“Sharing Thoughts – Grief ” By NS Nyayapathi

Grief is emotional outcome when a person loses someone whom they love or depend on for support. Generally its measure is proportional to the loss experienced and the way the realities of human disappointment are accepted.

A symbolic grief is also observed in intelligent animals such as elephants, dogs, etc. and in many species of birds when they find a partner dead or even their master dead. Such earnest grief especially in certain animals result in death since they are not aware of the consequences of a continued grief or they do not know how to come out of it.

Grief is uniquely experienced by different individuals based on their interpersonal relationships. It cannot be measured or adequately expressed in words. However the emotion of grief can be mitigated with time using conscious efforts.

When a parent of old age passes away, independent thinking children accept the death as a natural process of aging although they also experience grief at one point of time or the other so long as the memories are alive.

With the death of a life partner, for the wife or husband the grief, is even greater especially when they live an interdependent life of companionship, responsibility of bringing up children and other family burdens.

Parents experience insurmountable grief when they outlive their child. Dangerous consequences are seen in some of the parents who do not accept the reality of death of their child and resist coming out of it. This process is similar to the behaviour of some of the animals leading to self-destruction as a result of grief.

Grief comes in waves of distress to the bereaved and the intensity of grief comes down slowly as time passes. Cancer palliative care does not end with the death of patient. Care of the parents and other closely associated family members is important. Assessing the level of grief as a result of death in the family through bereavement calls and sometimes gently suggesting the techniques and tools to overcome the grief is a part of our palliative care. We do hope our endeavour in right earnestness helps in bringing down the grief of some of the bereaved to some extent at least.

We request all our well-wishers and supporters of our cause to give their blessings to this human endeavour.

NS Nyayapathi
Founder Trustee