Complicated grief is a situation whereby an individual is in a progressive state of mourning as a result of losing their loved ones. The affected individuals find it difficult to heal and move on from the impacts of losing the people who were very close to them before meeting their death (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2017). Some of the major signs and symptoms of complicated grief include intense and prolonged sorrow, feeling pained and heartbroken due to the event, and heightened contemplation over the loss of their loved ones (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2017). However, it is appropriate to state that different individuals grieve differently, and different factors may be considered to determine whether they are undergoing complicated grief.
Complicated grief brings about various outcomes to individuals, which may negatively affect their normal way of living or lifestyle. Individuals experiencing complicated grief may also portray signs of isolating or withdrawing themselves away from the social setting, which negatively affects their social lives. Individuals who may have salvaged the situations which led to the death of the deceased make up a significant number of individuals who undergo complicated grief. This leads them into extensive depression and guilt and they may opt for decisions such as committing suicide to run away from the reality of losing their loved ones. This is because they believe that they could have done something significant that could have saved the deceased life.
One of the major factors that greatly determine whether an individual may undergo complicated grief or normal grief includes cultural orientation, where individuals from a given culture have different beliefs concerning death. For example, believing in the existence of life after death. Individuals who believe in the eternity of life may undergo normal grief because they are motivated that they will meet their loved ones again. The circumstances that contributed to the loss of life may also determine if an individual will undergo complicated or normal grief. For instance, if an individual passes on due to old age of approximately 100 years of age, the relatives of the deceased may consider celebrating his life rather than grieving. Deaths caused by circumstances that could have been avoided may bring about complicated grief to individuals with poor capacities to cope with the loss of a loved one.
Various risk factors that are associated with complicated grief may have a negative impact on the affected individuals. Females and individuals with old age are the ones who are majorly affected by the risk factors linked to complicated grief. An individual may develop post-traumatic disorder due to the prolonged mourning period and difficulty in moving on (Barak & Leichtentritt, 2017). This may also have prolonged negative impacts, such as anxiety and too many flashbacks about the situation. The death of a loved one is a major cause of post-traumatic disorder in females compared to men.
There are different procedures that are effective in diagnosing and ensuring an appropriate intervention plan for complicated grieving. One of the best ways of dealing with complicated grief is by first accepting the loss of your loved one and the reality that death is inevitable to human beings (Nakajima, 2018). Grief therapy for the affected individuals also plays a significant role in resolving the problem of complicated grief (Barak & Leichtentritt, 2017). Individuals who have lost their loved ones for various reasons should also give themselves chances to experience the pain that comes with the loss.
References
Barak, A., & Leichtentritt, R. D. (2017). Creative writing after traumatic loss: towards a generative writing approach. British Journal of Social Work, 47(3), 936-954. Web.
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2017). Complicated grief – Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. Web.
Nakajima, S. (2018). Complicated grief: Recent developments in diagnostic criteria and treatment. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 373(1754), 20170273. Web.