Grief as it Relates to our Physical and Mental Health

I very clearly remember the first time I was treated homeopathically for grief. I had lost someone in my life and was distraught with grief, constant sobbing, difficulty catching my breath, loss of appetite, and rushing thoughts at night, preventing me from sleeping. I was in my first year at The Canadian College of Homeopathic Medicine and one of my teachers offered me an acute treatment, and I was immediately impressed with the results. It didn’t take away the pain or the loss, but certainly helped me to cope with the grief by helping to alleviate the above-mentioned physical symptoms. I had no idea at the time just how often I would prescribe for acute grief down the road as a Homeopathic Doctor. I have seen countless patients come into my office and describe their pain, as it relates to grief. A case where the patient could not cry, but experienced extreme heaviness in the chest, a case where a child was soiling himself whenever his parents would fight, and many cases of intense crying when thinking of a past grief, even years after the loss. In so many situations, through investigating a person’s health history, there is a direct correlation between their chief complaint or chronic illness that began shortly after a loss, whether it be a loved one or pet who has passed, a break-up of a relationship, or a devastating financial loss. I have seen cases where a person has experienced acute grief, which has sent them into a tailspin of physical pain. While experiencing loss is an inevitable part of life, it is imperative to our physical and emotional health to acknowledge the pain, allow it to be felt, and to have an outlet for it. Homeopathic Medicine can help with moving through the grief.