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: Depression after Loss of a Child

Continued

Grief is real, there is no way of avoiding it for us, it consumes our very existence. Grief mimics depression with symptoms which include eating and intestinal disorders, weight loss, and weight gain, headaches, hyper stimulation from certain sounds such as telephones ringing and sirens. Sleep disorders, nightmares and occasional night terrors, panic and anxiety in crowds.

Many parents will initially entertain thoughts of suicide, these are usually fleeting thoughts but if they persist MUST be managed medically. Many parents who lose their child to sudden accidental deaths experience post traumatic stress similar to that experienced by Veterans of war. This can include "pop-up" visions of the accident even if the parent didn't witness the accident itself, reliving the moment they had to identity their child's body, or the moment they were told of the death.

All these experiences are symptoms of situational depression. Treatment must be provided by a competent therapist. Don't be afraid to shop around, if a particular therapist isn't helpful, move on to another. Don't be afraid to "interview" the therapist, ask questions about:
1. Experience and accreditation in grief counseling.
2. Their point of view on spirituality (this can be particularly important for some, my first counselor told me in no uncertain terms that he did not believe in God, and would not let my conversation go that route, I quickly changed counselors)
3. Does this counselor have prescription writing privileges in the event an antidepressant is needed? It can be difficult to swing back and forth between the MD and the counselor for refills etc.
4. is the counselor informed about literature that could be of benefit to your needs?

I hope this article is useful. It comes from my heart, with my own experiences since the accidental death of my 17 year old son and with a bit of knowledge from my experience as a former Hospice Nurse.