Grief

Wikipedia defines it as a "multi-faceted response to loss". "Although it is focused on the emotional response to loss, it also has physical, behavioural, social and philosophical dimensions".
In other words it is complex and takes on many different forms and guises.

Although it has been discussed for centuries and features in many well known pieces of literature. William Shakespeare discussed it in many of his plays and there are numerous poems and prose written about it and the devastation that it reeks on one.

It was in 1969 that the Swiss born shrink, Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross wrote her landmark book Death and Dying which forced doctors to show compassion and give humane treatment towards their terminally ill patients. In this book she talks about the 5 Stages of Grief in which she discussed how people deal with grief and tragedy. She broke them down into:
1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance

She is at pains to point out that these steps do not necessarily follow one right after another and in sequence. Grief is complicated and can take on many forms, it does not always mean mourning the loss of someone you love. It could also be a change in job, moving to a new location or a way of life or a circle of friends that you are no longer in - but wish you could be. Whatever it is, grief is something which can take on many forms and can strike in a variety of ways.

It is now accepted that PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) often goes hand in hand with this condition. People who are recovering from a loss, illness or change in lifestyle may experience a variety of symptoms. Everything from loss of sleep to hallucinations as the mind struggles to organise and sort through the myriad of emotions.