Death is the end of life; the act of dying.

Thanatology is the study of death.

Bereavement means deprivation or loss of life.

Mourning is the stage when people are accepting their loss; it is a process unique to each individual; a person does so in different ways and may seek the support of family and friends.  This phase can last months or years.

Grieving is a visible physical, emotional or psychological sign of one’s feelings. Death is often ignored or denied by the person experiencing the loss. It is necessary to grieve so that you can move on with your life, otherwise, you may become emotionally or physically ill.

Eulogy is a written praise to the deceased that is often read during a funeral service.

Traumatic Grief is often more complicated due to the unexpected nature of the loss. Loved ones left behind may develop negative views about the world, feel unsafe and insecure because they are not able to make sense of the tragedy. Some examples are:

• Sudden or violent accident/death
• Natural but no warning signs of an illness
• Suicide, homicide, accident or natural disaster

Emotional Reactions To Grief

• Anxiety attacks
• Chronic fatigue
• Depression
• Suicidal thoughts
• Obsession with the dead
• Shock, denial and confusion
• Guilt and anger

Physical Reactions To Grief

• Numbness
• Shortness of breath
• Forgetfulness/difficulty concentrating
• Agitation and uneasiness
• Stomach pains/intestinal problems
• Change in appetite and sleeping patterns
• Loss of energy
• May develop a new illness or make an existing sickness worse

Factors That Worsen Grief

• Legal and financial issues (especially when the loss is unexpected)
• Role in family or other aspect of life is missing and have to reorganize
• No positive evidence of death (no body found)
• Normal teen issues (puberty, struggle for independence, tough decisions to make, difficulties at home, looking for advice, feeling misunderstood)

Grief of Child/Adolescent

• Death of parent/caregiver affects sense of security
• Confused about the death if not told the entire truth
• Can’t understand or express feelings about death well
• May go back to earlier behaviors (bedwetting, thumb sucking)
• Invent games about death, play dead, pretend nothing happened
• Grieving parent may take anger out on child which delays the child’s recovery
• Experience unfamiliar emotions (anxiety, fear, sadness, anger)
• May change living situation (new school, home, caretaker, responsibilities)

5 Stages of Grief and Dying (according to Kubler Ross)
No matter how strong of an individual you are or how long you have been expecting a death, you may never be able to quite prepare yourself for death or a serious illness. It takes time and a broad range of emotions to eventually move past the devastation of loss.