WHEN GRIEF WON’T RELENT

DESCRIPTION

Jane Brody, of the New York Times, examines the topic of complicated grief.  She contrasts the normal grieving process with “…complicated grief, an extreme, unrelenting reaction to loss that persists for more than six months and can result in a serious risk to health.”  Interviews with those who treat grief and cases are discussed.  How complicated grief differs in the symptom picture and  and etiology are also mentioned.  The last part of the article discusses treatment.  NOTE:  The website of the week from the American Psychiatric Association can be useful in regards to the diagnosis of this problem.

SOURCE:

New York Times,  February 16, 2015, By Jane E. Brody

Original Article:

Complicated Grief, M. Katherine Shear, M.D.
New England Journal Of Medicine (2015), 372, 153-160.

LINK TO RESOURCE

(shortened URL)   http://tinyurl.com/mmz49vc

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

•What is the difference between grief and complicated grief?

•What are the likely triggers for complicated grief?

•Should grieving be considered a disorder at all? Or part of the normal response to a loss?

•What are the suggested treatments for complicated grief?