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Grief in chronic illness: assessment and management
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
|July 1, 1985
Summary
Grief following loss of function is often misdiagnosed as depression. While symptoms overlap, grief requires supportive therapy, not antidepressants, to restore self-worth and aid rehabilitation.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Clinical Psychiatry
Background:
- Grief is a natural response to loss, including physical function.
- Grief symptoms can be mistaken for major depressive episodes.
- Inappropriate treatment can result from misdiagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To differentiate grief from major depressive episodes.
- To outline appropriate management strategies for grief.
- To inform prognosis by considering patient-specific factors.
Main Methods:
- Clinical observation and symptom differentiation.
- Therapeutic milieu development.
- Prognostic factor analysis.
Main Results:
- Grief symptoms include preoccupation, somatic distress, and denial.
- Depression may stem from underlying conditions or medications.
- Grief management involves supportive therapy, not antidepressants.
Conclusions:
- Grief requires a therapeutic environment to rebuild self-worth.
- Rehabilitation can commence once self-worth is re-established.
- Prognosis depends on disability severity, patient psychology, and support systems.