Bereavement: The Treatment Of Death

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Bereavement is facing the loss of a loved one. Death can be of natural or medical cause. The loss of a dear one causes a lot of grief; grieving is more psychological as it involves different types of feelings (Madison). Grieving over someone cannot be limited to a time frame; it differs for each person as reactions to grief varies considerably. The process of grief consists of several facets namely: emotional, physical, cognitive and behavioral (Barbato & Irwin, 1992; Worden, 1991; Worden, 2009). Emotional factors Emotionally a person is sad and feels lonely without the loved one. This absence is felt in the anger the bereaved hold against the caring team in case of death due to illness, ironically it can cause relief to close ones as they have witnessed and suffered all way with the patient. Sudden death comes as a numbing shock to the person and very often there are a lot of anger again natural forces or god. In cases of sudden death there is a deep feeling of guilt as there are many unfinished business which could have been resolved, things left unsaid. Moreover, there is a constant need to hear, see and touch that person though dead and the bereaved feels helpless with regards to his own adjustment and self-care. Physical factors The physical symptoms to grief are: • Nausea • Headaches • Dry mouth • Restlessness • High blood pressure • Loss of appetite • Changes in sleep patterns • Tightness in chest • Oversensitivity to noise Cognitive factors Cognitively the person keeps pondering about the loved one. When the loss is announced very often there is a disbelief that prevails among relatives, they take time to realize that the person is gone. Loss causes a lot of confusion, the person is unable to stick to one thought f... ... middle of paper ... ...e person feel better at a certain point. The amount of anger a person feels at this stage is inexorable. Doctors, nurses, closed ones and every other person; are victimized by the person’s anger whether or not they are at fault. Even the law of nature is faulty of completing its course. Kubler-Ross and Kessler defined anger as being an anchor and “giving temporary structure to the nothingness of loss.” Anger is meaningful in the light of darkness. Anger encompasses feelings such as love, regret, guilt and hope. Bargaining is the third stage of grief. Supposition and deals are prominent in the face of vulnerability. The person looks for alternatives to fix the inevitable or wish how things could have been done differently to result as other outcomes. Bargaining is tricky and ambiguous to be clearly explained; it seems to be the most subjective part of the whole lot.

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