A few months ago, my dog died. We got him when I was in middle school, and he’s truly been my best friend throughout the years. Now that he’s gone, I’ve felt super sad and I just haven’t felt like doing much. My friends and family are worried about me, but I keep assuring them I’m just grieving the loss… even though I’m concerned it might be more severe than that. How do I know if how I’m feeling is normal or if I’m falling into a serious depression? How can I get better?
1 Answer
Greetings Anonymous,
Loosing a pet can be incredibly painful. It’s the loss is a very close companion or family member. And if you’re growing through such grief, you might be experiencing symptoms of depression. Generally, a clue that it’s something ‘more serious’ (though I’d say grief and bereavement are pretty serious on their own) is if after a couple weeks you’re not feeling any better. Now, don’t read that as you should be 100% after a couple weeks. In fact, you might find yourself in mourning, and even crying occasionally, for much much longer. However, after a couple weeks you’ll likely begin to experience some relief.
Here are some article that might help. Some are on losing a pet, some on grief, and some on depression symptoms. I hope they help. Of course, if your friends and family are concerned, it’s perhaps not a bad idea to get a professional consult.
Will my grief ever end? Here’s how you can grieve well and help yourself through the painful process
