...Is Your Grieving Making you sick? Maintaining Your Own Health Through Grief Audrey Pellicano R.N., M.S. Chronic stress is the response to emotional pressure suffered for a prolonged period over which an individual perceives he or she has no control. Keyword here, perceive. You may not have had any control over the death of your spouse, how ever, you can regain control of your own health. And you must! You may or may not have children that depend on you but you do have a life beyond the grief. Chronic psychological stress is associated with a greater risk of depression, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and upper respiratory infections. It is the chronic state of stress we are in, a constant state, which is known as “fight or flight”. Our body’s natural defense is inflammation, which, with chronic stress, is prolonged heightening the risk for disease. Grief initiates the natural “fight or flight” response and sends the body into overdrive. Overdrive is helpful when there is an emergency or may have been helpful when woolly mammoths chased us. Instead of fleeing an emergency, our bodies are in a constant state of fighting without a direction, outlet or purpose. During the grief period, we are frequently overwhelmed and lost. When we grieve, a flood of stress hormones is released. In recent publication’s the term ”broken heart syndrome” has been used to describe, what is medically known as, stress cardiomyopathy. The...
Words: 682 - Pages: 3
...Healthy grief Healthy Grief Elizabeth Garcia Grand Canyon University: Spirituality and Christian Values in Health Care and Wellness Dr. Sunshine Weeks May 4, 2012, 2012 Grief is a natural reaction to a loss that most humans experience at some point. Grief does not necessarily occur after the death of a loved one, but it can also occur after a diagnosis of an illness, a breakdown of a relationship, infertility, addiction, financial difficulties or job loss. These are examples of great magnitude stressors, and as a result, lead to an emotional response to trauma, and therefore, to live a duel. Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, who worked with terminally ill patients, providing comfort and support, developed a model known as "The five stages of grief." These stages are a very helpful tool to understand the stages that family members or either ourselves can go through when we live a duel, a perfect example that we can understand these stages is the story of the suffering of Job in the bible. In everyday life, people are experiencing losses like the loss of some friends who are going for personal reasons or death, loss of skills or habits, change of school, home, single life is lost, a divorce or separation, losses more severe than others. For each loss, the person experiences a process of suffering until the person reaches the acceptance that the lost thing or person are no longer with them. This process is called "duel" and as a process, it has...
Words: 710 - Pages: 3
...Healthy Grief: Kubler-Ross Grieving Process and Stages of Grief Alice Verrett Grand Canyon University: HLT 310v June 16, 2013 Kubler-Ross Grieving Process and Stages of Grief We are examining the grief process and the stages of grief by evaluating and distinguishing differences, or similarities of Kubler-Ross, Job of the Bible, and Hinduism. We also looked at a connection and interplay linking joy, the grief process, and its stages we will also look at personal means of dealing with the grief process and whether or not it merits change. Kubler-Ross acknowledges; {People in some aspect of time in life will grieve over the loss of someone or something of importance in their lifetime.} We cannot forget about them. People will deny the grief process to avert pain but it will be much healthier for us to accept the loss as we journey through the grief process. Kubler-Ross says; “The grief process follows a normal sequence of deny, rage, trying to negotiate, a depressed state, and finally acquiescence”. (Kübler-Ross, 1969). Kubler-Ross five stages of grief: 1) Denial, 2) Anger, 3) Bargaining 4) Depression, 5) Acceptance.. A model proposed by Stroebe and Schut is also in place and utilized. The grief model used today is a two track process model. The first track looks at loss (separation distress), while the second track looks at re-establishment of means (the progression of opportunities in which to maintain living on one’s own). (Stroebe and...
Words: 1243 - Pages: 5
...kinds of difficult and unexpected emotions, from shock or anger to disbelief, guilt, and profound sadness. The pain of grief can also disrupt your physical health, making it difficult to sleep, eat, or even think straight. These are normal reactions to significant loss. But while there is no right or wrong way to grieve, there are healthy ways to cope with the pain that, in time, can ease your sadness and help you come to terms with your loss, find new meaning, and move on with your life. What you can do Acknowledge your pain Accept that grief can trigger many different and unexpected...
