Loss of Companionship

Whenever one of our loved ones dies, it effects every aspect of our lives. We are impacted greater according to the closeness of the relationship we shared with the individual. Grieving spouses who were married for long periods of time often die within a few months of their spouse. They do not die of a long term illness, or an accident, but they die because the physical functions of their bodies were changed by the loss they experienced.

Exhaustion after a loved one’s Death

Whenever a loved one dies, it interrupts the sleep patterns of the people that were closest to them. When people lose a close relative, they often have trouble resting and sleeping, so their body becomes sleep deprived and exhausted.
As they become more sleep deprived people start to feel too tired to do their normal daily activities. They start to make poor decisions, and they often start to lose weight, and become lethargic.
Sleep deprivation can lead to heart conditions and other medical complications.

Heart Complications caused by Grief

You have heard people remark that their heart is broken when they have lost someone they loved. The feeling of loss causes this feeling of being alone, dejected, and sad. Many people do not realize that the stress of losing a loved one can actually cause people to have severe heart complications, heart attacks, strokes, and cardiomyopathy.
Cardiomyopathy is cardiac illnesses that are brought on by extreme stress. The studies show that a person has a 21% higher chance of having a heart attack after losing a close loved one.

Depression

Depression is a real concern after a person loses a close loved one. The sense of loss causes people to become deeply withdrawn, and to feel like they are alone, even if they have family and friends all around them.
Doctors of patients that have had a recent loss of a close relative should evaluate their patients for signs of depression, and recommend medications, and treatments that will help them to get passed the first year after the loss.
After the first year people usually are able to handle their loss without the help of medications, but there is no time limit on grief, and each patient will need to be evaluated according to their own situation.

Financial Difficulties

Many people are left in financial strains after the loss of a loved one. Financial difficulties can cause people not to see their doctors regularly, skip some of their medications, not eat properly, or otherwise neglect their own health.
Many people could benefit from counseling sessions with a grief specialist. Often people do not realize that their grief is responsible for some of their physical ailments. A grief counselor can help these people to accept their loss, and learn ways to deal with their lives and the changes in it.