Death of a loved one

Effects of the Death of a loved oneStudent Name
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AbstractThis paper is about the effect of the loss of a loved one. The loved one, in this case, refers to son, daughter, a sibling, a parent or even a husband or wife. In many cases, the loss of a loved one has gross effects the affected. It often changes the life of the affected completely and sometimes may have very serious and catastrophic effects on the general of the people left behind. However, this effects after losing a loved on depend majorly on the nature of the relationship that existed between the lost and the affected. Or how close these two people were (Nolen-Hoeksema et al., 1994).
In this paper, I tried to assess the major effects that the loss of a loved one might have to an individual who is affected. It explains how different people will be affected and how this effect may change their later lives. It is so obvious that the demise of a loved one will affect the remaining people who loved them socially (Nolen-Hoeksema et al., 1994). Nevertheless, depending on the closeness of the demise and the remaining people, each and every person will be affected differently, other people will miss the person more than others due to how close the deceased was to them.
The paper examines what makes this loss of a loved one have severe effects on the people left behind. How can the effect of the loss be moderated so that it does not cause any further destruction? This is another question to which the paper tries to find an answer to.

This question becomes a concern because if someone loses a loved one, the gap left in their lives might be too much for them to handle. It is, therefore, necessary that such individuals are taken through a process of recovery to help them get themselves back to normal life.
IntroductionA loved one refers to any individual who is so close to you and, therefore, a person you have an emotional attachment to. A loved one can either be your child, a sibling, a husband or wife, a friend, a parent, guardian or just a relative. The death of any of these individuals affects greatly affect the people left behind. This effect comes as a result of the emotional attachment that always existed between these people when they lived together. Coming in to accept the loss then becomes a great problem and the gap left by the deceased is often considered too large to get a filling.
The effects of the death of a loved one depend on the strength of the bond that existed between the deceased and the person left behind. It is wrong to assume that the loss of someone will affect the all other remaining siblings or even their friends in the same way. In life, people find others so good to them compared to others. The death of someone, therefore, affects those who were so close to them far much compared to those people who just knew him but were not so close. This relationship bond creates the difference in the extent to which people gets affected by the loss of a loved one (Nolen-Hoeksema et al., 1994).
The loss of a loved one might have several different effects on the people left behind. Some of the effects might be short term. However, others are long-term and felt by the people throughout their living after the death of the loved one. In this paper, I capture and discusses some of the major effects that those left by their loved ones are expected to suffer from and later on how the dangers of these effects can be reduced with the help of other people who are close to the affected. Some of these effects include stress, disorientation, mental torture, death, loneliness, loss of focus in life among others.
This paper splits this research into four sections to help capture and exhaustively address the issues that come with it. The first section captures the major effects that an individual can have on losing a loved one, this section explains the effects and provides an illustration of each effect for a better understanding. The second section discusses how the affected can be helped control these effects so that they do not get destructive. The third section gives the conclusion to the effects of the death of a loved one as discussed in the earlier sections. The paper the ends with the various sources used in this research to help it comprehensively (Nolen-Hoeksema et al., 1994).
Effects of the Death of Loved OneThis section captures the major effects which the death of a loved one has on the affected individuals left behind. It includes the effect, explanation and a bit of example or illustrations for a better understanding. The major effects includes:
LonelinessLoneliness refers to a state where someone feels without a company. It is a situation of feeling isolated and without anyone to keep your company. This is one of the major effects that the loss of a loved one has on the individuals left behind. The loneliness becomes extreme if the lost one was the only one left for the affected. For example, if the lost one was the only brother, sister or even a cousin. The individual suffers from imaginations that they’ll never have another one again. This is a fact that is never easy to cope with among various individuals.
Loneliness as a state may have very severe side effects that come with it. Loneliness gives someone a chance to think so much; it gives an individual to have a vivid picture of whatever happened such that they can’t forget about it. It will always make the memories of every sad occurrence fresh in the mind which is very destructive to the affected. To reduce the effects of the loss of a loved one, the affected should be in a position to forget and move on. However, forgetting becomes a major challenge if the affected mind is not engaged in other activities (Nolen-Hoeksema et al., 1994).
