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Greif and sadness are perfectly normal response to having an acquaintance, friend or loved one die. It can become a problem when too many of these are killed next to you on combat. Eventually you stop caring about anyone or anything. You become numb. That is part of the disease we call PTSD. Just because the shooting and dying have stopped does not mean the war is over.
Please. You don't have to be so snarky. I know that emotions first begin in the brain as a thought or feeling. What I should have said is grief is an emotional response to that painful event. I feel that labeling grief as a mental illness takes away from true mental illness, which should never be diminished in its importance. Grief is something that a person can (and often does) get over, at least to an extent that it isn't as painful as it was in the beginning. The feelings are replaced with profound memories that no longer make that person cry.
I'm only speaking of my own feelings, after the loss of my parents and someone else who was once a very important part of my life. However, as someone else mentioned, it is most likely being called a mental illness for insurance coding. Of course, one would have to actually have insurance to see a physician for it.
HereOnMars,
I wrote about the coding for reimbursements. There are a couple of other reasons coding is done.
I think grief is natural and recovery time is individual. I believe the original post essentially asked why is grief considered a mental disorder, or something close to those words. If those who are grieving decide on their own or are referred for grief therapy care, the treating clinician has to be able to evaluate from one session to the next how the person is doing.
If I see certain symptoms worsen to a point the person is not able to function as well as s/he did when we first met, I need a way to document what my concerns are and if the person is developing symptoms severe enough to have his/her insurance approve more sessions or hospitalization if necessary.
Be it depression, anxiety, out-of-control hypertension or a chronic illness getting worse after losing a loved one, I view it all the same meaning a person's body and mind are dealing with multiple losses and the person needs some additional help. Multiple losses are very real in every death. How survivors cope with all the losses depends on how that person copes with life in general, finances, support systems, physical or other mental health problems, has the person lost anyone else earlier and how did s/he get through that loss, how many others a person is trying to comfort and dozens of other factors.
Medicine divides the body into systems. Coding for an OB-GYN care involves very different codes than a eye surgery or Rheumatoid disease which causes different treatments and possibly surgery/ medicine for some to be utilized. Without the right coding, many 3rd party payors will deny the requested treatment; how does a person get better without the right treatment?
The good thing about mental health care coding is clinicians can look at it and often intervene differently. Perhaps some expensive tests can be delayed while treating an underlying complicated grieving allows the clinician to use other treatment not covered without documentation of grief and loss.
The goal when someone seeks counseling is to help the person to return to as normal functioning as s/he can. Treatment hopefully can suggest ideas of what the person might utilize to feel better. Grieving is an individual path.
Counseling and support groups etc. don't remove grieving. Ideas and support from others can help us through some of our roughest days. Why do people share here? Doesn't it feel good to know others have felt feelings such as anger, overwhelmed, laughter and in some situations wondering if it is appropriate to have a new love interest or want to remarry etc.?
Care is available to all, HereOnMars. How about a free support group for starters and every county has mental health services available to all. For many, between friends, family, Hospice care and support groups, survivors get pieces of what they need in many places.
Wishing healing and feeling better to all.
MSR
Last edited by Mtn. States Resident; 07-26-2013 at 01:43 AM..
Was wondering why this topic got bumped up, but the title caught my eye.
To the OP, I concur.
Grief is merely a state of consciousness. If folks want to make someone else's grief their business or source of income, so be it. Grief so happens to be a very low and draining state of consciousness, but hopefully a stepping-stone to further healing. In other words, we don't have to hang out and live there. Pain is inevitable but suffering is optional... imo.
labeling someone with mental disorder immediately put brakes on the person's 2nd Amendment Rights in a lot of places.
That is to start with.
It can be extended indefinitely. If there is a wish.
Are you saying that a person who sees a doctor ( for grief ) and it's coded as mental illness, will then have to worry about their 2nd Amendment rights being taken away?
labeling someone with mental disorder immediately put brakes on the person's 2nd Amendment Rights in a lot of places.
That is to start with.
It can be extended indefinitely. If there is a wish.
I'm glad I don't live where you do, voc populi. I honestly don't understand the reason a grief diagnosis could put someone away " indefinitely clinically or legally. What facilities are admitting now and keeping patients indefinitely?
Was wondering why this topic got bumped up, but the title caught my eye.
To the OP, I concur.
Grief is merely a state of consciousness. If folks want to make someone else's grief their business or source of income, so be it. Grief so happens to be a very low and draining state of consciousness, but hopefully a stepping-stone to further healing. In other words, we don't have to hang out and live there. Pain is inevitable but suffering is optional... imo.
I got kicked out earlier probably due to the rain etc. I hope I didn't lose all of it. Well darn, lost it all.McGowdog, thanks for posting the link again. I read it. Someone at ABC missed the big picture or withheld additional pertinent information.
Psychiatrists have argued back and forth with every DSM updates about certain disorders.
As I've written before I don't agree with the 2 month limit for a grief reaction. The article didn't really focused on many symptoms just mostly depression.
Different people respond to the lose of a loved in different ways , given all the different factors in the relationship ans the circumstances of the death. Some may suffer far more with anxiety and/or PTSD etc.
For those who don't respond to support groups, individual therapy and medications, a short hospitalization might be appropriate.
How well a person does generally coping with various situations in life, support systems, surviving family or close friends as well as previous experiences all help to provide clues of how one may do.
There are other diagnoses like adjustment disorders or more mild mood disorders, such as Dysthymia, if someone needs additional counseling/help.
Unlike another poster here I see it as steps of what can be done to help.
Good luck to all who are recovering from a lose. Each day you get out of bed and accomplishes anything, that is a big step in the right direction.
MSR
Last edited by Mtn. States Resident; 07-29-2013 at 12:45 AM..
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