Complicated Grief and the Things Grievers Think
Over the years, people have tried their best to understand the grief process, even boiling it down to five common stages. Those who have grieved or are in the middle of grieving will tell you that grief is a complicated, messy, and often overwhelming mix of emotions and thoughts. Grief is a deeply personal journey for anyone to take, and it can be difficult to know if what we are thinking and feeling during grief is normal or even healthy. Grievers often think things that would sound awful to confess, but it is only when we honestly grapple with our thoughts in grief that we can begin to find release from some of the heavier emotions. The Things People Think During Complicated Grief A large part of the grief process is having to untangle our thoughts from our emotions. Behind almost every thought or statement we make is an emotion and an experience. It might not always be safe or easy to express our thoughts, but many other people have, and their honesty can help us in our grief process. Here are some thoughts that many grievers have, and the emotions behind the thoughts: “I resent that other people still have both their parents” Jealousy, bitterness, and resentment are common emotions to experience in grief. They can result in additional feelings of guilt or anger. Feeling resentful of the fact that we have lost a loved one while other people haven’t might sound illogical, cruel, or petty to express, but it is a common experience. We don’t have to express these thoughts, and they will eventually pass. A healthy way of coping with them is to first acknowledge them and then lean into the memory of our lost loved ones. “I don’t know what to do now that I’m [...]
