Grief

Clinical grief consists of the emotional and psychological process a person experiences when facing a significant loss related to health, whether their own or that of a loved one. This loss can be death, a serious illness, a disability, or even the loss of an important expectation regarding health.

What clinical grief consists of:

Reaction to the loss:
The person feels a series of intense emotions such as sadness, anxiety, denial, anger, guilt, or hopelessness. These emotions are part of the natural response to a loss.

Phases or stages of grief:
Although not all people go through the same stages or in the same order, a commonly accepted model is the five stages of Kübler-Ross:

Denial

Anger

Bargaining

Depression

Acceptance

Emotional and psychological adjustment:
Clinical grief also involves adapting to the new reality, learning to live with the loss, and rebuilding one's personal and emotional life.

Variable duration:
The process can last for weeks, months, or even years, depending on individual factors, the type of loss, and the support the person receives.

Impact on health:
Grief can affect physical and mental health, causing fatigue, sleep problems, decreased appetite, anxiety, or depression.

Clinical intervention:
In some cases, grief becomes complicated and can evolve into pathological or prolonged grief, requiring psychological or psychiatric intervention.