Anticipatory grief refers to a feeling of
grief
Grief is the response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or some living thing that has died, to which a bond or affection was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, grief also has physical, cogni ...
occurring before an impending loss. Typically, the impending loss is the
death
Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
of someone close due to illness. This can be experienced by dying individuals themselves
and can also be felt due to non-death-related losses like a scheduled
mastectomy
Mastectomy is the medical term for the surgical removal of one or both breasts, partially or completely. A mastectomy is usually carried out to treat breast cancer. In some cases, women believed to be at high risk of breast cancer have the operat ...
, pending
divorce
Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the ...
, company downsizing, or
war
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
.
Stages
The five stages
model of grief –
denial
Denial, in ordinary English usage, has at least three meanings: asserting that any particular statement or allegation is not true (which might be accurate or inaccurate); the refusal of a request; and asserting that a true statement is not true. ...
,
anger
Anger, also known as wrath or rage, is an intense emotional state involving a strong uncomfortable and non-cooperative response to a perceived provocation, hurt or threat.
A person experiencing anger will often experience physical effects, su ...
,
bargaining
In the social sciences, bargaining or haggling is a type of negotiation in which the buyer and seller of a good or service debate the price or nature of a transaction. If the bargaining produces agreement on terms, the transaction takes plac ...
,
depression, and
acceptance
Acceptance in human psychology is a person's assent to the reality of a situation, recognizing a process or condition (often a negative or uncomfortable situation) without attempting to change it or protest it. The concept is close in meaning to ...
, as proposed by
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross (July 8, 1926 – August 24, 2004) was a Swiss-American psychiatrist, a pioneer in near-death studies, and author of the internationally best-selling book, '' On Death and Dying'' (1969), where she first discussed her the ...
– describes the process people undergo after learning of their own diagnosis of terminal illness. Anxiety, dread, guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, and feelings of being overwhelmed are also common. However, it is important to note that anticipatory grief is not simply normal grief begun earlier.
[
]
Identifying features
Features identified specifically with anticipatory grief include heightened concern for the dying person, rehearsal of the death and attempts to adjust to the consequences of the death. The period can allow people to resolve issues with the dying person and to say goodbye. It may provide some sense of orientation and access to the grieving process. For some, it prompts conscious closure before the end/loss.
Grief happening prior to a loss presents a compounding issue of isolation because of a lack of social acceptance. Anticipatory grief doesn't usually take the place of post-loss grief: there is not a fixed amount of grief to be experienced, so grief experienced before the loss does not necessarily reduce grief after the death.[ However, there may be little grieving after the loss due to anticipatory grief.
How often anticipatory grief occurs is a subject of some controversy. For example, a study of widows found that they stayed with their husbands until the death and could only mourn once the death had occurred. Researchers suggest that to start to grieve as though the loss has already happened can leave the bereaved feeling guilt for partially abandoning the patient.][
Many family members can find themselves in a caregiving role during their loved one's process of death. During the progression of the illness, the security and protectiveness of the caregiver also increases. Bouchal, Rallison and Sinclair discuss that, "the strong need to offer protection was part of the anticipatory mourning experience of striving to be with in the present".][Raffin Bouchal, S., Rallison, L., Moules, N., Sinclair, S. (2015). Holding On and Letting Go: Families' Experiences of Anticipatory Mourning in Terminal Cancer. OMEGA – Journal of Death and Dying. 72(1), 42-68. DOI: 10.1177/0030222815574700]
In the process of anticipatory grief, family members also begin to prepare and reflect on how their lives will be once their loved one passes. There are many ways in which to perform reflection. These ways include: "...reading, journaling, thinking, and reflecting about how life might be like without their partner." The journal also expands on the premise that the preparation process is not an individual process. Those who are affected by the impending death often look towards one another for support as well as others who are involved in care such as nurses and social workers.
A direct correlation exists between anticipatory grieving and the caregiver's quality of life. In a quantitative study conducted by Al-Gamal and Long, the effect of a pediatric cancer diagnosis on parents had a negative impact on the majority of study participants. More specifically, parents reported experiencing increasing stress and a decrease in physical and mental health – all of which affect the process of anticipatory grief.[Al-Gamal, E., Long, T. (2010). Anticipatory grieving among parents living with a child with cancer. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 66(9), 1980-1990. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2010.05381.x]
Ultimately, anticipatory grieving is an extremely dynamic process that differs between individuals. The outcomes of the grieving process depend on the preparation of death and the anticipatory grief process.
See also
* Delayed grief The terms delayed grief and unresolved grief are variations of grieving after a loss. The meaning of ''unresolved grief'' is any aspect of grieving that has yet to be resolved.
Overview
In cases of delayed grief, the reaction to the loss is postpo ...
* Disenfranchised grief
Disenfranchised grief is a term coined by Dr. Kenneth J. Doka in 1989.This concept describes the fact that grief isn’t acknowledged on a personal or societal level in modern day Euro-centric culture. For example, those around you may not view you ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anticipatory Grief
Death
Grief