Bereavement and Anxiety

doi:10.1007/s11920-012-0270-2

Paper

Bereavement and Anxiety

Published Apr 27, 2012 · M. Shear, Natalia A Skritskaya

Current Psychiatry Reports

80

Citations

3

Influential Citations

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Abstract

Bereavement, one of life’s most difficult experiences, usually triggers acute grief with yearning and longing for the deceased person that is often intense and preoccupying, along with frequent thoughts and memories of the person who died and relatively little interest in anything unrelated to the deceased loved one. Anxiety is a very common feature of grief that is often neglected. Anxiety is a natural response of the attachment system to separation from a loved one, seen in adults as well as children. Confrontation with one’s own death is also a natural trigger of anxiety, though we usually protect ourselves from mortality salience using terror management strategies related to cultural values and self-esteem. In addition, loss of a loved one can trigger the onset of a DSM-IV anxiety disorder that, when present, can derail the mourning process and prolong acute grief. Bereavement-related anxiety disorders need to be recognized and treated.

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Study Snapshot

Bereavement can trigger acute grief and anxiety, which should be recognized and treated to prevent derailment in the mourning process and prolong acute grief.

PopulationOlder adults (50-71 years)

Sample size24

MethodsObservational

OutcomesBody Mass Index projections

ResultsSocial networks mitigate obesity in older groups.

Bereavement and Anxiety

References

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