Effects of Grief on Human Body

Every individual in this universe experience the grief at one stage or another. Death is the universal truth and no body can avoid it. Death of loved ones puts you in grieving situation. Grief is a response of human beings to loss. Such loss could be physical such as death or social like loss of job. Loss not only brings you emotions but can also produce certain ill effects on your body.; The succeeding paragraphs will provide you detailed description of various effects of grief on human body.


 Grieving is prolonged and independent process which can affect human body immensely. It is common for grieving people to focus on their emotions as these people learn to survive with the occurred loss. These grieving people must be observed carefully for development of some physical sickness or deterioration.


Grieving people are considered comparatively more vulnerable to sickness and diseases than their peers. The well known ‘flight or fight’ situation occurs wherein the autonomic nervous system goes into stress mode due to the major shock or loss suffered by an individual. In this situation the production of steroids by body system increases which leads to enhanced blood pressure and heart rate. This is am usual response from the human body to stress. You must understand that grief is process is not brief or short. When such enhanced production of steroids persists for longer periods or indefinitely these can produce diminishing effects on health.


Usually the grieving people display sings of tiredness and lethargy due to the occurrence of nervous activity in the human body. Such people may develop signs of sleeplessness or disruption of sleep. These people may even suffer loss of appetite, headaches, irritability and shortness of breath.


Persistent stress of nervous system adversely affects the body immune system. This may result in reduction in infection fighting ability of the body. Grieving people are on higher risk of developing minor sicknesses such as cold. If the individual has pre-existing medical condition, grieving may lead to deterioration of such condition. It is advisable that people undergoing grieving time should opt for medical checkups on scheduled times.


Counseling and support system plays greater role in convincing the grieving people about the importance of medical treatment during this time. Though the way of grieving defers from one person to another, following are the most common health effects/physical conditions one may suffer as a result of grief.


Weeping or crying are the most common
Loss of appetite and/or upset stomach
Dryness of mouth
Sleep disturbances or sleeplessness
Easily startled
Anxiety and other heart related problems like palpitation
Breathlessness or tightness of chest
Fatigue and weight loss
Lowered immune system
Missing of Menstruations
Deterioration of existing medical conditions