Title: Grief can hurt — in more ways than one - Harvard Health
Headings: Grief can hurt — in more ways than one
Grief can hurt — in more ways than one
Stress and depression may lead to new health issues or intensify the symptoms of existing conditions.
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Stress and grief
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Extreme stress, the kind experienced after the loss of a loved one, is associated with changes in heart muscle cells or coronary blood vessels (or both) that prevent the left ventricle from contracting effectively — a condition called stress-induced cardiomyopathy or broken-heart syndrome. The symptoms are similar to those of a heart attack: chest pain and shortness of breath. Depression and grief
Intense feelings of sadness are normal when you're grieving. But some people become depressed. Up to 50% of widows and widowers have depression symptoms during the first few months after a spouse's death. ( By the one-year mark, the proportion is down to 10%.) Depression symptoms include extreme hopelessness, insomnia, loss of appetite, suicidal thoughts, persistent feelings of worthlessness, and marked mental and physical sluggishness.