Running head: RECOGNIZING RESPONSES TO GREIF

Recognizing and Interpreting Responses to Greif Title Page

Following The American Psychological Association Guidelines
Danielle DeLuca
Salt Lake Community College
http://danielledelucaeportfolio.weebly.com/

TITLE PAGE

RECOGNIZING RESPONSES TO GREIF.

ABSTRACT

Complicated grief is a longer and more complex form of grief. The signs and symptoms can be
similar to depression and grief. The difference is the duration and genetics. There can be
predisposing factors to complicated grief. Some evidence shows that grief counseling can help
with complicated grief. This research paper compares the signs and symptoms and gives
suggestions on what one could do if faced with complicated grief. Research lists several
symptoms and signs that a person can recognize that may mean that they are having a more
intense response to a death. The research paper outlines various symptoms associated with
complicated grief.

RECOGNIZING RESPONSES TO GREIF.

Recognizing and Interpreting Emotional Responses of Greif
Main Body
When someones loved one passes away he or she may be thinking, am I supposed to
feel angry, or indifferent? Greif takes many forms and has a way of sometimes masking itself as
another emotion or another type of feeling. Many authors and researchers have tried to help
identify what the specific normal emotions people who are grieving experience. Dr. Elisabeth
Kubler- Ross was the pioneer of the 5 stages of dying. Ross came up with theory of The 5 Stages
of Greif: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Many have criticized Dr. Ross
because some of these emotions dont ever happen to certain individuals or grief doesnt have in
a specific order. Before Ross died she made a statement regarding her research, the 5 stages were
a basis for understanding grief. The 5 stages do not follow the exact pattern or timeline she had
them listed in. She put the data together but she never meant for her research to mislead people,
grief is extremely complicated and very different with each individual. There is no specific order
and many factors play into ones grief (Smith & Segal, 2016).
Greif is defined as a natural emotional response one suffers when someone or something
is taken away. Greif can be felt after a divorce or loss of relationship, a loss of a job, a trauma
and a death of a loved one. According to Jeanne Segal Ph.D. and Melinda Smith M.A. who are
the authors of (The Grieving Process and Learning to Heal), they discuss that there are many
myths about grief. One myth is that if you ignore it will go away faster, the Authors advise
against this and state for real healing one must face the feelings to start healing. Another myth
worth noting is if you dont cry it doesnt mean you are sorry, while crying is a normal response
to sadness it is not the only one (Smith &Segal 2016). Segal and Smiths article had a paragraph
referring to Rosss 5 stages of grief stating, If you are experiencing any of these emotions
following a loss, it may help to know that your reaction is natural and that youll heal in time.

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However, not everyone who grieves goes through all of these stagesand thats okay. Contrary
to popular belief, you do not have to go through each stage in order to heal. In fact, some
people resolve their grief without going through any of these stages (Smith & Segal, 2016).
Many disagree with the phrase that everyone will heal with time. In fact many people that have
suffered a loss and have grieved say that they will always have a whole in their heart. The
intense feeling of grief may lesson with time, but it never completely heals.
Greif is a natural response to loss however complicated grief on the other hand is a much
stronger and more complex emotional response. It is also known as persistent bereavement
disorder according to Tim Jewells article, Complicated Greif vs Depression, he stated that
complicated grief is now thought to be related to an adjustment disorder. Some symptoms of
complicated grief are long-term feelings of grief, feelings of worthlessness and thoughts of
suicide. This is why complicated grief needs to be taken extremely serious. The symptoms
usually seem a lot like the natural response to grief but have gone on for a significant amount of
time. The person could also have lost the ability to function if they are suffering with
complicated grief. Complicated grief can sometimes be confused with depression. Symptoms
include a powerful pain when you think of your lost loved one, heightened focus on reminders of
your lost loved one, an overall feeling of numbness, a feeling of bitterness when you think about
your loss, loss of purpose or motivation and loss of trust in friends, family, and acquaintances. If
someone is unable to cope for a long period of time they may be at risk for complicated grief
disorder (2015, December 03).
According to Phycguide.com the Mayo clinic lists grief symptoms such as: increased
irritability, numbness, bitterness, detachment, preoccupation with loss or an inability to express
joy (2016). These symptoms all be indicators that someone is at risk of experiencing complicated

