23/04/2020
Homeopathic support for grief and loss
Loss is part of the human experience; an inevitable, if uncomfortable bedfellow of love. For whatever we love, we can also lose. Homeopathy can help support us through the toughest of times.
We usually associate grief with the death of a loved one. Yet feelings of grief can be triggered by many different situations, such as losing a job, moving house, a relationship breakdown. Even moving through different life stages can sometimes bring about a sense of loss as we transition out of childhood for example, confront the menopause, or come to terms with children flying the nest.
Just as the causes of grief are manifold, so too are our responses. In fact, it is widely accepted that there are five different stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. These don’t necessarily manifest in a specific order, and some stages may be felt intensely, others not at all. But being able to identify and frame the range of emotions that we experience can be helpful as we move through the grieving process.
Whilst difficult and sometimes overwhelming, these emotions are a natural and normal response to loss. However, if we don’t have the opportunity to properly acknowledge and process these feelings, our longer-term health and well-being might start to suffer. And it’s not only our emotional health that can be affected;
Physical symptoms are also common during periods of mourning. Difficulty sleeping, reduced appetite, fatigue, and nausea can all feature as part of a grief response.
Conventional support for symptoms associated with the grieving process usually involves sedatives, anti-depressants or painkillers. But these tend to simply mask the issues and may lead to unwanted side effects or even a dependency on medication.
Homeopathy offers a safe and gentle option, providing support for the toughest of times.
Of course, it can’t bring back what we mourn, but it can help to stimulate our own ability to process the loss, accept and honour it, and allow us to gently step into a life post-loss
