Loss is a part of life. Unfortunately, the loss of a loved one or friend is not uncommon. The loss of a loved one can be one of the most traumatic and sad events throughout our entire lives or it can be a place in time where we slow down, grieve, pull ourselves together, and move on with our responsibilities. Through all the pain, there are still the questions that lurk in the back of our mind, "When can I expect to start feeling better?" and "Is this normal?" There are many factors that may contribute to why some people manage grief better than others and they are important for you to know.

Some of us experience short-lived grief and low disruption of daily life. Some of us may experience high levels of disruption and debilitation. The time period and intensity to which we grieve depends on the context of our grief and our own personality characteristics. Three types of grief that we can experience are Normal Grief, Complicated Grief, and Absent Grief. The grieving process varies person to person and may include other types of grief as well.

According to research, Normal Grief is when we experience feelings of sadness and sorrow after our loss. We may even have bouts of numbness, guilt, or even anger throughout our grieving process. Complicated Grief is when we feel very intense symptoms such as intense sorrow, anger, or guilt in relation to the loss of our loved one. Complicated Grief tends to be a longer duration of grieving and includes traumatic emotions. This type of grief interferes with daily life and you may find yourself not being able to complete tasks or responsibilities. Some of us may even experience intrusive thoughts about death.

The last type of grief is what research calls, Absent Grief. Absent Grief is when there seems to be no overt signs of grieving. We look fine on the outside and function normally throughout our day. Some research suggests that individuals who experience Absent Grief may just be in denial about the death of their loved one and may even have a delayed reaction to their loss.

Your response to the loss of your loved one can influence the way you grieve. All emotions are helpful in certain contexts in life. In order to manage grief in an effective manner, we must be able to shift our emotions based on the events taking place in our life.

There are many variables that influence our grieving process and how we manage the loss of a loved one. We hope you found this information useful.