It’s quite normal and natural to feel grief after the loss of a loved one. We might report feeling sad, depressed, or even numb to emotion. But how much grief is too much? At what point does excessive grief become a debilitating problem? Mental health professionals may now have an answer to that question.
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) recently designated a new mental disorder it calls prolonged grief disorder. The APA defines prolonged grief disorder as intense grief following the death of a loved one, persisting for more than 12 months and characterized by “clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.” The bereaved individual may be incapacitated by thoughts of the deceased nearly all day, every day for a month or more.1
The diagnosis is especially relevant now, the APA says, following the more than 1 million deaths in the United States from COVID-19. “Grief in these circumstances is normal,” the APA states, “but not at certain levels … nearly every day for months.”1 Research suggests that as many as one in 10 bereaved people might be suffering from prolonged grief disorder.2
The APA identifies some of the symptoms of prolonged grief disorder as:1
- Identity disruption (e.g., feeling as though part of oneself has died)
- Marked sense of disbelief about the death
- Avoidance of reminders that the person is dead
- Intense emotional pain (e.g., anger, bitterness, sorrow) related to the death
- Difficulty moving on with life (e.g., problems engaging with friends, pursuing interests, planning for the future)
- Emotional numbness
- Feeling that life is meaningless
- Intense loneliness (i.e., feeling alone or detached from others)
By recognizing prolonged grief disorder as a legitimate diagnosis, the APA believes that licensed clinical mental health counselors, patients, and families will have a framework for discussing the difference between normal grief and what might be considered a more significant problem.1 Without treatment, prolonged grief disorder can lead to problems like substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, and insufficient sleep.3
There is no general consensus among mental health professionals about how best to treat prolonged grief disorder. Until recently, the official diagnosis didn’t even exist. But psychiatrists have now developed a therapy called complicated grief treatment (CGT). The treatment consists of 16 therapy sessions over which seven themes surrounding grief are addressed: understanding grief, managing painful emotions, thinking about the future, strengthening relationships, telling the story of the death, learning to live with reminders, and remembering the person who died. Approximately 70% of patients who undergo CGT report experiencing relief from their debilitating grief.4
Graduates of Walden University’s MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling online degree program are passionate about helping others overcome difficult emotional challenges, including the grief that follows the death of a loved one.
Walden’s CACREP-accredited online program is one of the largest of its kind in the United States.5 The clinical mental health master’s program prepares students to seek state licensure or certification as a professional mental health counselor, and to feel confident and inspired to help others lead happier, more productive lives.
Walden University has provided working professionals with the support they need to advance in their profession and inspire social change for more than 50 years. At Walden, you can pursue your online MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree while you continue to work full time.
With Walden as your online learning partner, you can work at a pace that is comfortable and convenient for you as you prepare for a meaningful career helping others as a licensed clinical mental health counselor.
Walden University is an accredited institution offering an MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree program online. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.
1Source: www.psychiatry.org/news-room/news-releases/apa-offers-tips-for-understanding-prolonged-grief
2Source: www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032716318651
3Source: www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMcp1315618
4Source: www.apa.org/monitor/2018/11/ce-corner
5Based on 2021 IPEDS data
Note on Licensure
Walden University’s MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), which is a requirement for licensure in many states. The MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is designed to prepare graduates to qualify to sit for licensing exams and to meet the academic licensure requirements of many state counseling boards. Because no graduate program can guarantee licensure upon graduation, we encourage students to consult the appropriate agency to determine specific requirements. For more information about licensure, students should visit the National Board for Certified Counselors at www.nbcc.org/stateboard, the American Association of State Counseling Boards at www.aascb.org, and contact the appropriate licensing body. International students are encouraged to identify and contact their appropriate licensing body. Learn more about professional licensure.
Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.