Death, Grief, and Mourning by John S. Stephenson

Author:John S. Stephenson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: SOC035000
Publisher: The Free Press
Published: 1985-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

Factors Affecting Successful Grief Work

Throughout our discussion of grief, we have implied different factors which can be seen as affecting the grief process. The death fears and anxieties of the griever may exacerbate the grieving; existential grief can present more of a problem than the loss itself. The intensity of the lost relationship will be a factor in reactive grieving, as will the availability of other love objects to support the griever and to provide for the needs once met by the deceased.

The degree to which the death may be seen as preventable can become a factor in the grief process. 42 Most obviously this question of preventability may produce feelings of guilt. Anger at a needless death, perhaps one easily avoided by stronger laws or better medical care, may affect the ease with which the person can resolve his or her grief. Also, the basic personality and emotional makeup of the survivor will affect the ability to cope with the crisis. Past losses, and the individual’s experiences in resolving them may provide valuable information on how the individual can cope with the current loss. Conversely, a great many recent losses can leave the individual in a weakened emotional state. This has been noted among the elderly, who may lose a number of people close to them within a short period of time. Because grieving also takes a physical toll, the health of the griever may affect his or her ability to cope with the loss and regain his or her former state of emotional composure.

As we mentioned earlier, the degree to which the death is seen as appropriate will greatly affect the individual’s grief reaction. Appropriate losses, though painful, may be seen as “right.” However, inappropriate death may destroy not only the relationship, but one’s sense of the meaning of existence itself.

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