The affected should be given company to help them feel close to someone just as they were to the lost one. This company is very vital to the well-being and recovery of the affected people. Loneliness can lead to other effects such as stress and disorientation. The people around the affected people should always be there with them and ensure that they give the affected no chance to be negative. In other words, the affected should always be given a reason to smile again. Though this companionship, the affected will not feel the absence of the lost so much and, therefore, will not feel the loneliness, neither the gap left by the deceased.
StressStress refers to an emotional pressure that is experienced by an individual. It is another major effect of losing a loved one by the affected. Stress is one of the most dangerous effects that an individual who has lost a loved one can suffer from. This danger is because of the side effects that it has on the individual who is affected. In most cases, the emotional pressure results from the gap that is left behind by the loved one. I create a feeling of helplessness and creates a state of mental disturbance (Antonovsky, 1979).
Stress have severe side effects on the individual who is left behind after the death of their loved one. Some of the consequences of extreme pressure include heart diseases. Heart disease is a very common outcome of extreme stress. This condition leads to the heart attack that basically leads to death due to heart failure. This effect makes stress a menace and, therefore, the need for proper stress management. The affected individuals should not be allowed to be in situations that expose them to extreme emotional pressure and thus stress. Stress, therefore, poses a major challenge to the people left behind after the loss of a loved one (Antonovsky, 1979).
Another major consequence of stress is the disorientation. Disorientation can be defined as a delusion or just a state in which someone gets confused with regards to identity, time and place. It can also be taken to refer to the loss of someone’s sense of direction or even someone’s position in a relationship with their surroundings or environment. Disorientation forms another major effect of stress which can be suffered by the affected after the loss of the loved one. Stress causes a disturbance of the mind and this confusion leads to a state of unrest within an individual. From extreme emotional pressure, an individual might lose sense with their surrounding and gets to a state of delusion (Antonovsky, 1979).
ExhaustionExhaustion refers to a state of extreme tiredness and feeling the insufficient energy. That is a status of feeling extremely weak and helpless. An individual who has been left by the loved one suffers so much from exhaustion and may need to be given a chance to be better. Exhaustion results from other minor effects of the loss such as loss of appetite and unrest of the mind. In many cases, an individual might collapse, that is pass out as a result of this exhaustion. The exhaustion might also have severe consequences if not properly managed (Walsh, & McGoldrick, 2004).
Exhaustion or the depletion of someone’s energy to become extremely weak is a risky status as someone can easily collapse to death. The causes of this exhaustion such as failure to eat and the status of mental distress should, therefore, be reduced to avoid exhaustion. An individual needs more than enough support to prevent this extreme tiredness. This support can and should be provided by the remaining people whom at least have lesser effects compared to the main victim. All individuals who lose their loved ones passes through this stage of exhaustion at some point.
Depending on the closeness between the lost one and the affected, the exhaustion might be extreme and with very severe consequences. Lack or loss of appetite is common effect to the loss of a loved one. It, therefore, follows that the affected eats a little or does not eat completely. Considering the earlier effects discussed, like stress and disorientation, the affected need not tire at any point. A combination of these effects might be very destructive, an empty stomach, insufficient energy, stress and disorientation collectively may lead to death.
Life deteriorationThe loss of a loved may lead to a very significant deterioration in the life of the affected. This deterioration may always occur if the other effects are not controlled and thus left to explore the life the affected. Life deterioration simply refers to a change in the status, style and way in which an individual lives from good or better to bad or worst. The deterioration might be. As a result several factors such as loss of hope and a feeling of uselessness after the demise of a loved one. A person who have been left by the loved one, therefore, suffers vulnerable to live deterioration unless a proper care in taken by the concerned individuals (Walsh, & McGoldrick, 2004).
Life deterioration results from the abrupt change in life caused by the loss of the loved one. An example is the loss of a breadwinner, this kind of loss completely changes the lives of the affected. All those who depended on the lost one are left wondering who will cater for their daily needs given the loss of the breadwinner. The affected people will be left in a situation where they feel helpless and without any hope whether the next day will ever be a better day. This mentality and the loss of hope affects the people left and greatly interferes with their lives.
Some of the ways to prevent this deterioration are being there for these individuals who are left by their loved ones. Giving them the hope of tomorrow being a better day than today. Each and every person who cares has the sole responsibility of giving a helping hand to the affected people. Proving them the help when they need it. Without this assistance, the affected individuals lose hope in life and considers their lives useless life. This then leads to the various wrong decision that the affected individuals make to drug addicts, street children if they are young, among others (Walsh, & McGoldrick, 2004).
