Grief is a normal response to loss of someone or something important to a person. The process of grief involves all aspects of the person: physical, emotional, behavioral, psychological, social, and spiritual. When a child
discloses sexual abuse, a
mother experiences grief. The process of grief may affect all areas of her life.
Victims also experience grief related to the losses and consequences resulting from sexual abuse. Grief is a an individual process and is unique to each person's life. However, many symptoms are common during the grief experience. Mothers may experience:
Physical Symptoms
- Fatigue and weakness
- Shortness of breath
- Tightness in the chest
- Dry mouth
- Heart palpitations
- Nausea
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Stomachache, backache, or headache
- Abdominal pain
- Inability to sleep
- Dizziness
- Appetite change and eating less or more
Emotional Symptoms
Behavioral Symptoms
- Crying and sighing
- Restlessness
- Forgetfulness or absent-mindedness
- Wandering aimlessly
- Sexual activity reduced or increased
- Dreams and nightmares
- Maintaining closeness to reminders or avoiding all reminders
- Talking to the missing person out loud
- Needing to tell the story over and over again
- Avoiding talking about the loss
- Either hyperactive or underactive
- Apathy or lack of interest in activity
- Drinking or using drugs to cope
Psychological Symptoms
- Feeling trance-like
- Sense of unreality or emptiness
- Hopelessness
- Helplessness
- Hallucinations
- Reduced self-esteem
- Self-blame
Social Symptoms
- Withdrawal from social activities
- Becoming dependent on others
- Loneliness
- Overly sensitive
- Relationship difficulties
- Sense of abandonment
- Isolation
Spiritual Symptoms
- Doubting or questioning God or personal belief system
- Disappointment in established religion or church
- Feeling angry at or betrayed by God
- Becoming preoccupied with death
- Sensing the presence of a spiritual being
- Loss of faith
- Lack of meaning and purpose in life