Question

Describe how adults (i.e., older adults) cope with death. Consider the cultural influences in this region on helping us cope with death. What is the difference between grief and mourning compared to mood disorders such as depression? Is it important to have a clear distinction between the sadness experienced due to losing a loved one as opposed to a depressive episode? These are questions that have been brought up among researchers in this field, as some believe that sadness as a result from death should also be considered a mental disorder under the diagnostic manual used to diagnose mental illness. Answer should be 350-500 words.

Answer 1

Older adults cope with death by different means ,some cry loudly ,few have grief ,but a number of one -two people goes to the state of depression when they lose their loved ones .There are some cultural differences also for the expression of grief and mourning in the situations like death ,funeral and etc...Practices in some muslim communities never allows the people to mourn or cry infront of a deadbody,but practices like last kiss ,and prayers for died ones etc encourages or support the loved ones especially even the older ones also to express their feelings .It allows one's to cry and burst out their feelings.Some practices like not allowing cry or loud epressions infront of the dead body compel one person especially the loved one to supress their feelings and emotions .Supressing ones feeling and emotions for a period of time may push the person to go to a state of depression .

Mood disorder is the term designating a group of diagnoses in the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder classification system where a disturbance in the person's mood is hypothesized to the main underline feature .Mood disorder is an emotional disturbances consisting of prolonged period of excessive sadness ,excessive joyousness,or both .A mood disorder is diagnosed when sadness or elation is overly intense and persistent and is accompanied by a requisite number of other mood disorder symptom .Sadness if it is not decreased or if it is supressed there is a chance it to become an intense form .The intense sadness can be develop as depression .

Sadness

Most people go through ups and downs in their mood.Sadness is normal reaction to life struggles ,setbacks and disappointments .Many people use the word depression to explain these kinds of feelings ,but depression is much more than just sadness .

The term depression is often used to explain the feeling of sadness due to certain situations like failing in a comperition ,having a row with closed friend ,losing a job etc .However ,this feeling of sadness cannot be exactly called depression because most likely it disappears in a day or two.However for some people the feeling of sorrow remains with them for a long time ,so much so that it affects their daily life and activities .When such a situation arises ,the person is said to be depressed .

Yes it is important to have a clear distiction between the sadness experienced due to losing a loved one as opposed to a depressive episode .Feeling of sadness will disappear by one or two days but the dispression will have following symptoms ,

feeling of helplessness and hopelessness.

Loss of interest in daily activities

Appetite or weight changes

Sleep change

Irritability and restlessness

Loss of energy

Self -loathing

Concentration problems

And unexplained aches and pains .

So many of the cultural practices helps people to cope with their sorrow or grief .It is necessary to express our feeling and emotions for the maintanance of good mental health .