Grief Causes and Treatment - Essay Example

Grief Causes and Treatment Abstract: The present paper aims to make an analysis of the state of grief the elderly patients undergo by providing the summary of the given case study, and producing definition and description of the grief phenomenon. The paper will also investigate into the countries including the USA, Australia and India, where the under-discussion health disorder has obtained significant space. The study will also elucidate the healthcare team structure established by the Australian administrations for making the treatment of grief. At the end, the study will elaborate two most popular treatment methods that are frequently being applied for the complete convalescence of the patients suffering from grief in Australia. A summary of the case study: The case under-examination concentrates upon 80 years old former Australian pharmacist Max Bernstein, who had to undergo a serious shock appeared on the eve of the detection of the illness of his beloved wife in 2010 after fifty-five of their marriage. Eva Bernstein, Max’s wife not only lost her memory, but also required assistance during her toilet use. Max decided to consult the doctor, who diagnosed the ailment to be dementia. Max sought the support of their medical advisor in respect of the convalescence of his wife, but to his surprise, there was no particular medicine available that could be suggested for the recovery of his wife. However, the doctor informed about a newly invented chemical formula, application of which could be fatal for a person of Eve’s age. In addition, the medicine and treatment methodology, mentioned by the doctor, were highly expensive ones. As a result, Max did not have any option other than taking Eve back home in order to let her expire without having any proper treatment for her altogether. Consequently, Eva Bernstein passed away within few weeks, leaving Max Bernstein at the state of utter grief. Definition and Description of the Problem Max Suffered: The term grief simply refers to the state of sheer disappointment and despair one experiences in the wake of a great or irreparable loss, which is not only long lasting one in nature, but also looks jolting the mental condition of the aggrieved person along with disturbing his/her physical health and fitness to some extent. Grieving is, according to Neimeyer et al., a process of reconstructing a world of meaning that has been challenged by loss (2006:2). Hence, grief could also be defined the state that depicts man’s incapability of making a strong decision after the break of a sorrowful news or happening of some mishap. Grief can result into cardiac arrest, memory loss and brain haemorrhage etc because of the shocking affect it maintains on the mind of the aggrieved. Neimeyer & Burke (2012) have defined some of the most fundamental causes of grief, which include the death or loss of close kinship, insecure attachment, abducting of child and others (State of Victoria Department of Health, 2012:8). In addition, serious insult and humiliation at the hands of others, rape, assault, betrayal of lover, shameful defeat, dismissal from employment, heavy loss in business ventures, and ethno-racial prejudiced behaviour also bring grief and woe to the individuals. As a result, man has to undergo the state of grief in such a way that could force him to take such extreme steps like taking his life by committing suicide, assaulting over others, getting mad and losing senses etc in the wake of acute stress disorder (Dobry, 2012:684). Somehow, providing immediate medical aid as well as the moral support could turn out to be supportive in respect of decreasing the level and intensity of grief, which may forbid the aggrieved from taking any step that could have fatal affects on his mind and life eventually. The same was the health condition of Max Bernstein after the illness of his beloved wife Eve was diagnosed, leading to her death; as these sad incidents had brought utter disappointment and despair to him immediately. Prevalence of Grief in Australia, USA and India: Grief is frequently attributed to be the mental disorder that is aptly an outcome of the sudden shock or loss. Consequently, it is death and bereavement of some close blood relation or friend, as well as betrayal from the beloved one that bring forth grief in individuals, by challenging their mental peace and harmony. Since all humans undergo such types of bitter experiences in life, so grief is rightly viewed to be a universal phenomenon in its nature and scope, which prevails in a all societies and cultures of the globe without discrimination. Grief is aptly taken as synonymous of depression, the state that creates feelings of disappointment and despair in mind. Though grief and depression can haunt any mind, yet the elderly are rightly viewed to be the stratum that is most affected by any shocking news; the same is equally applied to Max Bernstein. Since Australia also enjoys the status of the state having very high life expectancy rate, the cases of the patients suffering from grief and depression due to their old age are aptly registered and recorded in hospitals, therapeutic centres and healthcare institutions. The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement Counselling and Support Service provides a state-wide specialist bereavement service for individuals, children and families who need assistance following the death of someone close to them. (ACGB, 2013). Similarly, the USA also experiences the high life expectancy, which decreases the proportion of work force, and increases the number of elderly undergoing various diseases (Weeks, 1994:309). The US healthcare centres strongly suggest family focused grief therapy for the family one or more members of which are suffering from a fatal disease like cancer, AIDS, or others. (Kissane et al., 2006). The main objective behind this method is to relieve the family members from the grief they observe under a stressed situation when one of their family members is going top expire. Though the developed countries having high life expectancy rates are frequently feared to be undergoing several diseases related to old age within their respective social jurisdictions, yet the developing countries of Asia and Africa also undergo the same challenge deteriorating the mental health conditions of their elderly masses. Hence, the states having life expectancy as 65 years and above also prevail several diseases including dementia, grief and others