Title: Grief Psychology
Headings: Grief Psychology
Grief Psychology
Content: It is worth assuming however that there may well be physiological effects as well as psychological after a close bereavement. Understanding grief in the context of human evolution is complex as it is usually a debilitating experience. It may, however, be understood as part of the emotional responses which are essential for us to maintain relationships, for example love. The emotional attachment of love, which has been so crucial to the evolution of the human race and its following development, continues on after the loved one is no longer there and becomes felt as grief. Grief is the cost we pay for being able to love. The power of the grief is likely to vary according to the strength of the lost relationship. When we grieve it involves a rich array of feelings and thoughts. Many are higher order mental processes such as hallucinations, grappling with a change of identity and trying to defend our minds against the most distressing aspects of grief. It is thought that as individuals we possess a complex representation of our loved ones in our brain. These stored memories have an expectation of certain consequences when in a relationship with someone.