Reducing the Consequences of the EffectsCompanionshipOne and the most important ways of assisting those who are left by their loved ones is by giving them company. This will automatically do away with the feeling of loneliness and thus eliminates the consequences of loneliness. Being around the affected people help they recover from the shock they received when they lost their loved one. A company is just good enough to reduce the mental stress that an individual may go through as a result of mental torture. People should always, therefore, spend some time with the affected to prevent the feeling of loneliness (Walsh, & McGoldrick, 2004).
Companionship also eliminates stress to some extent. As discussed earlier, we found out that stress is an emotional pressure that an individual may suffer from as a result of varied reasons. Staying with the affected people can help them reduce the stress because their minds are kept away from the deep thought of their loved one that they lost. Also, the company helps the affected keep their minds away from their many problems and find a reason to smile off. Just staying with these people helps they feel a difference and a sense of joy gets in.
Guidance and CounsellingPeople who lose their loved ones requires consistent sessions of guidance and counselling. In these sessions, the affected should be given a reason to continue with their normal lives. They should get guidance on how they need to run their lives despite the loss of their loved one. In short, the affected should be able to learn how to live without the lost one. The counsellor must convince the affected that the loss is part of life and so they must learn how to live with the same (Walsh, & McGoldrick, 2004).
Guidance and counselling are important as through it; the affected learns so many things. Some of the major goals of the guidance and counselling sessions include a change in the view of life after the loss of a loved one. The affected should be a positive view of life despite the great loss of their loved one. Another goal is the ability to continue with the normal life even though the loved one is lost. The affected should convince himself or herself from the guidance and counselling sessions of the importance of continuing with their normal life (Walsh, & McGoldrick, 2004).
Counselling an affected individual should help them make proper decisions in life which will not lead to deterioration of their lives. They should be guided towards proper decisions that will help them rather than mess their lives. To achieve the best out of this sessions, an experienced individual who very well understands the individual is required. This individual should be in a position to foresee what the affected is not saying. In this way, they can greatly help the affected to make very fruitful decisions rather than stay in negativity (Walsh, & McGoldrick, 2004).
Physical SupportPhysical support, in this case, refers to the provision of all kinds of materialistic help to the affected individuals. The materials can be financial, clothing or food. Through the provision of such assistance, the affected feels loved and cared for (Lehman, 1987). This kind of help is necessary for those people who lost their breadwinners and were then rendered helpless. Physical support from the remaining people gives these people a chance to forget about their sorrows and continue with the life as usual. It helps them appreciate life irrespective of the loss of the one and only provider.
Supporting the affected individuals in any way makes life better for them. Physical support to these people reduces all the other effects of stress, disorientation, loneliness and life deterioration. Providing for them makes their lives better and prevents them from feeling uncared for. The feeling of care removes the loneliness by making them feel the people around them. It, therefore, leads to a stress-free for the affected and a return joy on their faces despite the loss of their loved one (Lehman et al., 1987).
ConclusionIn conclusion, the loss of a loved one has a lot of effects on the life of the affected. The effect ranges from the personal health of the affected to the general life of the affected. As discussed above, the effects include stress, life deterioration, exhaustion, distortion among other. From the coverage, we can draw an inference that if these effects are given a chance to grow within the affected, they may lead to serious consequences including death of the affected. These effects should, therefore, be reduced as they can’t be prevented (Lehman et al., 1987).
Finally, the effects of the loss of a loved one depend on the nature of the relationship that existed between the lost one and the affected. This, therefore, dictates the level effect that the loss will have the individual who is affected. It is a responsibility of the people who forms the neighbourhood of the affected after the death of a loved one to help them cope with the life without the lost one. They should provide various kinds of help that include companionship, guidance and counselling physical support among others. In this way, the affected will live a better life and feel less of the effects of the loss of their loved ones (Lehman et al., 1987).
ReferencesAntonovsky, A. (1979). Health, stress, and coping.
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Lehman, D. R., Wortman, C. B., & Williams, A. F. (1987). Long-term effects of losing a spouse or child in a motor vehicle crash. Journal of personality and social psychology, 52(1), 218.
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