Grief is usually felt after the death of a loved one but can present itself when experiencing loss such as breakups, food insecurity, estrangement, and numerous other challenges [1]. This article will focus on the grief that follows a death, particularly in university-aged students, however, it is overall applicable to other types of loss. Symptoms of grief can present immediately or may be delayed. This article will focus on when the mind feels emotionally safe to begin processing. Grieving is a process with common symptoms over a timeframe, but the specifics are unique to each person [2].

Different cultures have different customs and expectations for acclimatising to loss. The American Psychiatric Association of 1964 defined a “normal” bereavement period as two months. Since then it has been extended to twelve months and acknowledges that grief varies with cultural norms, but still lists criteria for what is “normal” and “abnormal” grief [1]. Social norms of grief in western academia are that of keeping it private, with the expectation of being able to go back to "normal" shortly after bereavement, despite extensive research against this mentality [1]. This has been identified in grief research as a problematic approach because the brain “… needs to learn how to be in the world without someone we love in it" [3], which requires time and experiential feedback [4].

Grief research in general is rather underfunded as it is not a disease, nor is it classified as a mental disorder [5]. By extension, grief and loss are rarely represented in pedagogical research, leaving those in mourning isolated from academic spaces and learning [1]. Grief can affect anyone at any age, but when, for example, 22-33% of university students are within twelve months of a close bereavement, the lack of grief research in pedagogy means that these students are disadvantaged in their academic pursuits as they come to terms with their circumstances [6].

Lack of funding results in fewer and less diverse researchers as well as limits in experimental equipment and experimental data. For the most part, the psychological symptoms of grief are well-known, but only a handful of researchers study its biology. Of those who do, most are psychologists with biological interests [5]. Our understanding of grief at the biological level is limited by having only one field of science researching this topic deeply, when an interdisciplinary approach would produce a more fruitful yield.

From the data that does get collected, there is precision missing. Grieving is a process over time, but neuroimages from neuroimaging studies are taken from a single time point. There is also no distinguishing between acute grief, typical grief, and/or prolonged grief. When almost all neuroimaging studies are about grief rather than grieving, it limits what conclusions can be drawn from the data about the biology of grieving [4].

Emotional bonds with loved ones produce feel-good chemicals such as oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin. Loss triggers both a halt of these, and an increase in stress chemicals such as adrenaline, cortisol, and norepinephrine causes a range of physical and psychological symptoms [7]. In the body this can look like dizziness, sleep disturbances, nausea, and issues with appetite, while emotionally there are often feelings of numbness and disconnect [3,7]. Sadness and anxiety are also common to experience, though in deeper losses these can develop into yearning and hopelessness [1,3]. A combination of the above leaves university students physically and mentally exhausted as they struggle through their studies with memory problems, intrusive thoughts, difficulty staying organised, and a lack of concentration [6]. They are also often navigating higher levels of independence for the first time, such that grief can isolate them from their standard support systems. Students from minority communities may also be navigating an education system not designed to support their needs, which would put them at further disadvantage in their studies [1].

The biology of grieving shows locations of interest in the brain. fMRIs are used to show grief present, which are seen as the periaqueductal grey, anterior cingulate, nucleus accumbens, and somatosensory cortices. These are the same areas which show separation anxiety in babies crying for reconnection, and the same as physical pain in adults. This is why intense grief can physically hurt [7]. The size of the hippocampus prior to grieving is hypothesised to be an indicator of adapting to loss as well. Brain scans showing a smaller than average hippocampus before bereavement in participants predicted trouble accustoming to loss. The hippocampus has also been shown to shrink in those who have lost a child (with and without PTSD) [4].

When the psychological symptoms of grief are interfering with day-to-day life several months after the bereavement, we start to see prolonged grief disorder (PGD) in about 10% of people [3,5]. This is where the loss is all-consuming to the point of significant social withdrawal [5]. It has already been mentioned in this article that university students are experiencing more independence and therefore are less connected to their standard support networks [1], which increases their risks of developing PGD.

People do go on to live successful and happy lives as they process their loss, sometimes with a treatment plan that their general practitioner has helped form if that is what is needed [2]. Not all students want or need such help though. From some of the grief pedagogy research that has been conducted, it has been suggested that one potential tool could be a training program for non-bereaved students to provide informal support to grieving peers, as friends often feel under-equipped to provide the needed emotional support [6].

There seems to be extensive knowledge on the symptoms of grief, but more work to be undertaken on how to alleviate those symptoms for students in academic spaces. Without up-to-date research on how best to support grieving students, the support that education institutions provide for students experiencing loss is limited. More research into what is helpful and unhelpful for grieving students would result in education institutions assisting students in moving forward from their losses and making gains in their learning.