Thursday's Therapy -15 Major Reactions Physically Indicating Depression After Your Child's Traumatic Death ~Dr. Therese A. Rando, Complicated Mourning

Thursday's Therapy

15 Major Reactions Physically Indicating

Depression

After Your Child's Traumatic Death

~Therese A. Rando, Ph.D., Complicated Mourning, Part Eight

15 Major Reactions Physically Indicating Depression After Your Child's Traumatic Death

• Anorexia or Appetite disturbance leading to Weight Loss or Weight Gain; food doesn't taste right and is difficult to eat
• Increase or decrease in Sexual interest or activity
• Crying and tearfulness
• Feeling as if there is a "Lump" in the throat
• Tendency to Sigh
• Fatigue
• Physical Exhaustion
• Decreased Energy, lack of vigor, lethargy
• Lack of Strength
• Feelings of Emptiness
• Feelings of Heaviness
• Slowdown in overall Movement
• Agitation in overall Movement
• Increased Physical Vulnerability
• Increased Physical Risk (Accident Prone)

Rando, 2011 (In Print)

Many of the above are normal reactions to grief and/or trauma, and are not necessarily pathological! But many can also be found in grievers who are clinically depressed. Some of these reactions are simply indicative of how grief/trauma takes its toll on us.

For example, grief-work in-and-of-itself is exhausting. Deep-trauma-work with which I have walked through with many of my clients is also very exhausting, and I try to forewarn my clients of this phenomenon. When we journey down into the traumatic memories, it can be excruciatingly painful for my clients. After these sessions, they find they are exhausted and require much more sleep than usual. What a good example of how our body-soul-heart-spirit-and-mind are so intimately connected!

So please precious child-loss grievers, may we be gentle on ourselves through this horrific and trying child-loss grief/trauma process! Much love to each of you on your journey.

*****

Thank you to Dr. Therese Rando for her kind permission in using excerpts from her workshop for professionals that Tommy and I attended in July. Her contributions to the grief and trauma field are invaluable. And her contributions for us child-loss grievers are incredibly helpful... As I told Dr. Rando, even though she has never been through child-loss (thank the dear Lord), she "gets it" as to much of what we child-loss grievers are contending. She is one of the few therapists in the field about whom I can say that, and she has been so gracious to share herself and her expertise with us. For that, I am so very grateful.

Picture and Content From workshop of Therese A. Rando, Ph.D, BCETS, BCBT July 9-10, 2010 in "Clinical Interventions in Grief and Mourning," and "Intervening After Sudden and Traumatic Death: Contending with a Special Type of Complicated Mourning," used with permission of the author