Losing a loved one can cause us to experience a variety of reactions, including emotional, mental and physical. Since grief is not often openly discussed, these reactions can be unexpected and confusing. One such reaction I experienced that was new to me was anxiety. Suddenly going out in public seemed overwhelming; even doing something as simple as a trip to the grocery store gripped me with fear. As time went on I experienced anxiety attacks, where I found it difficult to breathe. This happened at home and at work and I had to learn how to manage these attacks. I also experienced night terrors where I would wake up with intense fear that would take a long time to subside. I did a lot of reading on how to work through these reactions. Even though it has been almost nine years since I lost my daughter, I still experience anxiety from time to time. Just knowing that it is not unusual to experience anxiety in reaction to your loss is reassuring. Talking about this with a friend, loved one or counselor can be very helpful. Be kind to yourself and know that with time and effort you can learn to cope with these unexpected reactions.