Viewing Sharing Grief - Making a Person Feel BetterSharing Grief - Making a Person Feel Better
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Most often, grief is considered an emotional response to loss, though it also has physical, cognitive, behavioral, philosophical, and social dimensions. Losses can range from loss of employment to the loss of the people nearest to us. By Joanne G. Melear, RN, BSN Grief is a complicated reaction to any kind of loss that the aggrieved person himself, or anyone from his family and friends, suffer. Life is full of ups and downs, and we do face situations that plunge us to the depth of sorrow. Most often, grief is considered an emotional response to loss, though it also has physical, cognitive, behavioral, philosophical, and social dimensions. Losses can range from loss of employment, status, a sense of safety, order or possessions, to the loss of the people nearest to us. The most common cause of human grief is the death of loved ones, be they friend, family, or others. Bereavement often refers to the state of loss, and grief is the reaction to loss. The ways of responding to a loss varies from person to person. Death - The Most Common Cause of Grief Death is the truth of life that nobody can deny. Like every living organism, human life comes to its end when the physical life, or the functioning of the organism, ceases. However, acceptance of this truth is often quite impossible for a human being. Deaths in the family or of near ones often make others bereave. The emotional response to death is often too intense. The persons who are likely to be affected most following a death are always in a difficult stage of death acceptance and are unable to tolerate the loss. For example, the death of one's spouse or one's boyfriend/girlfriend is quite a difficult situation to cope up with, due to involvement of long-term emotional relationships. Similarly, children are more susceptible to the death of their parent or parents, due to emotional attachment, insecurity in their lives, or in some cases, livelihood too. They are more vulnerable to emotional breakdowns. Widows - The Ultimate State of Grief in a Woman's Life A widow is a woman whose husband has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death has been an important social issue, particularly in the past. In families where the husband was the sole provider, his death could plunge the widow and the family into a stark situation. The situations of widows are often further aggravated - requiring them to remain unmarried in order to receive inheritance and/or social security. In some cultures, widows are treated in such a manner that they live a life of bereavement throughout the rest of their lives. For instance, in countries like India, there is often, in certain cultures, an elaborate ceremony during the funeral of a husband and his widow wears white clothes for the rest of her life. However, this has gradually given way to a certain amount of freedom, allowing widows to come out of their state of grief. The time when she feels ready to do so should be respected. Some take longer than others to do so. Statistically, it takes around seven years, as an average. To Help a Person Overcome Grief To console a person at the time of grief is not an easy job. You must know what to say and what not to say in those situations. You should know what level of emotional sharing the person had with the deceased. Most bereaved people think about the past events spent with the deceased or the life in the future without the deceased. It is kind not only to permit them to talk about their concerns, but also to encourage them to do so. Tears are cathartic and talking, especially for women, can be very healing. Assure the bereaved that it is safe, quite acceptable, and even healthy to cry, talk, and express emotions of pain, fear, disappointment, anger, etc. When you understand these facts, you will be far more effective in consoling the bereaved person. Both of you will feel better and healthier. About the Author: Joanne G. Melear, RN, BSN is The Total Wellness Nurse. You can subscribe to her FREE newsletter at www.totalwellnesstips.com or learn about her eBook at HowWELLIsYourThinking.com. Article Source: Eulogy Site - http://EulogySite.com More free articles: 1st Rate Articles - 1stRateArticles.com |
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