counseling can give you strategies to cope with such disruptions and take back charge of your life.

Isolation and Withdrawal

Being alone or avoiding social situations is a natural reaction to grief. But, if it feels like you're constantly avoiding activities and cutting yourself off from your regular activities or people who care about you, or you're finding it hard to be interested in anything you used to like before the loss, that could be a sign that it could help for you to talk to a grief counselor.

How Do I Know If I Need Grief Counseling?

Getting a counselor can provide a safe space for you to explore your feelings and regain a connection with others.

Persistent Physical Symptoms

Physical effects of bereavement. Grief can have several physical side effects, such as being unable to sleep and feeling very tired, not being able to eat, feeling pain as if you have sore muscles, and suffering from headaches.

These symptoms are a regular part of losing someone, but it's essential to pursue help if they linger or worsen. A therapist specializing in grief counseling can help you grasp the mind-body connection and provide you with techniques for reducing bodily discomfort.

Unresolved Guilt or Anger

Guilt and anger are normal feelings when mourning. But if you feel you are paralysed by a crushing sense of guilt or anger that does not recede, we recommend that you seek professional help.

There are grief counselling services that will give you a non-discriminatory atmosphere to face these conflicting feelings, as well as help you to work towards forgiveness and acceptance.

Difficulty Moving Forward

Grieving can make it hard to imagine a future without the person (or thing) that you’ve lost. When you can't imagine your life beyond grief, or if you haven't been able to move forward after all this time, it can be helpful to find support in counseling.

A grief counselor can help you work through the stages of grief and provide you with tools to rediscover meaning and purpose in your life.

Final Thoughts

It's a natural and very personal process, and there is no right or wrong way to grieve. If any of the above warning signs seem to sound like the way you are feeling and the grief has become all-consuming for you, don't hesitate to reach out to a bereavement counselor for the support and help you need.

Remember, asking for help is a sign of strength, and in reaching out, you are taking a critical step toward healing and finding hope in the face of loss. The Healthy Families of Albuquerque and our team of counselors will support you on your continuing grief journey and ensure that you are not alone in your time of need.