RECOGNIZING RESPONSES TO GREIF.

grief and should seek help immediately. All of these articles seem to list very similar emotions
but what differs from the normal grief response is the length of time. Suffers from complicated
grief usually have been suffering for 6 months or longer. Doctors are hesitant to give medicine
for complicated grief but are now finding that medicine can help in extreme cases. If someone
has been diagnosed previously with depression and then loses a loved one they can be more
likely to suffer with complicated grief.
Natural grief is defined by, Smith and Segal as
Shock and disbelief Right after a loss, it can be hard to accept what happened. You may
feel numb, have trouble believing that the loss really happened, or even deny the truth. If
someone you love has died, you may keep expecting him or her to show up, even though
you know he or she is gone.
Sadness Profound sadness is probably the most universally experienced symptom of
grief. You may have feelings of emptiness, despair, yearning, or deep loneliness. You may
also cry a lot or feel emotionally unstable.
Guilt You may regret or feel guilty about things you did or didnt say or do. You may
also feel guilty about certain feelings (e.g. feeling relieved when the person died after a
long, difficult illness). After a death, you may even feel guilty for not doing something to
prevent the death, even if there was nothing more you could have done.
Anger Even if the loss was nobodys fault, you may feel angry and resentful. If you lost
a loved one, you may be angry with yourself, God, the doctors, or even the person who
died for abandoning you. You may feel the need to blame someone for the injustice that
was done to you.

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Fear A significant loss can trigger a host of worries and fears. You may feel anxious,
helpless, or insecure. You may even have panic attacks. The death of a loved one can
trigger fears about your own mortality, of facing life without that person, or the
responsibilities you now face alone.
Physical symptoms We often think of grief as a strictly emotional process, but grief
often involves physical problems, including fatigue, nausea, lowered immunity, weight
loss or weight gain, aches and pains, and insomnia. (Smith & Segal, 2016)
Physchguides.com has an article called dual diagnosis that warns that when a person is
struggling with an addiction and grief at the same time it is essential to seek help as soon as
possible. Substance abuse and grief are a recipe fro complicated grief. Greif and substance abuse
such as opioids or alcohol tend to be used in some people who are grieving, Substances can be a
temporary fix with deadly consequences. According to Dr. Ralph Klicker (2007, p. 44) if
complicated grief is left untreated the symptoms can turn into drug or alcohol abuse and even
heart disease. Klicker also states (2007, p. 43) that nearly one million people who have survived
a loss of a loved one will develop complicated grief each year.
According to Physchguides.com (2016), Help for grief-related problems are easier to
find than you might think (Grief symptoms,2016).
Whether the individual seeks an individual therapy program or a family-centered course
of treatment, one can simply do a search and a variety of groups come up on the search engine.
Online blogs, social support groups, grief therapy counselors who offer appointments, can be
found online. Facebook groups are even offered as grief support groups. If someone would
prefer to get help with out using the internet, many grief counselors and support groups offer 24
hour hotlines and phone numbers to book appointments. The significance of substance abuse and

RECOGNIZING RESPONSES TO GREIF.

complicated grief is important considering the risk factors for accidental overdose rates going up
and addiction becoming increasingly more of an issue among complicated grief suffers.
Experts however have started to research the most effective grief therapy. In Klickers book
(2007, p.46) he mentions the new research that the University of Pittsburgh has done on grief.
The study suggests that over half of patients got better with grief counseling that consisted of
retelling stories of their loved one. They were urged to retell the story of their loved ones death
and record audiotapes of them telling the stories. The study also noted that only 28 percent got
better doing just psychotherapy (Klicker, 2007). These findings are interesting considering
another research project contradicts the benefits of grief counseling for complicated grief suffers.
According to a journal Arkowitz & Lilienfeld published in their article Myths and Grief
(2011)(as citied in Arkowitz & Lilienfeld, The best medicine, 2007)

