Where is grief stored in the body?

Many things can cause grief. Losing a loved one, a beloved pet, or even major changes like a cross country move. Periods of sorrow, numbness, guilt, and anger are completely normal parts of the grieving process. Over time, and very gradually, these feelings ease, and it becomes easier to move forward.

While popular theories of the grieving process include steps, these aren’t the same for each person. The grieving process is also non-linear. It isn’t a simple progression from one ‘stage’ to the next, but rather an entire process, unique to the person. Some parts of the grieving process include accepting the situation, experiencing the pain associated with the loss or change, adjusting to the new reality, and having other relationships.

Grief that lasts for a prolonged time or makes it difficult for you to engage in normal daily activities may be complicated, and the help of a therapist may be needed to reach acceptance and peace. Some symptoms of grief that may indicate complicated grief include:

• Intense sorrow that doesn’t change
• Focus on nothing but the loss
• Focus on reminders of the loss or avoidance of them that interferes in daily life
• Numbness
• Trouble accepting the loss
• Loss of feelings of purpose in life
• Inability to enjoy life

Physical symptoms can occur with grief. It may literally feel like your heart is aching; you may have chills at memories or things that cause memory to come up or experience chills at certain triggers. It may become difficult to sleep. Grief may cause inflammation in the body that can cause worsening existing health conditions, lessen the effectiveness of the immune response, and leave you more open to infection. Blood pressure can increase and cause cardiovascular concerns.

Grief ultimately is a form of stress, and the body reacts to it as such. The body's process, the fight or flight response, can be triggered by the stress grief causes. This may impact the body’s digestion, muscles, and cardiovascular systems—tense muscles, aches and pains, digestive issues, and headaches can all result.

If you’re experiencing the more physical side of grief or feeling that you may be under stress caused by grief, talk with your doctor for help deciding what steps to take. You can also talk with a licensed mental health professional about ways to relieve the stress placed on the body from grief.