ABSTRACT
Arguably, the most fundamental question we can ask about grief and grieving is: regardless of for how long, in what ways, and with what intensity, why should the death of a loved one cause us to grieve at all? One answer is provided like this. The concept of grief work refers to the cognitive processes of confronting the reality of a loss through death, of going over events that occurred before and at the time of death, and of focusing on memories and working toward detachment from the deceased. According to the grief work hypothesis (GWH), one has to confront the experience of bereavement in order to come to terms with loss and avoid detrimental health consequences. Typical characteristics of acute grief include somatic distress, preoccupation with the image of the deceased, guilt, hostility, and alterations in usual behaviour patterns. Trying to avoid the intense distress involved in the experience of grief may only inhibit and complicate grief work.
