GRIEF REACTION AND PROLONGED GRIEF DISORDER

Course overview

GRIEF IS A NATURAL AND UNIVERSAL RESPONSE TO THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE. THE GRIEF EXPERIENCE IS NOT A STATE BUT A PROCESS. MOST INDIVIDUALS RECOVER ADEQUATELY WITHIN A YEAR AFTER THE LOSS; HOWEVER, WHEN INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCE AN EXTENSION OF THE STANDARD GRIEVING PROCESS, THEY ARE SAID TO BE EXPERIENCING PROLONGED GRIEF DISORDER, THOUGHT TO RESULT FROM FAILURE TO TRANSITION FROM ACUTE TO INTEGRATED GRIEF. SYMPTOMS OF ACUTE GRIEF INCLUDE TEARFULNESS, SADNESS, AND INSOMNIA—TYPICALLY REQUIRING NO TREATMENT. INTENSE GRIEF MAY TRIGGER OTHER MEDICAL CONCERNS, INCLUDING THE ACUTE ONSET OF MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION, ESPECIALLY IN THOSE WITH HIGHER CARDIOVASCULAR RISK. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION OF PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM A GRIEF REACTION, PROLONGED GRIEF DISORDER, AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN HELPING PATIENTS DEAL WITH THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE.