This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Management

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Bereavement counsellors include general practitioners, health visitors, social workers, priests, and lay people with a special training. The bereavement counsellor must be aware of the signs of abnormal grief eg delayed, inhibited or prolonged grief.

All forms of psychological therapy have a role in the management of abnormal grief. The aim is to overcome defences which block the normal processes of mourning, and to reinforce the latter as they emerge.

Physical treatment may be required when clearly defined conditions such as paranoia, psychotic depression, or mania are precipitated by bereavement.

Phobic anxiety states, hypochondriasis, and psychosomatic illnesses require treatment in their own right, but usual measures may be unsuccessful unless the bereavement factor which precipitated or exacerbated the problem is given due weight.

The bereaved alcoholic poses special difficulties - liable to make many demands on the caring services but unable to progress through the grief until the drinking is under control. Patients of this kind need an experienced therapist who can combine and understanding and supportive capacity to set limits and avoid over-involvement.


Create an account to add page annotations

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.