• Michaela Lientscher.
• Universitäre Palliativmedizinische Einrichtung an der Med. Univ.-Klinik Graz, Osterreich. m.lientscher@inode.at
• Wien Med Wochenschr. 2006 May 1;156(9-10):288-93.

AbstractThe transition from normal to pathological grief is smooth. If it is almost impossible to define normal grief with all the existing descriptions of grief phases and systematic models, then it is all the more difficult to define pathological or complicated grief, especially as the existence of remaining grief, or remaining grief that rises to the surface again through memories, are considered normal processes of grief. Remaining grief does not compare with unfinished deep mourning, and so it is not pathological. The response to grief in this case report seems to be pathological or complicated because the process involved in grieving has been replaced by a kind of emotional stagnation, marked by aggression and a feeling of guilt. The family-centred therapeutic approach, taking in the whole family and aimed at discovering potential risk factors for the relatives and the strain they are under, as well as a recognition of the next-of-kin as "secondary patients" have an important role to play in the avoidance of pathological grief.

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