Grief After Death

Grief is identified as a reactive and multidimensional experience following the cessation of physical connection with a significant entity. The process involves adapting to a new internal and external world.

It is an experience of intense psychological suffering that, over time, leads to the reconstruction of a trustworthy perception of reality, one in which the individual can continue functioning, nurturing existing and new emotional bonds. Pain, allows for the emergence of pleasant memories.

Grief encompasses a wide range of expected emotional, cognitive, sensory, and behavioral responses to loss, including feelings of emptiness, loneliness, sadness, anger, guilt, yearning, emotional blockage, irritability, intrusive thoughts, physical tension, weakness, tightness when breathing, and difficulty performing daily activities, impacting quality of life.

Specialized literature documents that due to its emotional impact, grief may increase the risk of:

·       Physical conditions: moderate risk of nutritional imbalance, either excessive or insufficient intake, gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhea, constipation), arteriosclerotic and degenerative heart diseases, cardiovascular complications, coronary thrombosis, and myocardial infarctions.

·       Mental health issues: attention and concentration difficulties (especially in older adults), suicidal ideation, psychiatric and personality disorders, sleep cycle disturbances, and increased risk of psychiatric hospital admissions.

·       Social consequences: risk behaviors affecting academic, occupational, familial, and community functioning.

It is important to note that out of every 200 primary care medical consultations, approximately 50 are related to some form of loss. Regarding the prevalence of complicated grief, each death may affect an average of ten individuals. Approximately 53.03% of bereaved persons exhibit symptoms of grief complications, and 79% of individuals seeking psychotherapeutic support are already experiencing grief.

Nevertheless, it is important to note that the intensity of the grief experience depends on various factors, such as:

·       Relational: degree of closeness (primary circle, secondary, extended family, in-laws, friendship); type of relationship with the deceased (dependency, emotional bond, history of violence); the role the deceased played in the bereaved person's life.

·       Circumstantial: surrounding the loss (duration of illness, disability or agony, sudden events such as crime, accident, suicide, whether rituals were permitted)

·       Social: support network (family, social, institutional); context of the bereaved (economic situation or inheritance, religion, employment, critical natural or circumstantial events)

·       Physical and mental health: pre-existing or current conditions (depression, post-traumatic stress, anxiety; chronic-degenerative diseases, disability)

·       Personality of the bereaved: coping, self-esteem, resilience

·       Historical: previous loss experiences and resolution style, availability of psychological support

There are theories and models that provide valuable frameworks for understanding the complex dynamics of the grieving process. These converge in affirming that grief is something we actively engage in, rather than something that merely happens to us—emphasizing the active role of the bereaved throughout the process in pursuit of their own well-being.

"The sorrow I carry is worth it, for the love and gratitude I feel toward my loved one for all we shared."