Loss

Loss is a central concept in the social and behavioral sciences and is relevant to a vast array of phenomena, including chronic illness, death and dying, relationship dissolution, injuries of various types, and assaults on the self (e.g., rape). Loss is a general concept that subsumes more specific concepts such as trauma and stress. Trauma refers to extreme psychological and physiological reactions to loss situations, such as those involving violence or the death of close others. Stress refers to an unpleasant state of emotional and physiological arousal that people experience in situations that they perceive as dangerous or threatening to their well-being. Loss or anticipated loss of something valuable is the key underlying condition in the experience both of trauma and stress.

Loss may be defined first as a reduction in a person's resources that involves a degree of emotional involvement. For example, people may not feel loss when they lose a drinking buddy with whom they talk about sports. However, the loss of a drinking buddy with whom they discuss intimate aspects of their marriage may be perceived as emotionally debilitating and as a major loss. In addition to the reduction of resources, a second and perhaps more basic part of the experience of loss is that of missing something. For example, a high school girl falls madly in love with a popular male classmate, only to discover within a few months that he has many girlfriends who he is attempting to juggle. The girl may feel that something that was a part of her life is gone. Her great expectations are dashed, her hopes are lost, and her plans are ruined. Loss is a central, common experience in all human relationships. The present entry discusses characteristics of loss and its relevance to relationships.