Grief breavement

Grief and Bereavement

GRIEF = total response to emotional experience

related to lossThe normal process of reacting to loss. BEREAVEMENT = subjective response to by loved onesThe human experience occurring with

the death of a loved one.

Grief is a form of sorrow involving feelings, thoughts and behaviors caused by bereavement.

The grief process involves a sequence of affective, cognitive and psychological states as a person responds to and finally accepts a loss.

What Is Grief?“Grief is the emotion people feel

when they experience a loss. There are many different types of loss, and not all of them are related to death. For example, a person can also grieve over the breakup of an intimate relationship or after a parent moves away from home.”

What are the Five Stages of Grief and Do They Always Occur in the Same Order?The five stages:

1. Denial 2. Anger

3. Bargaining 4. Depression 5. Acceptance

Manifestations of Grief Difficulty

concentrating Ongoing sadness Constant thoughts

of the person who died

Guilt Anger

Changes in the way a person acts or feels normally

Weight loss Loss of appetite Difficulty sleeping Heart palpitations Anxiety and fear Loneliness and pain

Phases of Bereavement

Shock and numbness Yearning and searching Disorganization and despair Reorganization

Bereavement Tasks

Accepting the reality of loss Working through the pain of grief Adjusting to the environment without

the deceased Emotionally relocating the deceased

and moving on with life

Dysfunctional Responses

Prolonged denial of loss Refusal to mourn Gastrointestinal symptoms, shortness

of breath, and muscle tension Behavioral issues (e.g., substance

abuse, phobias, difficulty with concentration)

Grief Management

Grief Management

All are normal responses to grief but should resolve within one year.

Dysfunctional grief reactions may require intervention from a psychosocial professional.

Rapid referrals should be made for intensive assessment and treatment.