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Section
10
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On the last track we discussed The Positive Side of Grief. In
my practice I have found three positive sides of grief. They
are the appreciation of life, strengthening of family ties, and finding
meaning in suffering. On this track we will discuss The Three ‘D’s of Grief. The Three ‘D’s of Grief refer to forms of emotional and physical numbing I have found to be common among clients experiencing grief. The Three ‘D’s of Grief are dissociation, de-realization, and depersonalization. As I describe The Three ‘D’s of Grief, you may want to evaluate clients you are treating for susceptibility to these forms of hypo-arousal. As you may know, episodes of dissociation, de-realization, and depersonalization may vary in intensity and duration. I have found that though some cases last only a few hours, other cases can last several years. The Three ‘D’s of Grief Dave, age 17, made a third dissociative observation when he stated, "I knew I should have felt something, but I didn’t feel anything." Dave was referring to an accidental cut to his hand which happened several days after his best friend, Jeremy, died from a drug overdose. Dave stated, "It was a deep cut. The doctor gave me 9 stitches. At first, I just watched the blood flowing out. I didn’t feel any fear or pain. I knew what was going on, I just didn’t care. Then my mom saw it and she freaked. Her scream sort of woke me up, I guess." Later on this track, I will describe a technique I suggested Dave use to avoid similar dissociation.
Susan, age 32, experienced residual grief from a childhood trauma of being beaten by an uncle who was her baby sitter. Susan experienced periodic moments of de-realization through an altered perception of time and a general feeling of detachment. Susan stated, "I feel like I’m in a dream or a play or something when I think about what he did to me. I don’t even know if the play is real. Most of the time, I hope it’s not."
To find out more about how depersonalization and de-realization affected Susan, I asked, "Do you find it very hard to relate to the other people in your life?" Susan stated, "Yeah. It’s hard for me to talk to other people because I feel so dead inside. I try to relate anyway, but I get so confused." Like other grieving clients I have treated, Susan had to work hard to overcome the confusion and apathy that can accompany the three ‘D’s of grief. I asked Susan how she felt when mechanical feelings affected her ability to think, respond, or even talk. Susan stated, "I feel determined to concentrate, but it takes a lot of energy. I get more and more tired when I try to interact with others. It doesn’t take long before I’m ready to just go home and be alone."
On this track, we discussed The Three ‘D’s of Grief. The
Three ‘D’s of Grief are dissociation, de-realization, and depersonalization. Online Continuing Education QUESTION
10 |
Others who bought this Grief Course also bought… ![]()
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CEU Answer
Booklet for this course | Grief
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