Yet grief work may be unnecessary for the large proportion of people
who do not become significantly distraught after a loss. And when researchers
have tested the common grief-work techniques of writing or talking about the
death, some have found small benefits for the procedures, but most have not. In
addition, the jury is still out on grief counseling, in which professionals or peers
try to facilitate the working-through process. Results from two quantitative
reviews of the efficacy of such therapy found no significant gains from it, and a
third found just a modest positive effect. One caveat: the benefits might be
slightly greater than these studies indicate because most of the subjects were

RECOGNIZING RESPONSES TO GREIF.

recruited by the researchers, and these individuals may be less in need of

counseling than those who seek help.
Finally, two teams of researchers followed bereaved persons, including
spouses, adult children and parents, for up to five years after their loss and
found little or no evidence of a delayed grief reaction. When such reactions
have been found, they occur only in a very small percentage of the bereaved.
Thus, the overall risk of re-experiencing a flood of negative emotions appears
to be quite minimal.
Given that most people who have experienced the death of a loved one
show few signs of distress or depression, many bereaved individuals may need
no particular advice or help. The few who experience intense and lasting
despair may benefit from interventions, although traditional grief counseling
may not be the best choice. Instead people might consider seeking empirically
supported psychotherapies for depression [see The Best Medicine? by Hal
Arkowitz and Scott O. Lilienfeld; Scientific American Mind,
October/November 2007].
That said, our conclusions are based largely on studies of Caucasian
American widows and widowers. We cannot say for sure that they extend to
people of all ages, ethnicities and genders. In addition, reactions to a loss may
depend on a persons relationship to the deceasedbe it a parent, sibling or

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childas well as whether the death was sudden, violent or drawn out. The
consequences of these varying perspectives and circumstances have yet to be
carefully explored.
Nevertheless, we can confidently say that just as people live their lives in vastly
different ways, they cope with the death of others in disparate ways, too. Despite what
some pop-psychology gurus tell us, grief is not a one-size-fits-all experience (2011).

Conclusion
These two research articles differ immensely and suggest that experts still do not have
definitive answers of what is the best type of therapy for people suffering from complicated grief
disorder. Psychotherapy and grief counseling both have been helpful to many people who suffer
from this debilitating disorder. This condition needs to be taken serious and a medical
professional should be consulted. The common denominator that experts do agree on are the
signs and symptoms of complicated grief. If these symptoms or any of the many others including
substance abuse or thoughts of suicide are affecting someone that one knows the first step to
healing is, assessing how long have the symptoms been affecting the person. Once it can be
established that a significant amount of time has passed and the symptoms are still present, step
two would be to start looking for grief counselors and to seek a medical professional. The
Internet can be helpful and social media can be helpful for support groups. Finally always refer
to a physician about the signs and symptoms of complicated grief. The grief process is extremely
different for everyone and the healing process is different but help is out there and a Doctor,
funeral director or a trusted friend would be a good start in the right direction for a person who
needs some help finding a grief counselor or psychotherapist. The loss of a loved one or even a

RECOGNIZING RESPONSES TO GREIF.

divorce can be absolutely life shattering there is no shame in asking for help for ones self or
giving help to a friend in need.

RECOGNIZING RESPONSES TO GREIF.

References
Arkowitz, H., & Lilienfeld, S. O. (2011). Two Big Myths about Grief. Retrieved November 14,
2016, from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/grief-without-tears/
Grief Symptoms, Causes and Effects. (2016). Retrieved November 14, 2016, from
http://www.psychguides.com/guides/grief-symptoms-causes-and-effects/
Jewell, T. (2015, December 03). Depression vs. Complicated Grief (T. J. Legg Ph.D, Ed.).
Retrieved November 02, 2016, from
http://www.healthline.com/health/depression/complicated-grief
Klicker, R. L. (2007). Funeral service psychology and counseling. Buffalo, NY: Thanos Institute.
Smith, M., Ma, & Segal, J., Ph.D. (2016, October). Coping with Grief and Loss. Retrieved
November 01, 2016, from http://www.helpguide.org/articles/grief-loss/coping-withgrief-and-loss.htm
Worden, J. W. (1982). Grief counseling and grief therapy: A handbook for the mental health
practitioner. New York: Springer.
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