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The Mystery of Grief: Did you know there are several different reactions to grief?
Grief is the emotional response to the loss of something important, especially death or other close biological connections. This type of grief is often viewed as an emotional manifestation, but it also encompasses physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, cultural, spiritual, and philosophical dimensions. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, loss refers to a state and grief is a reaction to that state. When many people deal with the grief of death, they may be grieving more than just that, but also grieving a job loss, health problem, or the end of a relationship. Forms of loss can be divided into physical and abstract; physical losses may be related to something concrete and measurable, such as the death of a spouse, while abstract losses may be related to personal social interactions.
According to Rubin's two-track model, the grief process is not limited to emotion, but encompasses a multifaceted biopsychosocial adaptive response.
The grieving process
Between 1996 and 2006, there was widespread skepticism about universal and predictable models of "emotional pathways" and from pain to "recovery." This provides a better understanding of the complexity of the grieving process, beyond stages and stage models. The two-track model of grief, proposed by Simon Shimson Rubin in 1981, is dedicated to the study of long-term effects and measures the ability of individuals to adapt to the loss of a significant person. One report suggested that individuals must "manage and live in the reality of the deceased's absence" while regaining normal physiological functions.
Track 1: Biopsychosocial Function
The first track focuses on the biopsychosocial functions of grief, covering aspects such as anxiety, depression, physical reactions, family and interpersonal relationships. Rubin once pointed out that the first track involves the individual's range of functioning on emotional, interpersonal, physical and spiritual health indicators. It is worth noting that the closeness of the intimate relationship will affect the intensity of grief.
Track Two: Relationships with the Deceased
The second track focuses on the ongoing relationship between the mourner and the deceased, focusing on the positive memories and negative emotions experienced together. This model emphasizes how the way reminiscences are triggered affects the way the deceased is remembered in daily life. The ten main attributes include: image/memory, emotional distance, positive effect, negative effect, etc.
According to Williams and Haley's interpretation, the model helps therapists identify areas of life affected by loss and prompts individuals to reflect on the evolution of their relationship with the deceased.
Reaction
Crying is one of the natural signs of sadness, but it can be harmful if forced or excessive. Research shows that "not crying" is also a possible health response and may even show resilience. Some people feel comforted after a loss, while others may face the consequences of grief, which include physical symptoms in addition to emotions. For example, "contact experience" with a deceased person is a psychological reaction reported by people, and about 27% of people have "seen" or "heard" a deceased person.
The Science of Grief
Bonanno’s four sad trajectories
Professor George Bonanno has conducted scientific research on grief and trauma over the past two decades, revealing that natural resilience is an important component of the grief response. He proposes that grief responses can be divided into four trajectories: resilience, recovery, chronic dysfunction, and delayed grief or trauma.
"Five-stage" model
Although the famous Cooper-Ross model proposes five stages of grief, the research behind it actually lacks universal support. Bonanno's research shows that most people who experience loss are resilient and that there are multiple trajectories of grief reactions.
Physiological and neurological processes
Regarding the impact of sadness, fMRI scans show activity in brain areas related to emotional processing, which shows that sadness can cause stress and physical reactions and is related to mental health.
Risk
Although loss and grief are a normal part of life, in severe cases they can increase health risks, such as heart disease, depression, and suicide.
Complex grief
Persistent grief disorder (PGD) represents a pathological response to loss in which individuals may be unable to adjust and remain in a distressing state long after the loss occurs. Treatment of such conditions requires special psychotherapy and emotional support.
Interpreting the future of grief
Understanding the grieving process and its impact on an individual's life not only facilitates healing, but also prompts us to reflect on how the experience of loss shapes our outlook on life and relationships. So, in the face of loss, how do we adjust ourselves to meet new challenges in life?
