Definition

Bereavement is the state of loss when someone close to you has died. The death of someone you love is one of the greatest sorrows that can occur. Feelings of bereavement can also accompany other losses, such as the decline of your health or the health of someone you care about, or the end of an important relationship. Grief is a normal, healthy response to loss.

Everyone feels grief in his or her own way, but there are certain stages to the process of mourning. It starts with recognizing a loss and continues until that loss is eventually accepted. People's responses to grief will vary depending upon the circumstances of the death.

If the person died of a chronic illness, for example, the death may have been expected. The end of the person's suffering might even come as a relief. If the death was accidental or violent, coming to a stage of acceptance could take longer.

Symptoms

A wide and confusing range of emotions may be experienced after a loss. There can be five stages of grief. These reactions might not occur in a specific order, and can (at times) occur together. Not everyone experiences all of these emotions:

• Denial, disbelief, numbness
• Anger, blame
• Bargaining (for instance, "If I am cured of this cancer, I will never smoke again")
• Depressed mood, sadness, and crying
• Acceptance, coming to terms

People who are grieving will often report crying spells, some trouble sleeping, and lack of productivity at work. At first, you may find it hard to accept that the loss has actually occurred.

Once the initial shock has worn off, denial of the loss is often replaced by feelings of anger. The anger may be directed toward doctors and nurses, God, other loved ones, yourself, or even the person who has died. You may experience feelings of guilt, with sentiments such as "I should have… ", "I could have… ", or "I wish I had…. " Such thoughts are common. Your emotions may be very intense, and you may have mood swings. These are all normal reactions to loss.

Each type of loss means the bereaved person has had something taken away. Grief may be experienced as a mental, physical, social, or emotional reaction. Mental reactions can include anger, guilt, anxiety, sadness, and despair. Physical reactions can include sleeping problems, changes in appetite, physical problems, or illness. Social reactions can include feelings about seeing family or friends or returning to work. Grief processes depend on the relationship with the person who died, the situation surrounding the death, and the person's attachment to the person who died. Grief may be described as the presence of physical problems, constant thoughts of the person who died, guilt, hostility, and a change in the way one normally acts.

Mourning is the process by which people adapt to a loss; mourning is also influenced by cultural customs, rituals, and society's rules for coping.

Bereavement is the period after a loss during which grief is experienced and mourning occurs. The time spent in a period of bereavement depends on how attached one was to the person who died and how much time was spent anticipating the loss.

Causes

Your reaction to loss will, in part, be influenced by the circumstances surrounding it. The death of a loved one is always difficult, particularly when it is sudden or accidental. Your relationship to the person who has died will greatly influence your reaction to the loss.

If you feel that you are not coping with bereavement, it is important to seek help. Although it may seem easier to bury your pain than to face it, unresolved grief can cause long-term physical or emotional illness.

Please consult with our specialist in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy help u deal with this condition.