Inside Mental Health
Is It Prolonged Grief or Depression? Understanding the Differences
May 1, 2025
In this insightful discussion, Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor, a psychology professor and author, delves into the crucial differences between prolonged grief and depression. She highlights how grief can physically impact health, with revelations about heart risks following a loved one’s death. O’Connor shares effective coping strategies for managing loss, emphasizing the importance of therapy over quick fixes. Listeners will discover the signs that differentiate normal grieving from prolonged grief, ultimately guiding them or their loved ones toward healing in times of deep sorrow.
23:54
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Quick takeaways
- Prolonged grief and typical grief differ significantly, with the former leading to a stagnation in emotional progress and negative life perspectives.
- The emotional pain of grief can have serious physical health implications, including increased heart attack risks following the death of a loved one.
Deep dives
Distinguishing Grief from Prolonged Grief
Grief is a natural response to losing a loved one, encompassing a range of emotional and physiological reactions. In most cases, individuals experience a fluctuating pattern of grief, gradually adapting to life after the loss. However, those coping with prolonged grief display a distinct flatline trajectory, signifying a stagnation in their emotional progress. Unlike typical grief, prolonged grief is marked by persistent yearning and an inability to navigate life positively following the death, leading to an overwhelmingly negative perspective.
