What is "normal" in grief?

Abstract

Research conducted over the past two decades has revealed that grief, a common phenomenon experienced by many people following the loss of a loved one, is rarely experienced as a steady progression from high acuity (intensity) to eventual resolution. Instead of this single "traditional" path, four distinct trajectories are supported by empirical data: resilience, chronic grief, depressed-improved, and chronic depression. Furthermore, a small subset of individuals never fully integrate the loss into their life, and continue to experience severe disruption in daily life many years after the loss event, a phenomenon known as Complicated Grief (CG). Continued empirical research will help further our understanding of the normative grief process and CG as a disorder. This information is crucial for informing clinicians of best practices when attending to those suffering from loss.

Keywords: Bereavement; Complicated Grief; Grief; Grief trajectories; Grief treatment; Immune system; Widow.