Words: 1356 - Pages: 6
...Stags of Grief Grand Canyon University HLT-310V Spirituality in Health Care Xochitl Harris July 17, 2016 Stages of Grief In our lifetime at one point or another we will experience grief. We may grief a loss of a loved one, a pet, a relationship, a friendship. Grieving after a loss can come at anytime after the loss happened. Some times grieving may take some time to sink in. It may start six months after. Everyone grieves differently and at different times. A person has his or her own way of grieving and dealing with loss. Its important to understand the process of grieving. It will help understand what one is going through emotionally so that one can help someone going through this process. The five stages of grief are identified in this paper by analyzing the book “Lament for a Son” and how the author found joy after his loss (Wolterstorff, 1987). The author of this paper will also identify and explore the meaning and significance of death in the light of the Christian narrative, and how the hope of resurrection plays a role in comforting the author. Five Stages of Grief Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, the five stages of grief that one goes through after a loss significant to them are identified by Dr. Kubler-Ross. Every individual grief’s in his or her own way. There is no particular other to follow in the stages. One will experience one or the other, or may start all over again and repeat a stage. To grief is to come to terms with...
Words: 1487 - Pages: 6
...“Grief does not change you, Hazel. It reveals you.” John Green, The Fault in Our Stars Grief isn’t something that people prepare for. Like death, grief happen all of a sudden. Grief is the natural response to lose. It can be a strong emotion the can be overwhelming.(Mayoclinic.org)It could be when somebody first finds out a loved one had died, it could be when a person it doing something that reminds them of a lost one. There are different levels of grief as well. One can completely be sad only on the inside but on the outside normal or they can completely show their sadness. It shows one passion for the lost one. For example, a lady has coffee with a friend at a common place for many year she’ll associate that place with the person. If that person were to die that coffee place would be a reminder of that person. The lady could cry from just seeing the coffee shop, or she could be happy for seeing that coffee shop. The cry or happiness reveals her relationship with the person who passed. She could be crying because she regret saying something to the person or not saying something. She could be remembering the good times she had with that person as well, it could remind her of the person. Hamlet is the same way. Hamlet is dealing with grief his own way. Shakespeare is showing Hamlet as a person who isn’t getting along with anybody. Everybody has their own way of dealing with grief. Everybody in the play tells Hamlet to move on and stop grieving, but in reality everybody in...
Words: 3292 - Pages: 14
...Coping With Grief at Different Ages Gadear S. Alatki PSYC 2314: Lifespan Psychology MW 1-3 Fall 2010 There are many unexplained mysteries when it comes to humans. Acting and thinking in ways that make no sense is also a known fact, and when in the topic of psychology, proof can be given from every stage of the developing person up to the point of death. When a person dies, those who had loved the deceased usually experience grief and mourning, though the impact of death has different effects for different people. Rosario states that “grief transforms” in which is referring to the many shapes it comes in (2004). Grief can be experienced physically, emotionally, socially, or mentally depending on the individual. Sleeplessness, appetite changes, physical problems, or possible illness are examples of physical reactions. Emotional reactions can include anger, guilt, anxiety, sadness, and utter despair. Those impacted socially experience feelings of responsibility for other family members, having to communicate with family or friends, feelings of being isolated, or going back to work. These are few of the many forms it takes for all of us, but it is not until researching the subject that I found what really affects grieving. I chose this topic in order to find this solution due to a particular event in my life. That day was the death of my beloved uncle. It happened one evening in the summer of 2009. An urgent call came through from one of our relatives from overseas. The...
Words: 1365 - Pages: 6
...Have you ever had a headache before? If so then you’re probably familiar with the pounding pain that wouldn’t go away. As I write this, the pounding sensation on the right side of my brain is undeniable. It has been there for almost two years and has remained twenty- four hours a day, seven days a week. Chronic migraines have an impact on every aspect of life. So you are probably wondering how this neurological disorder came about? Well I still don’t have an answer as to how it happened myself. It all occurred one evening in November on my way home from work. My vision rapidly began to blur until things were no longer visible in my right eye. Accompanying the vision was a sharp stabbing pain in my eye, which ran across the section of my right brain. I called my parents and was rushed to the emergency room. When I arrived they rushed me down to testing where they ran a CT which later returned normal. After testing returned normal they went through a medical history, gave me a shot of dilaudid, and sent me on my way home. I was hoping that would be the last time I would experience that pain and the last trip to the emergency room. Unfortunately, the pain continued for a week or two, along with the blurred vision. I decided to see my doctor, who sent me to an ophthalmologist, who then sent me to a neurologist. My pain continued to increase and I remained in a dark room, in bed a lot of the time. The ophthalmologist ran tests on my eyes and found decreased vision in my right...
