Grieving and Gender

[Page 815]Grieving is the process of adapting to loss. While traditionally grieving is associated with loss resulting from death, in its broadest sense, the loss can encompass being deprived of something that one once possessed and was attached to. This can include physical loss (e.g., losing an object or some aspect of physical functioning), the loss of relationships, or symbolic loss (e.g., the loss of a dream or faith). The act of grieving has been described as having five components: (1) physical reactions, (2) affective reactions, (3) cognitive reactions, (4) spiritual reactions, and (5) behavioral reactions.

The process of grieving is very individualized. People both experience and express grief differently. There are several variables such as the type of loss, the relationship and attachment to the ...