Differentiating grief and depression in patients who are seriously Ill

摘要

Most patients who are seriously ill experience grief when confronted with the losses and limitations imposed by the illness. Grief is a reaction to any loss. Grief manifests as emotional, social, spiritual, physical, cognitive, and behavioral changes through which a person attempts to reorganize and resolve or adjust to loss at his or her own pace. A seriously ill patient's grief manifests itself as loss-oriented grief or restoration-oriented grief. Loss-oriented grief is focused on the patient's struggle coming to terms with having a serious illness, and includes sentiments like, "I have difficulty accepting that I have this illness." Restoration-oriented grief is focused on assimilating the losses imposed by the illness, and includes sentiments like, "I plan to make the most of the time I have left." In contrast, depression is neither universal nor normal in patients who are seriously ill.