The Process of Bereavement

The process of bereavement may include certain feelings and emotions. They are the following:

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Shock. It is a method of self-protection when the brain tries to avoid thinking about the loss.

Lack of faith. The person may think that the loss is a terrible mistake.

Ire. The person can be angry about doing or not doing something, be angry with the deceased for dying and with God who allows him or her to die.

Fault. The person may blame themselves or others that this has happened.

Denial when an individual refuses the fact of loss and does not allow the feelings to become apparent.

Profound sadness. Not having a desire to concern with daily things.

Relief that a loved person does not already suffer.

Feeling that this happens not at a real time.

Depression, anxiety, and irritability.

Avoidance of different sorts of entertainments and pleasant activities.

Searching for help and support. A bereaved person does not want to be alone and tries to share the grief and pain of a loss with others.

Indifference when a person does not express any feelings or emotions.

As for physical reactions, a bereaved person may experience permanent tiredness, the loss of appetite, headaches due to insomnia or nightmares, problems with skin and hair because of the stress and many others (Woodford, 2015).

Nobody can define how long the bereavement may last and foresee the intensity of emotions that a person will experience. Some people try not to show their feelings and keep them inside. They have a possibility to adjust to the loss without manifesting the signs of grief. There is no a correct way to grieve as it is impossible to measure the fullness of loss that is felt.

Bereavement is a period of loneliness that people feel when they lose the person that is dear to them. A bereaved person should get used to the fact that there is no possibility to return a loved person. People often associate the feelings of loss that they have with the person's death. The period of bereavement may depend on various factors and circumstances.

The essential ones include:

The persons age at the time of loss

Why the loss has happened

The relationship to the person that died (was it a close relative or not?)

Was the loss unexpected?

Did the person resort to a support during the bereavement?

The period of bereavement may drag out for a long time if people use unacceptable ways to grieve. Among them are:

Alcohol or drug abuse when people think that they will be able to deal with the loss simply taking strong drinks or drugs. They rely on this way but it has only a temperate effect.

Participating in risky activities. People may involve themselves in dangerous situations in order to stop thinking about their loss.

Avoiding meeting with friends. A bereaved person may prefer withdrawing rather than talking to a friend or a relative.

People also may harm or hurt themselves and experience contemplation from this process.

All these ways may lead to serious consequences that may result in psychological disorders and even sudden death.

Although people may manifest their feeling in different ways, they certainly go through a series of phases during the bereavement. For example, Kubler -Ross proposes five stages of bereavement: denial, ire, haggling, depression, and acceptance. She identified them during her work with dying patients. Nevertheless, many writers insist on the four stages model of bereavement. The first stage is acceptance. A bereaved person should accept the fact that a loved person has gone and there is no way to change the circumstances. The second stage is to give way to pain and sadness. People who lost a close relative should allow themselves to grieve and to express emotions in a way that is convenient for them. They should understand that there is no need to hide feelings and it is better to share them with friends or relatives. The third stage is probably the most challenging one because it is important to adjust to the life without a person who died. A bereaved person should return to a normal way of life and learn to manage without a loved one. It is difficult to find ways to lead a habitual way of life, therefore, this stage may last for some years. The fourth stage is being able to manage with the loss using the right ways. Bereavement is a long process, so, the person should find their own way how to cope with the idea of loss (Walsh, 2008).

Bereavement may happen at any moment of humans life. It is an unpredictable event, even if the close person has a serious illness, people always try to avoid the thoughts about his death and when it comes it is a great shock for them. Different feelings overwhelm people and they are unable to cope with them. Therefore, when people face the loss, they should be aware of the ways that may help to manage with bereavement.

Coping with the death of a loved one is vital for humans physical and mental health. Undoubtedly, this process takes efforts and may drag out for years but there are effective ways how to help people who grieve. First of all, a bereaved person should try not to hide their feeling. It is important to talk to others and to tell about the difficulties a person face during bereavement. Another excellent way is to find kind and caring people who will understand this pain and will share this loss. Moreover, a bereaved person should sleep enough and take care of their health to gather strength to overcome the pain of loss. It is also important to accept the fact that the life continues and it is necessary to live in the present and not to stand in the past. Finally, when the person is not able to bear the bereavement, it is important to search for outside help. A support group will find a qualified assistant that will certainly find a suitable way for any person in order to help to relieve sufferings.

To sum up, bereavement is a stressful period of life. It is a state when people experience overwhelming emotions and sometimes even do not have the strength to cope with them. The most significant fact is that a bereaved person should be ready for dealing with the loss and coping with feelings that fill the soul. This paper observes the most common physical and emotional responses to the loss that take place during bereavement.

Psychologists state that there are factors that influence the duration of bereavement. The most important ones are the age of a bereaved person, the reason of bereavement, ties of relationship and many others. Bereavement has also a series of phases or stages: acceptance, the possibility to give way to pain and sadness, adjusting to new life without a loved one and coping with bereavement.

As bereavement is extremely stressful, the person should find ways to manage with it. Among the most suitable ones is to share the sorrow with a caring friend, relative or simply with those who experienced the same loss in life. It is also useful not to avoid pleasant activities and positive emotions. A bereaved person should also understand how to live without a person who died and try to accept the fact of death and live in reality as soon as possible. What is more, it is necessary to avoid alcohol or drug abuse, participation in risky activities and withdrawing. Bereavement is a tiresome job but everyone should remember that the life is for the living.

References

Bereavement. 2016. In Merriam-Webster.com.Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bereavementWalsh, H. (2008). Caring for bereaved people 1: Models of bereavement. Nursing Times. Retrieved from http://www.nursingtimes.net/clinical-subjects/end-of-life-and-palliative-care/caring-for-bereaved-people-1-models-of-bereavement/820191.fullarticle

Woodford, J. (2015). Understanding Bereavement | Counseling Services | Kansas State University. K-state.edu. Retrieved from https://www.k-state.edu/counseling/topics/life/grief.html