Grief, bereavement and depression

Written by Dr PJ Marshall, MB ChB MRCPysch and Clare Atkinson, research specialist registrar in psychiatry

Treatment for grief and depression

The support of family and friends is invaluable to anyone - especially at difficult times. Sadness after bereavement is natural: it is normal to want to discuss the deceased and become upset while doing so. Expressing feeling does not make things worse.

If depression is thought to be present then antidepressants are very likely to be used. Antidepressants will treat the depression, but they do not have any affect on the underlying grief. Untreated depression, however, makes it extremely difficult to grieve effectively.

GPs, counsellors and psychiatrists are aware of the many different normal responses to loss and are reluctant to diagnose a person as mentally ill during bereavement. They will usually provide support to help the person grieve. A psychiatrist is only likely to be involved if the bereavement is complicated by a depressive illness.

Grief counselling helps mourning by allowing someone to work through the stages of grief in a supported relationship. The goals of grief counselling include:

accepting the loss and talking about it.

identifying and expressing feelings related to the loss (anger, guilt, anxiety, helplessness, sadness).

living without the deceased and making decisions alone.

separating emotionally and forming new relationships.

the provision of support.

identifying ways of coping that suit the bereaved. explaining the grieving process.

Organisations such as Cruse Bereavement Care offer this type of counselling.

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