Grief and Bereavement Articles and Grief Research 

For over twenty years as a physician, I've witnessed, time and again, the healing power of tears. Tears are your body's release valve for stress, sadness, grief, anxiety, and frustration. Also, you can have tears of joy, say when a child is born, or tears of relief when a difficulty has passed. In my own life, I am grateful when I can cry. It feels cleansing, a way to purge pent-up emotions so they don't lodge in my body as stress symptoms, such as fatigue or pain. To stay healthy and release tress, I encourage my patients to cry. For both men and women, tears are a sign of courage, strength, and authenticity.

Once you have lost a loved one, the reality of death may weigh heavily on you, sometimes opening that place where you fear someone else you love may die. This could be anything from a small fear that resolves fairly quickly to a sense of impending doom where your mind regularly goes to terrifying places of what if. You might be on pins and needles every time your child leaves the house.