What You ’ ll Learn

1. What You’ll Learn 1. Identify causes of loss and grief. 2. Identify symptoms of loss and grief. 3. Identify the five stages of loss and grief. 4. Discuss healthful ways to respond when someone close to you is dying. 5. Discuss healthful ways to respond when someone you know is grieving a loss. 6. Discuss healthful ways to respond when you are grieving a loss.

2. Key Terms • loss • grief • anticipatory grief • out-of-order death • invincible • empathy • five stages of loss and grief

3. Loss and Grief • A loss is the feeling that occurs when someone dies or a life situation changes. • Grief is the intense emotional suffering caused by a loss, disaster, or misfortune. • Anticipatory grief is grief experienced prior to a loss.

4. What to Know About Loss and Grief Causes of Loss and Grief • The causes of loss and grief include: • a change in the family, • changes in living conditions, • the death of a friend, • suicide, • the death of a well-known person, • tragedies in the news, and • the end of something special.

5. What to Know About Loss and Grief Causes of Loss and Grief • Changes in the family  Causes of loss and grief include the death of a family member, the divorce of parents, a serious or terminal illness, or the death of a family pet. • Changes in living conditions  Causes of loss and grief include a negative change in financial status, a sudden reduction in lifestyle, and homelessness.

6. What to Know About Loss and Grief Causes of Loss and Grief • Death of a friend • An out-of-order death is the death of a person that occurs at an unexpected time in his or her life cycle. • You grieve the loss of a friend and at the same time realize that you are not invincible. • To think you areinvincibleis to view yourself as incapable of being harmed.

7. What to Know About Loss and Grief Causes of Loss and Grief • Suicide  You might wonder if you could have done anything to prevent the suicide(s) and feel guilty because you are still alive. • Death of a well-known person  You might imagine what it might be like to be a family member of the person who died, and you might feel the family’s sense of grief and loss.

8. What to Know About Loss and Grief Causes of Loss and Grief • Tragedies in the news  You value human life and are saddened when life and property are lost. • Empathy is the ability to share in another person’s emotions or feelings. • The end of something special Even though you look forward to your future, you might have feelings of grief and loss.

9. What to Know About Loss and Grief The Five Stages of Loss and Grief • Teens will experience a variety of emotions that must be worked through before they can accept what has happened to them. • The five stages of loss and grief are psychological stages of grieving that include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. • The amount of time you might spend in each stage will vary.

10. What to Know About Loss and Grief The Five Stages of Loss and Grief • Dealing with a terminal illness  The five-step grieving process can be illustrated by the example of people with terminal illnesses. • Step 1: If people are told by a doctor that they have a terminal illness, they might refuse to believe that they are dying. • Step 2: They might direct their anger at others, such as their physicians or family members.

11. What to Know About Loss and Grief The Five Stages of Loss and Grief • Step 3: They try to avoid death by making deals and promises. • Step 4: When they realize bargaining will not change the outcome, they become depressed. • Step 5: Once people who are terminally ill accept that they are dying and begin to say goodbye, they try to enjoy the remainder of their lives.

12. What to Know About Loss and Grief Symptoms of Loss and Grief Symptoms of loss and grief include the following: • numbness • shock • loss of appetite • intestinal upsets • sleep disturbances • loss of energy • shortness of breath • confusion • crying spells • moodiness • outbursts of anger • depression

13. Dealing with a Loss • The response to loss and grief differs based on who we are, whom or what we have lost, and how much our day-to-day life is changed.

14. Healthful Ways to Respond to a Loss • When someone close to you is dying • When this happens, both you and the person who is dying experience anticipatory grief. • The person who is dying grieves the loss of his or her life. • You grieve the loss of the person you care about or love. • The time you have leftto share is very important.

15. Healthful Ways to Respond to a Loss • When someone you know is grieving a loss • Make yourself available and comfort this person by doing something thoughtful. • Have empathy for the person’s loss and offer support rather than trying to lessen the loss. • Encourage the person to talk about his or her grief, and be able to recognize signs of grief that are not healthful.

16. Grieving a Loss • There are many healthful ways to deal with grief. • You can manage grief in a healthful way.

17. Grieving a Loss 1.Talk with your parent, guardian, mentor or other trusted adult. 2. Ask your friends and family members to comfort and support you. 3. Have someone stay by your side for a period of time if you prefer to not be alone. 4. Give yourself time to grieve, including some “alone time.”

18. Grieving a Loss 5. Express your feelings in healthful ways. 6. Maintain a normal schedule and routine as much as possible. 7. Protect your health. 8. Seek professional help if you are unable to make adjustments or have lingering anger and depression.

19. Study Guide 1. Match the following terms and definitions. ___ loss ___ grief ___ invincible ___ empathy A. intense emotional suffering caused by a loss, disaster, or misfortune B. to view oneself as incapable of being harmed is to think you are ____________ C. the feeling that occurs when someone dies or a life situation changes or ends D. the ability to share another person’s emotions or feelings C A B D

20. Study Guide 2. Number the five stages of loss and grief in the correct order. ____ bargaining ____ anger ____ acceptance ____ denial ____ depression 3 2 5 1 4

21. Study Guide 3. What is an out-of-order death? An out-of-order death is the death of a person that occurs at an unexpected time in his or her life cycle.

22. End of the Lesson