Grief is often described as a roller coaster ride. It is a very intense emotional experience. The emotions of grief can be all over the place and can instantly switch from one to another. According to the many grieving people I have spoken with and the many resources I have read, this emotional, ever changing roller coaster is totally normal. Sometimes you may feel more than one emotion at the same time. Sometimes you may even feel conflicting emotions at the same time. Sometimes you may feel emotionless or completely numb. Sometimes you can't put a name on the emotion you are feeling and sometimes you know exactly what it is you are feeling, even if you don't want to admit it or like it. This is all normal. It is even normal to feel like you can't or don't want to go on, but if you find yourself making plans to act on this this, please seek help immediately. Remember, our goal is to keep hopping!
Below is a list of emotions you might experience with grief. It is long, but still not all inclusive. You may only feel a few of these or you may feel all of them. Everyone's grief is different. Your grief is unique to you, but don't be surprised if you feel many of these emotions too.
- Abandoned
- Acceptable
- Accepted
- Accepting
- Afraid
- Alarmed
- Ambushed
- Angry
- Annoyed
- Anxious
- Apathetic
- Astounded
- At Ease
- Awkward
- Betrayed
- Bitter
- Blamed
- Blessed
- Comfortable
- Compassionate
- Compulsive
- Concerned
- Confused
- Consumed
- Cowardly
- Crazy
- Cursed
- Dazed
- Deceived
- Depressed
- Despairing
- Devastated
- Disillusioned
- Disoriented
- Distracted
- Distraught
- Distressed
- Distrustful
- Doomed
- Doubtful
- Drained
- Dread
- Embarrassed
- Emotional
- Emotionally drained
- Emotionally weak
- Empty
- Encouraged
- Encumbered
- Entangled
- Enthusiastic
- Enraged
- Envious
- Excluded
- Exhausted
- Fatigued
- Fearful
- Focused
- Foggy
- Forgetful
- Frenzied
- Frustrated
- Grateful
- Guilt ridden
- Guilty
- Harmed
- Harmful
- Happy
- Heartbroken
- Heartless
- Helpful
- Helpless
- Hesitant
- Hidden
- Honest
- Hopeful
- Hopeless
- Humble
- Hurt
- Idiotic
- Impatient
- Inadequate
- Incapable
- Included
- Incomplete
- Indecisive
- Inept
- Inferior
- Insecure
- Intruded upon
- Intrusive
- Invaded
- Invisible
- Irritable
- Isolated
- Jealous
- Joyful
- Joyless
- Lonely
- Lost
- Loved
- Loving
- Mad
- Meaningless
- Nervous
- Numb
- Obsolete
- Out of control
- Overwhelmed
- Panicked
- Panicky
- Paralyzed
- Pathetic
- Peaceful
- Perplexed
- Physically bad
- Physically ill
- Physically week
- Predictable
- Pretend
- Productive
- Purposeful
- Purposeless
- Questioning
- Rage-filled
- Ridiculous
- Regretful
- Rejected
- Relaxed
- Relieved
- Responsible
- Sad
- Second-guessed
- Second-guessing
- Self-pittyed
- Self-pittying
- Serene
- Shamed
- Shameful
- Shocked
- Shut down
- Shut out
- Silly
- Sleepy
- Social
- Socially included
- Socially isolated
- Socially rejected
- Sorrowful
- Sorry
- Squashed
- Stressed
- Stupid
- Supported
- Supportive
- Sure
- Surprised
- Suspicious
- Terrified
- Thankful
- Threatened
- Tired
- Trapped
- Transparent
- Truthful
- Unacceptable
- Unaccepted
- Unaccepting
- Uncertain
- Uncaring
- Uncomfortable
- Underproductive
- Unfocused
- Unforgivable
- Unforgiven
- Unhappy
- Unimportant
- Uninterested
- Unique
- Unlovable
- Unloved
- Unpredictable
- Unproductive
- Unresponsive
- Unseeable
- Unseen
- Unsupported
- Unsupportive
- Unsure
- Useful
- Useless
- Valuable
- Valueless
- Vindicated
- Vindictive
- Violated
- Void
- Vulnerable
- Warped
- Weak
- Woozy
- Worried
- Worthless
- Wrecked
- Wrong
- Wronged