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When Grief Turns Into Acute Depression: Understanding When to Seek Help

when grief turns into acute depression sun kentucky

“Grief is like the ocean. It comes on waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes, the water is calm, and sometimes, it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.” 

- Vicki Harrison

In 2024, Kentucky ranked 6th in the country for childhood bereavement. In the report, they mention that 1 in 9 Kentucky children have lost a sibling or parent before they turned 18. This number doubles by the time they reach 25. Losing someone important to you, especially at a young age, comes with the potential of many complications like acute depression. 

At SUN Behavioral Health Kentucky, our goal is to comfort and heal those who feel they have lost everything. Today, we are going to discuss the common experience many of our patients have gone through, which is what happens when grief turns into acute depression. 

Understanding Prolonged Grief

Grief is normal, natural, and universal. It is how your brain and body respond to loss, primarily the loss of a loved one. Still, it can also be associated with other losses like job loss, health loss, etc. This process has no set timeline; everyone will go through it differently. Many people may recover from grief within a year. Others need longer or require assistance transitioning to a less severe form of grief. This need for help is sometimes referred to as prolonged grief. Prolonged grief occurs when someone is unable to transition from intense feelings of grief to emotions they can manage while carrying out their daily responsibilities. The intensity of grief should subside with time. With prolonged grief, these feelings don’t improve – they may even get worse.  Because of this, some people are unable to adapt to life without the loved one they lost. An estimated 7% of people will experience prolonged grief. While anyone can experience prolonged grief, some factors make someone more likely. One of the main factors is if the circumstances surrounding death were traumatic. Examples include losing a child or spouse, losing a parent at a young age, murders, multiple deaths in a short period, deaths caused by disasters, and deaths that were untimely, unexpected, or sudden. Other potential factors include:
  • Low self-esteem
  • Pre-existing mental health conditions like depression
  • A history of suicide attempts or thoughts
  • Exposure to death at a young age
  • Low social support
  • A strong attachment to the deceased person
Note that having any of these above factors does not automatically mean someone will have prolonged grief. These factors only increase the risk, and someone can still experience prolonged grief without the presence of any of the ones mentioned above.

Is Complicated Grief Different From Prolonged Grief?

Complicated grief is a type of prolonged grief. Someone who has complicated grief is unable to adapt to or accept the loss. Some have lost a sense of meaning and satisfaction in life now that their loved one is gone. It can lead to intense depression symptoms that make it challenging to accomplish their responsibilities.

Someone who is experiencing complicated grief requires grief therapy to find healing. Treatment for grief includes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), medications, and other techniques that will provide them with the tools and support to restore meaning in their lives as they navigate through what their lives look like without their deceased loved one. 

understanding prolonged grief

The 5 Stages of Grief: Why Grief Turns Into Depression

The 5 stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Depression is a standard factor in the mourning process. Experiencing depression in grief is not always a reason for concern. While the 5 stages help to understand grief at a surface level, they aren’t in a set-in-stone order. 

The order in which someone will experience them varies for everyone. In addition to that, not everyone spends the same amount of time in each stage. Some people may experience multiple stages more than once, experience them in a different order, or skip over some stages altogether. Below are brief explanations of each stage and why they occur. 

Denial: Denial is often the first response to a significant loss. During this stage, you experience doubt and numbness to your emotions. This is your body’s way of protecting you from the impact of this loss.

Anger: Anger is a common emotion felt during grief that involves blaming, questioning, resentment, impatience, and anxiety towards things or people related or unrelated to the person’s death. While in the anger stage, you feel the pain that denial numbed you from, and you are trying to reconnect with the world and your emotions. 

Bargaining: During bargaining, you will try to sacrifice anything in exchange for them to be back. You may also question things such as, “If only this happened, they would still be here.” This is your attempt to regain control of your life, no matter the cost. 

Depression: In the depression stage, you will face the reality of your circumstances, and this can be difficult to accept. Depression includes symptoms that are associated with this reality. While depression is difficult, it is still necessary to allow you to process what has occurred. 

Acceptance: A common misconception is that acceptance means you have completely healed from grief and will never experience another stage of grief ever again. The reality is that you may still return to those stages, and that is normal. Acceptance means you have learned how to live with this loss, can adapt your life accordingly, and have accepted that it has happened. However, you may still feel sad, angry, or anxious about their death.

All of the stages above are necessary in the grieving process. If any of these prevent you from living your life or managing your responsibilities, treatment might be necessary to assist you.

When Grief Turns Into Acute Depression

Depression is a normal part of grief, but sometimes it’s not. Suppose someone has been experiencing grief for longer than 6 months, or symptoms are only getting worse and preventing them from moving on. In that case, it may have developed into acute depression. This is a clinical condition that requires treatment to find healing. It often comes with negative thoughts. They might see themselves or the world as flawed, worthless, and like it has no light, warmth, or color. 

In the case of acute depression that comes from grief, a combination of therapy and medication can be helpful. These elements are tools that allow people to live their lives again. 

Signs of Acute Depression

So, what does acute depression look like? Someone with acute depression will have physical, psychological, and behavioral symptoms that significantly impact their ability to function. 

Someone with depression will often have a persistent sad mood, or they might feel “empty” or numb, which is where they don’t feel any emotions at all. Other common emotions that someone with depression will have are hopelessness, frustration, restlessness, guilt, worthlessness, and irritability. 

Physically, they may feel constantly tired and slowed down. There are often changes in sleep, appetite, and weight while someone is experiencing depression. Common physical symptoms people with depression will have include body aches and pains, cramps, digestive concerns, and headaches.

The behaviors of someone with depression will change. Someone who was once sociable will become withdrawn and detached. They will often not participate in activities they used to enjoy, or they will participate in risky activities such as drinking and driving. Speaking of drinking, someone who is depressed has a higher risk of consuming alcohol or substances as a way to cope with the emotional pain they feel, which can lead to greater impulsivity. 

Self-care and meeting responsibilities are common challenges for someone with acute depression. They often find it challenging to get out of bed, shower, or cook themselves a meal. For some, this means not attending work or school.

Another concern for people who have acute depression is the possibility of experiencing suicidal thoughts. If you or a loved one has any of these thoughts, go to a 24/7 crisis care now. You do not have to call ahead of time. When you arrive, you will be greeted by caring professionals who will provide stabilization and support as you begin your recovery.

When Should You Get Help for Grief and Acute Depression?

Not everyone needs help for depression associated with grief. For many individuals, depression linked to grief is temporary. However, this isn’t the case for everyone. So, how can you know when you should seek help? 

Ultimately, there is no easy timeline for grief, and it can be challenging to get through on your own if you don’t have a strong support system. If you are experiencing any of the signs of acute depression mentioned above or find that you can’t function or achieve daily responsibilities, seek depression treatment as soon as possible. It will provide you with the tools that will allow you to find meaning in life again. 

the five stages of grief why grief turns into depression

Find Treatment for Acute Depression in Erlanger, KY

Grief is a typical experience for people to have following the death of someone they love. When grief turns into something that interferes with a person’s ability to live, it is debilitating. You don’t have to go through that alone, and mental health professionals are here to help you navigate the challenges of acute depression and grief. You will learn how to move forward with strength, confidence, and joy through treatment.

At SUN Behavioral Health Kentucky, we solve unmet needs in Erlanger. We provide depression treatment for both adolescents and adults in the community. To learn more about how we can treat acute depression associated with grief, contact us at 859-429-5188 today. 

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