Experiencing grief after the loss of a loved one is natural. Often, symptoms fade on their own over time. But when grief symptoms persist over months or even years and affect your quality of life, it may be helpful to seek help from a mental health professional.
This is known as complicated grief. Some symptoms of complicated grief include:
• feeling intense pain when you think of the person you've lost
• focusing on things that remind you of your lost loved one
• feeling numb
• feeling bitter when thinking about your loss
• losing your sense of purpose or motivation
• feeling like you no longer fully trust your family, friends, and acquaintances
• an inability to enjoy life
• thoughts of suicide or feeling like you should have died along with your loved one