What is NORMAL BEREAVEMENT?
Death is the most powerful stressor in everyday life, and the effects may be intense and long lasting. We use three terms to talk about the loss of a close relationship: • Bereavement is the reaction to the loss of a close relationship. • Grief is the emotional response caused by a loss including pain, distress, and physical and emotional suffering. • Mourning refers to the psychological process through which the bereaved person undoes his or her bonds to the deceased. Why am I feeling so numb right now? Immediately following death, whether or not it has been anticipated, survivors often experience feelings of numbness, shock, and disbelief. They will “go through the motions,” taking care of funeral arrangements, greeting relatives and friends, and tending to financial matters. Shock and numbness, intense feelings of sadness, yearning for the deceased, anxiety for the future, disorganization, and emptiness commonly arise in the weeks after the death. What should I expect in the first c