among their masses (Prince, 2001:390). It is particularly the case with the populous South Asian state of India, where the elderly living in various parts of the country aptly experience dementia predominantly due to their old age (Dias et al., 2006). Methods applied for the Grief Prevention: The healthcare professionals suggest various methods to combat with grief. One of the most significant methodologies to be applied in this regards is letting the aggrieved having complete acquaintance with the bitter reality that has been disclosed before him. For instance, the doctor involved in the treatment of Eve Berstein could gradually disclose the nature and intensity of the disease Eve had been undergoing (Dyregrov et al., 2003: 149). Hence, sudden disclosure of a shock is strongly discouraged by the healthcare professionals particularly in case of close relation or an elderly person. Secondly, the therapies are suggested in order to convey to him the universality of the grief particularly appeared in the wake of the death of a family member or close relation. Stroebe et al. are of the view that reactions to these losses can be intense, as reflected in depressed mood, anxiety, sadness, lack of interest in re-engaging in the world or forming new relationships (2007:1971). It is partly because of the very fact that man observes various people experiencing death, accidents and mishaps; even then he is not ready to have the same with him or with his relations and friends. It is therefore he undergoes serious shock that makes him unable to submit to it at least at the spot. As a result, the therapists suggest instant moral support to the aggrieved so that his losses appeared in the wake of the sorrowful incident could be minimised. Providing the individuals experiencing complicated type of grief is really a challenging task. It is predominantly a case with the persons undergoing some serious type of well-documented psychological disorder characterized by severe and disabling responses to loss (Bonanno and Kaltman, 2001). Treatment: The healthcare professionals have adopted various treatment methodologies in order to help the patients get recovered from various diseases, including grief. Since exploration of the causes behind a disease play an imperative role in the treatment procedure of the disease, the healthcare professionals concentrate upon detecting the reasons behind the old people’s observing grief (Wiener & Tilly, 2011:776). Furthermore, Family Bereavement Programmes (FBPs) are also conducted in order to prevent grief to a great extent in Australia and USA for saving the family members from the trauma they suffer from during the serious illness of their family member (Kissane et al., 2006). One of the most significant reasons behind the old people’s receiving shock is their nerves have become delicate and weak, which are unable to tolerate any grief altogether. Since, the elderly do not accept the loss of their loved ones, they undergo sheer depression and grief. In addition, their spending a retired life in isolation, far away from their relations, friends and ex-colleagues also hurt their mental faculties to a great extent, leading towards the collapse of their nervous system eventually. By keeping these vital issues in view, the doctors and therapists suggest some specific drugs that are applied for improving their nervous systems. Thus, The drugs carrying multi-vitamins are suggested as a powerful treatment of grief. Moreover, Constructivist strategies in grief therapy are aptly applied. In addition, company of friends, close relations and regular walk are also suggested by the therapists and healthcare professionals in order to escape the state of grief. Another important method applied for the grief treatment includes keeping the patients in the environment that is familiar to them. Consequently, they are kept in their homes or in the company of closest relations so that they could recover under the pleasant environment (AGDHA, 2012:35). Thus, keeping the patients in controlled environment under the supervision of therapeutic professionals, in order to reduce the level of stress and strain the patients are undergoing. References Bonanno, G. A., & Kaltman, S. (2001). The varieties of grief experience. Clinical Psychology Review, 21 , 705–734 Dobry, Y (2012) Post-traumatic stress disorder, associated medical illnesses, and suicidal behaviour: Plenty of room for new research Aust N Z J Psychiatry July vol. 46 no. 7 684 Dyregrov, K., Nordanger, D., & Dyregrov, A. (2003). Predictors of psychosocial distress after suicide, SIDS and accidents. Death Studies, 27, pp. 143-165 Kissane, D.W., McKenzie, M., Bloch, S., Moskowtiz, C., McKenzie, D.P., & O’Neil, I. (2006). Family focused grief therapy: a randomized, controlled trial in palliative care and bereavement. Am J Psychiatry. Jul;163(7):1208-18. Neimeyer, R.A. & Burke, L.A.(2012) Complicated grief and the end-of-life: risk factors and treatment considerations. In: JL Werth, Counseling clients near the end of life, Springer, New York. Neimeyer, R. A., Herrero, O., & Botella, L. (2006). Chaos to coherence: Psychotherapeutic integration of traumatic loss. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 19, pp. 127–145 Stroebe, M., Schut, H., & Stroebe, W. (2007). Health outcomes of bereavement. Lancet, 370, 1960–1973 Weeks, John Robert.( 1994) Population: an introduction to concepts and issues Wadsworth Pub. Co. Wiener, Joshua M. & Tilly, Jane. (2011) Population ageing in the United States of America: implications for public programmes International Journal of Epidemiology Volume 31, Issue 4 pp. 776-7 Australian Government Department of Health and Aging (2006) Dementia-The Caring Experience: A guide for families and carers of people with dementia Commonwealth of Australia pp. 1-31 Retrieved from http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/B804F0BA5AAD35BACA256F19000FF80D/$File/careexp.pdf Australia Institute of Health and Welfare (2012) Dementia in Australia Authoritative information and statistics to promote better health and wellbeing Retrieved from https://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=10737422958 Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement (2013) Grief & Bereavement Support Retrieved from http://www.grief.org.au/grief_and_bereavement_support World Health Organisation (2012) Dementia a public health priority pp. 1-94 Retrieved from http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2012/9789241564458_eng.pdf Read More