Anticipatory Grief Essays -- Psychology

Grief is a universal reaction experienced by all of us at some time in our lives. The subject matter that makes each of us capable of warm, satisfying relationships also leaves us vulnerable to sadness, despair, and grief when such relationships are disrupted (Carr, 1969). Regardless of the actual relationship that talent have existed prior to the closing, we have the tendency to idealize the relationship once death has occurred and we expect expressions of normal grief. Unfortunately, normal grief is what society expects, but the needs of the singular prerequisites putting a label on grief. Because society influences our behavior through the secondary reinforcement of social approval during this time, we are not looking at the primary reinforcer of survival. The needs of each individual can only be understood in the light of knowledge of his/her own developmental telescope and the particular conflicts being mobilized, and what defenses are being used against these (Maddison & R aphael, 1972). This same developmental background is important in another aspect of death called anticipatory grief. The name anticipatory grief was first used by Lindemann in 1944 to ... denote a reaction to separation and the possibility of death rather than the inevitability of death (Bourke, 1984). Over the years there has been much discussion and seek has been done on anticipatory grief. But to this point research evidence is inconsistent. All research points to the fact that anticipated losses that face the individual are very real. Their emotional investment in the individuals presence, the satisfactions and warmth that they have received through their extension to her or him, are soon to be ended(Kalish, 1977). Since Lindemann (... ... management of acute grief. American Journal of Psychiatry, 101, 141-148. Maddison, D. C. & Raphael, B. (1972). The family of the dying patient. In B. Schoenberg, A. Carr, A. Kutscher, D. Peretz, & I. Goldberg, (Eds.), Psychosocial aspects of terminal care (pp. 185-200). New York capital of South Carolina Univ. Press. Marples, M. (1986). Helping family members cope with a senile relative. Social Casework The Journal of Contemporary Social Work, 67, 490-498. Osterweis, M., Solomon, F., & Green, M. (1984). Bereavement Reactions, consequences, and care. Washington, D.C. National Academy Press. Rando, T. A. (1988). Anticipatory grief The term is a misnomer but the phenomenon exits. Journal of Palliative Care, 4, 70-73. Rando, T. A. (1989). Anticipatory grief. In R. Kastenbaum & B. K. Kastenbaum (Eds.), Encyclopedia of death (12-15). Phoenix The Oryx Press.