Does how the person died effect the nature of grieving?
Definitely! If a person dies suddenly from an accident or heart attack, then the shock and denial period are more exaggerated as there has been no time to prepare. On the other hand, the slow lingering death of a loved one gives us plenty of time to repair. But a slow death can lead to guilt and confusion when relief and even pleasure are felt after the person dies. Joy that the loved one’s suffering is over overshadows, for a time, the reality of his or her loss. Both these situations modify the initial stages of grief, but over time the subsequent stages emerge. In the case of someone who dies of Alzheimer’s or another illness involving dementia, where the person slowly fades, the finally reaction to the death may be nondescript. This is because the loss of the person has been grieved in small increments over time as different qualities of that person’s personality disappeared. People who mourn a sudden death can often feel guilt at their cold reaction to the news. They mistake the d
