The Long-Term Effects of Grief

As we discussed in the Symptoms of Grief section of this module, grief can have many short-term impacts on a person’s physical and emotional wellbeing. Sometimes, grief can have a longer-lasting impact than just the short-term. A few ways grief can have long-term effects on a person include:

Complicated Grief or Grief-Related Depression

Grief and depression can appear quite similar on the surface. With both emotional and mental health struggles, people may withdraw from their lives, feel sad and depressed, experience changes to their eating and sleeping habits, and struggle to find joy in their life.

However, the two are not the same. Grief is characterized by a whirlwind of emotions, whereas depression is associated with low moods and a struggle to feel joy or happiness. However, grief does have the ability to morph into something more, such as complicated grief or grief-related depression.

If a person finds their symptoms of grief begin to feel overwhelming, never-ending, or all-encompassing, they should reach out to a mental health professional.

Personal Growth

Grief has a way of changing a person’s perception of life. While it is undoubtedly a painful experience to endure, many people find themselves experiencing personal growth as they work through the healing process.

Some people may see their relationships grow stronger. Others may feel they have found a new meaning in life. And others may experience a higher level of maturity than before.

Studies have found that with the proper social support, a person has a better chance of healing from their grief and seeing new growth at the end of their difficult journey.