Depression ~ Nostalgy ~ Grief

Grief is a multi-faceted response to loss. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, it also has physical, cognitive, behavioral, social and philosophical dimensions. Common to human experience is the death of a loved one, whether it be a friend, family, or other close companion.

While the terms are often used interchangeably, bereavement often refers to the state of loss, and grief to the reaction to loss. Losses can range from loss of employment, pets, status, a sense of safety, order or possessions to the loss of loved ones.

Our response to loss is varied and researchers have moved away from conventional views of grief (that is, that people move through an orderly and predictable series of responses to loss) to one that considers the wide variety of responses that are influenced by personality, family, culture, and spiritual and religious beliefs and practices. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Environment - Reactions to events, having moved from one house to another, war..... A lack of control of one's environment can lead to feelings of helplessness. Domestic disputes and financial difficulties are common causes of a depressed mood. Other causes of depression are loneliness, and feelings that one isn't cared about by others....

New Grief Related Study Reveals Many People Grieving a Death or Divorce are Wrongly Diagnosed as Depressed

When a medical or psychological professional hears a griever report those symptoms in reaction to the death of someone important to them, or in reaction to a divorce, they reflexively diagnose the griever as depressed, because those reactions match up to several of the primary symptoms of depression.

Is a griever clinically depressed? For the most part, the answer is NO, especially if they weren't clinically depressed before the death. The leap to clinically depressed, when based on normal reactions to a death or to a divorce, is the result of misinterpretation and misdiagnoses of symptoms. It is very dangerous. In part, the danger stems from the fact that most clinical diagnoses of depression are accompanied by prescriptions for mind-affecting drugs which cover-up the natural and necessary responses to grief...full story

Grieving is a personal thing and it doesn't matter what you are grieving about, it could be the loss of a spouse, a relationship, a pet, a parent, a child, retirement, moving, financial and health issues; no matter what it is, grief recovery is a personal journey with many questions.