Grief and bereavement are normal and expected human responses to the death of a loved one. What happens, however, when this grief doesn't subside? "Complicated grief is an extreme, unrelenting reaction to loss that persists for more than six months. Symptoms of complicated grief commonly include intense yearning, longing or emotional pain; frequent preoccupying, intrusive thoughts and memories of the person lost; a feeling of disbelief or inability to accept the loss; and difficulty imagining a meaningful life without that person." It is most common in women over 60 years of age and is experienced by 10-20% of widowers as is illustrated by the following case: " 68-year-old widow who continued to be seriously impaired by grief four years after her husband died. The woman slept on the couch because she could not bear to sleep in the bed she had shared with him. She found it too painful to engage in activities they used to do together. She no longer ate regular meals because preparing them was a too-distressing reminder of her loss. And she remained alternately angry with the medical staff who cared for him and with herself for not recognizing his illness earlier." To learn more about this important topic, including treatment options, check out this great article recently published in the NY Times: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/16/when-grief-wont-relent/?_r=0
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