Bereavement and Its Relation to Clinical Depression

Abstract

The relationship between stress and illness is a recurring topic of concern for medical caregivers and others. Although Stressors are difficult to define, most would agree that the death of a spouse is a stressful life event; depending on the nature of the death, the stress could be acute or chronic. In any case, the death of a spouse tops the list in stressful life events questionnaires. As a starting point for examining the relationship between stress and illness, it is reasonable to consider the stress of bereavement, and the reactive depression response that follows, as prototypic. There are certainly other Stressors that produce different affects —anxiety, fear — or mixed affects, and different symptoms and behaviors. However, the reaction to bereavement should be applicable to all stresses that produce an affect of sadness or depression.