GRIEF LOSS OR BEREAVEMENT 

OVERVIEW

Below is an example of the types of loss a client might experience, which may result in them, seeking assistance?

Loss of employment, belongings, a body part, a provider, a pet, trust, a partner, a relationship a parent, a miscarriage, a feeling of safety i.e., rape victim. health,

Normal grief reactions after a loss or bereavement can include some sort of physical distress where the presenting symptoms may  include a tightness of the chest, a feeling of sadness, guilt, pre-occupation with the deceased or changed situation, and sleep disturbance. Although this can be distressing to the individual suffering and to observers, this would in most cases seen as a healthy reaction to the loss or bereavement.

The grief can become pathological and require intervention 4 examples are:

1.       Chronic Grief reaction, whereby the mourning is of an excessive duration without a satisfactory conclusion.

2.       Exaggerated Grief reaction, whereby the loss is so overwhelming, that some psychiatric disorder i.e., Clinical depression develops.

3.       Delayed Grief reaction, whereby the mourner does not experience the emotional reaction in proportion to the loss, and at a later time experiences a degree of emotional reaction in excess of that expected to some other incident/loss.

4.       Masked Grief reaction, where the individual experiences a symptom or behaviour but does not see them as being related to the loss. This can sometimes take the form of the symptoms of the mourner’s illness, mimicking that of the illness of the deceased

The work of  Elizabeth Kubler Ross deals with those who are dying and has identified 5 stages that the dying individual will go through. (These stages can be identified in  individuals experiencing many other types of loss)

      For more information see menu button on the left Elizabeth Kubler Ross

The work of C Murry-Parkes looks at the individual coping with the “catastrophic” event within the cycle of experience.

      For more information see menu button on the left C Murry-Parkes