When Grief Becomes an Illness: How Does Prolonged Grief Disorder Reshape the Brain and Body?
March 25, 20261100 ViewsRead Time: 2 Minutes
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For about 4% of people, grief does not subside over time; instead, it turns into a pathological condition known as Prolonged Grief Disorder, where the pain remains acute and persistent for more than a year, preventing the individual from adapting to the reality of loss and directly affecting their daily life and social relationships.
A Recently Recognized Disorder in the DSM-5 Diagnostic Manual
This disorder was officially included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) in 2022, reflecting the growing scientific recognition of its severity and profound impact on mental health, as it is no longer viewed as normal grief but as a condition requiring specialized therapeutic intervention.
Brain Circuitry Dysfunction Makes Loss Feel “Temporary”
Recent studies in neuroscience indicate that this disorder is associated with dysfunction in the brain systems responsible for attachment and reward, where the brain continues to send signals suggesting that the lost person is still present, creating a painful conflict between reality and memory.
Reward Areas in the Brain Remain in a Constant State of Anticipation
Instead of adapting to the absence, the reward areas remain highly active, as if waiting for the return of the lost person, which explains the persistent feeling of longing and nostalgia that does not subside, making recovery from grief more complicated compared to normal cases.
Serious Physical Effects Due to Chronic Stress
The effects of Prolonged Grief Disorder are not limited to the psychological aspect but extend to the body, where elevated stress hormones like cortisol lead to heart strain and immune system disruption, increasing the risk of chronic diseases such as hypertension.
Chronic Inflammation and Long-Term Health Risks
Persistent grief is also associated with the occurrence of low-grade inflammation in the body, a condition that may contribute to the development of metabolic diseases and digestive disorders, making this disorder a long-term public health threat.
Conventional Treatment is Not Enough: The Solution Lies in Specialized Programs
Experts indicate that traditional antidepressants are often limited in effectiveness because this disorder is biologically different from depression, requiring more specialized therapeutic approaches that target the roots of the problem.
Prolonged Grief Treatment Achieves Promising Results of 70%
The "Prolonged Grief Treatment" program, based on structured therapeutic sessions (about 16 sessions), is the most effective option, helping patients accept their loss, rebuild their lives, and strengthen social connections, with studies showing significant improvement in about 70% of cases.
