Baystate Medical Center is committed to providing compassionate care to families and friends who grieve the loss of a loved one. Grief is a normal emotional response following a loss. The more attached we are to someone, the greater our grief response will be. When we become separated from someone we love, our grief can be very powerful and cause a number of physical, emotional and spiritual symptoms. It is important to remember that each of us grieve differently and experience our own multiple reactions and challenges following a death.

The Process of Grieving

When a loved one dies, feelings of shock, denial, sadness, anger and depression usually follow. Often times these feelings are accompanied by physical symptoms like a lack of energy, knotted stomach, loss of appetite and feeling disoriented. Recognizing that these symptoms are normal responses to the death of someone close to you is the first step in the process of grieving.

When to Seek Professional Help

The following is a list of symptoms and indicators of grief. While many of these are normal, persistent symptoms need to be taken seriously. If you find that any of these are true for you, we suggest you consider seeking professional help:

• If you are always feeling exhausted, anxious, suicidal, depressed, helpless, experiencing uncontrollable anger, insomnia or stressed-out;
• If you are withdrawing from family and friends, work, school, etc.;
• If you are becoming dependent on drugs or alcohol;
• If you have little desire to get involved in activities you once enjoyed.