Experiencing or anticipating the death of a loved one or community member takes on many different meanings for people. Grief is a natural process of adjusting to such a significant loss. Some days the grieving person is focused on their pain; other days they may feel less distressed. Often people in grief may feel confused because their responses can vary significantly and can manifest in physical, emotional, mental and or spiritual ways. While every person grieves every loss differently, people may experience a number of changing emotions, including, but not limited to, sadness, anger, guilt, shame, ambivalence, and confusion. Some people will express their grief more emotionally or by crying; others may be "action takers" or work out their responses by exercising, writing or taking some creative action. Grieving people may become easily overwhelmed with too much sensory or cognitive input, and their energy levels may vary from hour to hour. In addition sleeping and eating habits may be disrupted. All of these responses are normal as the grief takes time to become integrated into our lives.
If you need to inform the university about the death of a CU student, faculty or staff please contact the Dean of Students Office at 303-492-9048.
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