Research has shown that 87% of young people will experience the death of a peer during adolescents and the numbers are increasing. There are many mitigating circumstances and contributing factors on how and why teen grieve. Research indicates that the peer's relationships often seem more significant to teens than family relationships (Cook & Oltjenbruns, 2004, p. 305). Also taking into consideration is that teen grief varies according to their personality and the particular relationship they had with the deceased,such as the death of a close teen may evoke more intense grief than the death of a grandparent (Schuurman, 2003, p. 1). The death or loss of a friend can be especially profound, due to the fragility of the youthful ego (Cook & Oltjenbruns, p. 306).
When a peer dies, teens are challenged with the realities of death and the possibilities of their own mortality, and feelings of being deserted . Furthermore adolescents often believe that they are immune to death. They think that death only happens to old people. When a friend dies, their entire world and beliefs are shaken to the core (Schuurman, 2003, p. 1). This could be due to a sense of personal fable; bereaved adolescents often feel that the world has somehow let them down. In some incidence such thoughts frequently amplify a grief response (Cook & Oltjenbruns, 2004, p. 306). Another researcher states, "teenagers are entering the phase developmental psychologist Erik Erickson refers to as "formal operational," with their major focus is on establishing independence (Schuurman, p. 1).
Studies have shown that the impact of a death on a teen relates to a combination of factors, including but not limit to: available social support systems, circumstances of the...
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... a friend complicates the adolescents struggle for own identity, and they may pull away from their parents and toward reliance on peers for what to think and how to act. Adults can provide the most help to them through a safe, and comforting environment. Adults can let the teen know that they are available, and allow a calming presence to support them in their feelings, whatever they are (Schuurman, 2003, p. 1). If teens trust you and are safe and caring, they will allow you the privilege to walk with them on their grief journey.
References
Cook,A.,Oltjenbruns,K. (2004). Dying and Grieving Life Span and Family Perspectives (2nd ed.). Belmont,CA: Wadsworth.
Schuurman,D. (2003). Teen Grief. Retrieved 9/28/04 from the World Wide Web: http://www.grievingchild.org
Normal reactions to pain of loss, rejection, or disappointment and some which are more extreme reactions that can lead them in minor hopelessness, is teen suicide. When a teen commits suicide, everyone is affected. Family members, friends, teammates, neighbors, and sometimes even those who didn’t know the teen well enough might experience feelings of grief, confusion, guilt, and the sense that if only they had done something differently, the suicide could have been prevented.
Can you single out just one day from your past that you can honestly say changed your life forever? I know I can. It was a typical January day, with one exception; it was the day the Pope came to St. Louis. My brother and I had tickets to the youth rally, and we were both very excited. It was destined to be an awesome day- or so we thought. The glory and euphoria of the Papal visit quickly faded into a time of incredible pain and sorrow, a time from which I am still emerging.
Lossography is the concept that death can be meaningful based upon cultural values, traditions, and personal beliefs. There are many situations that pertain to the concept of Lossography one particular relation is death education. According to Lossography pertaining to students studies show that students tend to express the issues of death more elaborately through writing (Bolkan, 2015). This is an important aspect of Lossography due to the students being able to express how they feel about death, and be able to express their experiences and cultural beliefs pertaining to a loss loved one. According to the study the most frequent reported death is the loss of a grandparent; many students have encountered the loss of a grandparent at an early
I hid my face as I sat desperately alone in the back of the crowded church and stared through blurry eyes at the stained glass windows. Tears of fear and anguish soaked my red cheeks. Attempting to listen to the hollow words spoken with heartfelt emotion, I glanced at his picture, and my eyes became fixed on his beloved dog. Sudden flashes of sacred memories overcame me. Memories of soccer, his unforgettable smile, and our frequent exchange of playful insults, set my mind spinning. I longed only to hear his delighted voice once more. I sat for what seemed like hours in that lonely yet overcrowded church; my tears still flowed, and I still remembered.
A 17 year old boy, Douglas Stewart, came home from school to find his mother lying on the sofa with a strained back. Being concerned for her he rubbed her back briefly then put on some easy listening music. Douglas then proceeded downstairs to his bedroom. Two of his friends came to the door. His mother waited to see if he would return to answer it; minutes later she answered and then yelled for him to come up. When he did not come, she went downstairs to get him. That is when she found him strangled and her son’s body dangling from the ceiling. This is a senseless tragic sight for a mother to endure. The mortality rate from suicide in 1996 showed 9.5 per 100,000 for 15-19 year olds. This also shows boys are four times more likely to commit suicide then girls. However, girls are twice as likely to attempt suicide. (American 1996) It is imperative to reverse this trend and in doing so we need to understand the characteristics, behaviors and events associated with youth suicide.
