19/10/2025
I experienced so much of this after the loss of my girl. Even more than a year later, I still have many of these symptoms. Grief can be all encompassing. If you are experiencing this, know that you are not alone. Take it easy and take care of yourself.
People think itâs all in your head. Itâs not.
Loss flips the switches in your nervous system and your body takes the hit.
Stress? Yeahâfight-or-flight that wonât shut off.
Your heart kicks up for no reason.
Palms sweat. Chest gets tight. Breathing goes shallow even when youâre sitting still.
You jump at sounds you never noticed before. Doors closing. Phones buzzing. Your whole system on alert.
Anxiety? Itâs not âjust in your mind.â
Jaw clenches till your teeth hurt. TMJ flares.
Neck and shoulders lock up like you slept on cement.
Random dizziness. That weird buzzing in your ears.
Hands shake trying to hold a mug. Knee bouncing under the table.
Skin breaks out. Scalp gets tender.
You canât stand bright lights or noise for long.
Fatigue? Not the kind a nap fixes.
You sleep and wake up wiped out.
Dream hard and wake sore, like you ran all night.
You forget simple words mid-sentence. Walk into rooms and canât remember why.
Time gets weirdâhours vanish doing nothing because your brain is busy keeping you upright.
Your gut gets in on it too.
Stomach flips for no clear reason.
Nausea out of nowhere. Acid burning.
Bathroom issuesâconstipation one week, the opposite the next.
Food tastes off. You crave salt or sugar or nothing at all.
Headaches that hang on for days.
Migraines with the aura that makes you see sparks.
Shoulder blades feel like theyâre carrying a backpack that isnât there.
Cold hands. Tingling feet.
Random chills even when the room is warm.
Your immune system drops its guard.
You catch every cold going around.
Healing takes longerâcuts, bruises, anything.
Hormones get messy. Cycles shift. Sleep cycles, too.
None of this means youâre broken.
It means your body logged the loss and is still trying to keep you safe.
So hereâs the part no one says out loud:
If your symptoms look like stress, treat the stress.
If they look like anxiety, treat the anxiety.
If they look like fatigue, honor the fatigue.
You donât have to prove itâs âgrief enoughâ to listen to your body.
Water. Real food. Short walks. Stretch the jaw youâve been clenching.
Hands on your chestâslow the breath down.
Block the calendar when you can. Sit in the quiet when you need to.
Call the doctor if youâre worried. Use meds if they help.
This is not weakness. Itâs maintenance.
Youâre not lazy. Youâre not making it up.
Youâre just grieving.
For an opportunity to join our free online emotional healing session to help you release grief and sadness visit đhttps://www.petlosshealingday.com
