What is mourning?

Mourning is one of the most difficult, painful, and draining experiences we are likely to go through. It is a final and irreversible separation from a person with whom we were close. In such a situation we may feel that our whole world has crumbled around us. Existence suddenly turns into an empty, sad one, lacking purpose, and we are left confused and helpless. Grief is generally understood as the subjective reaction to loss, while mourning is our attempt to cope with the loss. These terms are often used interchangeably. We generally think of death as the main cause of grief, but other events such as separation from a spouse, or being fired from a job tend to leave us with a sense of loss. The extent of the grief depends upon the degree of closeness to the person, though it can also be tied to our preparedness for the event, our emotional resources, and the amount of support we get from those around us.

It is important to remember that mourning is a normal and natural reaction to loss. It is a very long process that can continue for months or years. While most people successfully come through this difficult period in their lives and are able to carry on they never forget the deceased and continue to feel the loss.
I.C.T.P.