Adolescent's concept of death is different from that of an adult. Therefore, caring grown-ups should provide the much-needed counsel to bereaved teens. Enough and appropriate counseling will help these youngsters to recover more rapidly so they can continue their process of individual development. Adolescents should also accept the reality of death and restrain from using drugs and other life threating substances as a recovery method. Instead, they should seek support from
Dealing with a grieving adolescent is hard, but as with most human beings, the loss is
The physical surrounding of a Growing up in a positive and encouraging social environment is linked to a child displaying less risk taking behavior. Children who grow up in positive and encouraging environments are likely to have less mishaps needing treatment than those who do not. Vada’s environment of death was likely what lead her to so many risk-taking behaviors. Although it was a way of life and not very uncommon to her, she displayed an unhealthy fear of death and dying. This was evidenced as she attended the funeral of her best friend. Although Vada knew him to be deceased she was unable or unwilling to accept it. The death of a friend can have serious implications for the mental health of teens
Upon receiving the news that a loved one had died, those left to mourn, called survivors, often find themselves entangled in a complex web of emotions and reactions. The death of a loved one can be a frightening, overwhelming, and painful experience and the physical, psychological, and social effects of loss are articulated through the practice of grief. Grief has been known to be experienced in five stages called the Five Stages of Grief where each phase of the grieving process will go from initial denial to the slow healing of acceptance. However, the devastating aftermath of a loss of a loved one, coupled with the suffering experienced through the five stages of grief can cause the survivor to commit suicide themselves.
Leming, M., & Dickinson, G. (2011). Understanding dying, death, & bereavement. (7th ed., pp. 471-4). Belmont, California: Wadsworth.
Death can occur at any age or period in a person’s life. Death is a natural part of life that everyone will one day have to face. So why does it seem so different when a young adult or adolescent dies in comparison to an older adult? Is it so different? My brother lost two of his best friends in the last three years. One in a car accident and one to a terminal illness. I also lost my best friend in a car accident. In this paper we will look at why people consider it so different when a younger person dies, as well as what is appropriate behavior in dealing with death.
People cope with the loss of a loved one in many ways. For some, the experience may lead to personal growth, even though it is a difficult and trying time. There is no right way of coping with death. The way a person grieves depends on the personality of that person and the relationship with the person who has died. How a person copes with grief is affected by the person's cultural and religious background, coping skills, mental history, support systems, and the person's social and financial status.
Parents go through a wave of emotions when losing a child. They are not only in disbelief and denial, but also feel angry and guilty. Some parents find themselves wanting to talk about it, while others find it easier to talk about the death of friends or other family members rather than their child’s. When a child dies this disrupts the parent’s health and well-being during the hardest phase of bereavement and for long periods over the course of their lives (Hong, Floyd & Seltzer, 2010).
Imagine the thought of losing everything you have at such a young age, and having to do everything on your own without any help. The thought of losing one’s parents and being put through foster care is a child’s worst nightmare. In the book “Grief Girl” a teenage girl has to endure the pain of losing both of her parents and help take care of her younger brother. Losing a parent is not the only issue children have to deal with, but it is one that is so heartbreaking and overlooked at times. Children can become depressed, suicidal and even lose their appetite, making them become anorexic. Children are faced with choices they never thought they would be faced with, pain they are not use to, and long lasting grief they were not prepared for. The problems that a lot of young children have to face today are beyond horrendous. There are several ways people can help children cope with these issues without stepping over their boundaries. In order for that to happen friends and family have to get down on their level and show sympathy and compassion in a way that they understand. Children may run away, crawl into a shell or show that they need open arms and acceptance. Whether it is an infant or a teenager experiencing this loss, pain is always there and in older children it needs to be made aware of so that there is not any further harm done to that person physically or emotionally.
Teen suicide as an extremely complex tragedy, that unfortunately happens all the time throughout the United States. There are friends, parents, and peers that are facing the misfortune of losing a young, close, loved one to suicide. Most people don't realize that adolescent suicide is common. They don't want to believe how often this occurs in the secure environment found in the small towns of America, as well as in its largest cities.