TAG | Science shows some people can't get over loss of loved ones |
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| by William Atkins | |
| Tuesday, 01 July 2008 | |
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Page 1 of 3 Most people mourn the death of loved ones for a certain period and then eventually resume their normal daily activities and lives. Despite the emotional difficulty involved, the vast majority of people bereaves the loss with feelings of sorrow, pain, or numbness. However, eventually such feelings fade away and they accept the loss and return to their normal life. This is psychologically called “uncomplicated grief.” However, a small percentage of people are unable to handle the death of people they are very close to and are unable to return to their normal lives. Psychologists call such a situation “complicated grief.” Complicated grief, sometimes also called unresolved grief, often involves depression and anxiousness, substance abuse (such as alcohol and/or drug), and post-traumatic stress disorder. It is usually a disorder that is not resolved in a reasonable amount of time. The disorder may involve the absence of any outgoing signs of grief and mourning or may express itself as an inability to alleviate or end the grieving process. Complicated grief is often experienced after the sudden death of a loved one, especially if the relationship was a very close one. Scientists already knew that certain parts of the brain—those involving the pain sensing regions—are increased in electrical activity when people grieve the loss of a close friend or family member. They are able to measure scientifically these pain-sensing areas of the brain to see their heighterned electrical activity when people grieve. However, studies have yet to be performed on people when their grief is uncontrollable and they are unable to get over the loss of loved ones—that is, in the psychological condition called “complicated grief.” How did the O'Connor team conduct their study? Please read on. |
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