Words: 2290 - Pages: 10
...living. Frequently, the patient is ready for this before their family/friends. At this point, care for the terminally ill should focus not on a cure but on comfort and as much freedom from pain and other symptoms as possible. Death with dignity and as little pain as possible becomes our goal. This isn’t always an easy process for a medical professional. We have been taught to never give up, retain hope at all costs, to do something to “fix the problem”. We need to remember that first and foremost we are an advocate for our patient and their wishes, despite our own beliefs and value system. Assisting a patient and their support system through the realization that death is imminent is and can be very rewarding. Understanding the 5 stages of grief-denial/anger/bargaining/depression/acceptance-and realizing not only do the patients experience these stages but also their supporters do too. Progression through the stages isn’t linear and they could experience 2 stages at a time and may even revert back to a stage multiple times. (Such as anger) As a medical professional, it is our duty to remain supportive and an advocate for our patient-especially when what the patient has expressed as their final wishes are not being honored. (Having a trachea and feeding tube placed despite a living will that expressly states not to have done if quality of life will be poor) We must be able to put aside our own beliefs and prejudices to ensure our patient’s wishes are met. Strategy #1: Increase use...
Words: 1111 - Pages: 5
...The death of a loved one can be heartbreaking. Though everyone experiences and reacts to loss in their own unique way, when feelings of grief persist or intensify over an extended period of time, they can have a profound effect on the individual’s physical and mental well-bing. Below, the behavioral health professionals at Savoy Medical Center in Mamou, LA discuss the point at which mourning evolves into mental illness. When Mourning Becomes a Mental Illness The process of mourning has no set timeline: some people grieve for weeks, whereas others may mourn a loss for several months. The extent and length of grief will generally depend on the individual, their relationship to the deceased, the circumstances surrounding the death, and a variety...
Words: 304 - Pages: 2
...answer my preliminary question “How to deal with loss and grief in the workplace?” There are several articles and stories that have been addressed in this paper that deals with loss and grief in the workplace. This literature review explores what grief is, its processes, the different impacts loss and grief have on the workplace, and the various ways to cope up with the grieving process – from the bereaved, co-workers, and employer’s perspective. Introduction People can experience personal and professional losses from many different sources. Losses can result from a death or any significant life-changing event such as job loss, relationship loss, loss of home, the diagnosis of a life-threatening disease and other more private losses like experiencing a miscarriage (Dr. Kristi Dyer, 2009). Understandably, grief, the response to these losses, can and most often does follow employees and employers alike into the workplace, affecting people's work performance on several different levels (Dr. Kristi Dyer, 2009). What is Grief and it’s Process? Grief is a natural painful response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering an individual feels when something or someone he loves is taken away. Like all other emotions it can be unpredictable and usually incorporates sadness, fear, and guilt after any particular loss. If someone associates grief with the death of a loved one, this type of loss often causes the most intense grief that incorporates unbearable pain to the bereaved individual...
Words: 3158 - Pages: 13
...Supporting the Older Adult to Cope with Grief and Loss Grief and loss are inevitable experiences that affect the older adult. Grief is defined as “the emotional response to a loss or death” (Yancey & Hunter, 2014, p. 449). As adults age their friends gradually die, they may outlive older generations of their family, health may deteriorate, and abilities and independence may diminish. The loss of loved ones, health, and independence, among many other losses, can give rise to grief in the older adult. Grief is a natural response to loss. While some can adjust to the conditions of loss in others it can intensify to the point where the individual is unable to cope with the loss (Gibson, 2012). The inability to cope with grief can yield undesirable effects such as: depression, anxiety, insomnia, increased use of alcohol or drugs, and decreased social interaction (Potocky, 1993). This is why it is necessary for the nurse to facilitate the grieving process. Jean Watson’s theory contains relevant concepts that nurses can incorporate into their care of the older adult experiencing grief. Nurses can fulfill their role in facilitating the grief process through the application of therapeutic communication techniques in the appraisal of grief, by preventing isolation through social support, and promoting hope as a coping strategy. The use of therapeutic communication techniques will aid the nurse in making a valid appraisal of the patient’s grief. This involves assessing the value of the...
Words: 1566 - Pages: 7
...Dying and Loses in Children Debra Mayers HNG 577: Dr. Sprung 10/28/2012 Death and Dying and Losses in Children * The death of a parent is one of the most difficult events a child might face. * It prematurely exposes the child to the unpredictability of life and the tenuous nature of daily existence. * Children loosing something or someone can significantly change his or her lives. * Helping children understand the dying process will enable one to understand the grieving process. * If children cannot understand the grieving process, it can alter their lives and create unhealthy habits into adulthood. (Bushardt, Reamer & Taylor, 2011). Loss and Grief * Grief is a natural reaction to loss and is ongoing for children developmental process. * Children reacts to grief is different and may be influenced by many factors. * Children s’ perceptions of death reflects on their understanding and maturity. * Children’s maturity depends on their age, cognitive ability, and their existing experiences with life. * Children responding to death are strongly influenced by socialization and their understanding and the maturity level of that individual child. (Heath, Leavy, Hansen, Ryan, Lawrence, & Sonntag, 2008). Issues Facing Families * Teachers and family care providers, family members and counselors can create an environment that supports the children emotional needs. * When educators create that environment with empathy...
Words: 1343 - Pages: 6
...Parental Grief Also, sometimes a parent's love makes them unable to let go. I've seen so many parents put their needs above their infant's because they just can't bear to suffer the grief of losing a child. It's heartbreaking when you can see parents in total denial and you know that the end will come one way or another but they just can't accept it. I don't know if that's the case here or not, but it's certainly a possibility. Parental Grief The theme of parental mourning has been a universal one throughout the centuries. In the literature on bereavement, writers repeat certain themes, thoughts, and reflections; they talk of the powerful and often conflicting emotions involved in "the pain of grief and the spiral of mourning; [they refer to] the heartbreak at the heart of things...grief's contradictions"; they speak of parents devastated by grief (Moffat 1992, xxiii). It is frequently said that the grief of bereaved parents is the most intense grief known. When a child dies, parents feel that a part of them has died, that a vital and core part of them has been ripped away. Bereaved parents indeed do feel that the death of their child is "the ultimate deprivation" (Arnold and Gemma 1994, 40). The grief caused by their child's death is not only painful but profoundly disorienting-children are not supposed to die. These parents are forced to confront an extremely painful and stressful paradox; they are faced with a situation in which they must deal both with the grief caused...
Words: 14595 - Pages: 59
...person involved in the loss knows what is significant to them. People commonly associate certain losses with strong feelings of grief. The solitude is always agonizing, especially for someone who has never lived alone. Many people lose their spouses each year. Because the modern society has few mourning rituals other than the memorial service, they may find themselves alone and disconsolate just when they are most in need of comfort. Different Kinds of Loss Loss of one’s partner can be due to various reasons including: • Death of a partner/Bereavement • Serious or dilapidating illness of a loved one If you—or your loved one—has become sick or injured, expect a number of physical, emotional and financial changes in your life. Coping with these changes can be very difficbrt, even overwhelming at times, but the following strategies may help: • Relationship breakup/Separation Relationship breakup. This involves losing a partner from a problematic relationship. Although it might seem easier to lose a partner when the relationship has been difficult or unsatisfying, the feelings of dissatisfaction can make the survivor vulnerable to guilt and second thoughts. When he/she remembers the best times of the relationship, self-blame can convince the individual that if he/she had done things differently, they could have had good times. The grief then can be colored easily by regret and guilt. If the survivor's friends and family are aware of the difficulties in the relationship...
Words: 5284 - Pages: 22
