The sudden death of Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter left many in a confused and profound state of grief, even though they did not know them personally.
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This type of grief happens because the celebrity was someone you admired, was inextricably tied to certain memories or moments of time in your life, or who had a huge impact on you, even though you did not know them personally, according to MSN.
There are no rules when it comes to grief. The so-called "five stages" of grief are deeply embedded in current culture —denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. But recently, researchers using sophisticated methods of data collection have begun to overturn this and other preconceptions about grief, including:
- Myth No. 1 — We Grieve in Stages
Most people actually accept the death of a loved one from the very beginning, and many people report feeling more yearning for their loved one than either anger or depression.
- Myth No. 2 — Express It; Don't Repress It
Expressing negative emotions can actually prolong your distress.
- Myth No. 3 — Grief is Harder on Women
In fact, relatively speaking, men suffer more from being bereaved.
- Myth No. 4 — Grief Never Ends
Researchers have now identified specific patterns to grief's intensity and duration; the worst of grief is usually over within about six months.
- Myth No. 5 — Counseling Helps
The only time this kind of counseling shows a benefit is when it is targeted at people having difficulty adapting to loss.
Empathy plays a huge part in grief, since it has complex neurological underpinnings that control the way our brains help us to care about other people.
Humans have “mirror neurons” that react to others’ emotions and reproduce them. That narcissistic and neurotic co-worker you avoid could be lacking in neuron receptors, causing him or her to show little to no empathy.
By practicing empathy, you may be able to relieve stress, strengthen your relationships and have a more satisfying work life.
Grieving can be so severe than it weakens your immune system, particularly among the elderly. Older people are more likely to develop infections while grieving than younger people.
Experiencing the loss of a loved one can take a heavy toll on your emotional health and can affect you physically, as well, manifesting as both chronic disease and acute illness.
Stress can wreck your immune system, which may impact your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, brain chemistry, blood sugar levels and hormonal balance. If you have a hormonal imbalance, it could leave you vulnerable to infections and other illnesses.
Exercise is one of the best treatments for grief and may boost your mood, brain function and immune system health.