Labeling Grief as a Major Depressive Disorder
If you felt sad following the death of a loved one for a few weeks, would you say you had a psychiatric problem? “The New York Times” reports the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (D.S.M. 5) may label the emotion of grief after the loss of a loved one as the psychiatric disorder called major depressive disorder.
Major Depressive Disorder Explained
Major depressive disorder, or major depression, is a diagnosis doctors often give patients who experience five or more symptoms of depression for two weeks or more. These symptoms may include sadness, difficulty concentrating, lack of energy, changes in appetite, feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, insomnia, excessive sleeping, withdrawal from usual activities, irritability and thoughts of harming one’s self. Individuals battling depression do not express it in the same way—it can appear as anger, sadness or even discouragement.
A Normal Emotion or a Sign of a Psychiatric Disorder?
While there are rumors that the D.S.M. 5 will label prolonged grief as major depressing because they have a deal with pharmaceutical companies, “The Times” reports, “Researchers point out that, during bereavement, some people develop an enduring case of major depression, and clinicians hope that by identifying such cases early they could reduce the burdens of illness with treatment.”
The classification of extreme or prolonged grief as a major depressive disorder after the death of a loved one can help prevent potentially dangerous symptoms with the use of therapy or prescribed medications. However, the diagnosis can also make it hard for an otherwise healthy individual to obtain a job or health insurance in the future.
The debate about a medical diagnosis accompanying grief will not end anytime soon. However, it is important for everyone to know that grieving the death of a loved one is normal. It is normal to feel sad, upset, angry or confused about the situation. At the same time, an individual must also know when to seek the help and support of supportive and caring individuals—family, friends, church leader or even a doctor—during the grief process. Grief is a burden you do not have to carry alone. Learn more about grief.
Learn about children and grief.
Click here for online grief resources.
[photo: D Sharon Pruitt]
Tags: depression, Grief, major depressive disorder
August 20th, 2010 at 10:06 am
While the study of grief here is outlined in a mostly utilitarian fashion, it is most important to remember that our physiological response to grief is still stemming from emotional events, or stimuli, in our lives. Therefore, it is most important to deal with our emotions when a devastating loss occurs. As everything in life comes from preceding events, so our emotional response to losing a loved one stems from every circumstance related to the legacy of the loved one and possibly with the events surrounding their death.
Pharmaceuticals or other utilitarian solutions should not be considered an escape for natural & healthy emotional response. Instead, the reasons for emotions should be fully explored for a healthy sense of accepting the death and the changes it brings in our lives. Living life to the fullest is experiencing the up’s and down’s as they come, not escaping them through chemical alterations or trying to label them for future studies. Human compassion through personal connections is the best medicine for someone to avoid or overcome depression.