Mental health issues common with grieving spouses

Mental health issues common with grieving spouses

In the face of the loss of a loved one, we react by grieving over such loss. This is a natural process that is common to everyone. With time, our grief subsides, and we get on with our normal lives. However, some people are overcome with grief to the extent that it puts them at risk of mental health. This is especially true for the elderly, seeing as they have lost a life-time partner. One of the mental health issues of concern among grieving spouses is anxiety. The loss of a loved one and more so, if you have been with them for a long time, exposes one to a sense of insecurity.

You had gotten used to seeing this person every day and probably took their presence for granted. However, now that they are gone, you no longer feel their comfort and the sense of security they gave you. Such loss of security may escalate into a state of anxiety. You are fearful of an imminent threat and constantly worry over an impending doom (Arnold, 2017). This anxiety affects your ability to socialize with others. Some spouses even avoid doing the things that they loved, as they are very insecure and afraid to take risks. If not addressed, such anxiety may escalate into an anxiety disorder. A grieving spouse may also experience panic attacks as a reaction to the loss of their loved one. For instance, the grieving spouse may experience a pounding heart or tingling arm at the mere ringing of a phone. They are likely to imagine that a relative is calling to deliver the bad news of the loss of their loved one (Wise, 2010).

.

Consequently, then end up reliving the initial instance when the loss occurred.The grieving partner may also experience profound sadness. They are likely to imagine that they, too, will die.