The profound sorrow following the death of a loved one can be fatal, according to new research that was recently published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health.
The study reveals a significant link between overwhelming grief and an increased risk of mortality over 10 years, CNN reported.
Researchers at Aarhus University in Denmark, led by postdoctoral researcher Mette Kjærgaard Nielsen, tracked the health outcomes of 1,735 bereaved relatives for over 10 years. They categorised participants into groups experiencing “low” and “high” levels of grief symptoms.
Over the decade-long study, a stark difference emerged as 26.5% of those with high grief symptoms died, compared to just 7.3% of those who were less powerfully affected.
“High levels” of grief were defined as experiencing more than half of the nine identified symptoms, including emotional numbness, feelings of meaninglessness, difficulty accepting the loss, and confusion over one’s identity.
Participants completed questionnaires at the study’s outset, then again six months and three years after their bereavement, providing a detailed picture of their emotional state.
The study also observed increased interaction with the healthcare system among those with high grief symptoms, noting higher use of antidepressant medication, mental health services, and primary care.
“Those with a high grief trajectory seem to be a vulnerable group of relatives already before the death, with need for special attention,” Nielsen told CNN via email.
“(They) may need additional support. They may experience distress and have difficulties coping with the situation,” she said, pointing to previous studies that have highlighted low socioeconomic status, poor self-reported health, and higher symptoms of depression and anxiety as all contributing to overwhelming grief.
While this study didn’t specify causes of death, its findings align with existing research on how traumatic loss impacts physical health.
Cardiologist Sian Harding, professor emeritus of cardiac pharmacology at Imperial College London, who was not involved in the research, highlighted the study’s crucial “longitudinal perspective”.
She noted that while an acute effect of bereavement on heart health is well-known, this study demonstrates a prolonged, damaging impact that can manifest as heart disease and other ailments.
“It was not a particular surprise to me that this particular form of stress, while prolonged, has a damaging effect on the body. It can come out particularly as heart disease, but other things as well,” said Harding.
This prolonged stress from grief can lead to elevated blood pressure, increased cortisol levels, a higher risk of diabetes, and poor mental health.
The well-established “broken heart syndrome” — also called stress-induced cardiomyopathy or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy — a sudden weakening of the heart muscle, is a prime example of acute stress’s physical toll.
Findings from the latest study suggest that healthcare workers “may be able to discover distressed relatives early in the patient’s illness trajectory and offer follow-up,” said Nielsen.
