What is Chronic Sorrow?

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Recommended: Concepts of chronic sorrow theory

Is chronic sorrow a normal thing to live with? Is there a point where feeling sorrow is no longer healthy? Nurses in the field of health care are introduced to patients who experience ongoing sadness due to a loss. Nurses must be able to understand and work with patients who experience chronic sorrow. This paper researches chronic sorrow, and its’ connection to the field of nursing.
Nursing theorists started to study this theory of chronic sorrow back in 1980. A group of scientists joined together in an effort to study chronic sorrow and to build a framework that helped nurses to understand how patients react to chronic sorrow. In order to support parents of children with chronic conditions, or anyone with a chronic condition, one must recognize the unique challenges that each family goes through (MacLean, 2014).
Regarding Teel’s article on chronic sorrow, we create close relationships with others. These relationships when broken can cause us to feel a sense of extreme loss. In the case of a child that is born with a cognitive disability, the parent’s will feel a sense of great loss. Although the child is physically still there with them, there is a constant reminder of the loss of a healthy and fully cognitive child. Family members may eventually adjust to the new lifestyle associated with a child with a disability, there still may be episodes of sadness. Freud believes mourning is not a pathological reaction, and will resolve over time. Grief is a normal response to a situation that is bad or distressing. Physical reactions as well as emotional reactions will be present in a distressing situation. These physical reactions may include: a tight throat, difficulty breathing, weakness, a feeling of emptiness, and a feeling of si...

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...orrow. In the health care field nurses will come in contact with someone experiencing chronic loss, such as a parent whose child has a cognitive disability. Understanding what chronic loss is can help these nurses to provide the best overall care and support for the patient.

Works Cited

Gordon, J. (2009, January 1). An Evidence-Based Approach for Supporting Parents Experiencing Chronic Sorrow. Medscape Log In. Retrieved May 24, 2014, from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/707848_2

Gregory, J. W. Chronic Sorrow In Parents Of Children With Type 1 Diabetes. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 992-1000.

MacLean, M. (2014). Educating Nurses - Living With Chronic Sorrow. Living With Chronic Sorrow RSS. Retrieved May 24, 2014, from http://www.chronicsorrow.org/?page_id=96

Teel, C. S. Chronic sorrow: analysis of the concept. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 1311-1319.

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