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The Importance of Sleep against Depression

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Neuroscience illustrates the critical importance of sleep.  The brain cells and neurons within the brain are able during sleep to carry out numerous functions during REM sleep that help the over functioning of the brain and body.  Sleep plays pivotal roles helping the body recuperate as well as restore and rebuild memories from throughout the day.  In addition, sleep helps promote growth and stimulates critical thinking.  Hence when sleep is deprived or greatly reduced it weakens the entire human organism from thinking and reflexes to basic functions.   In addition, it weakens the immune system opening one to various illnesses.

Lack of sleep can impair the brains’ ability to cope with stress and loss. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification

 

One other negative effect without sleep is the chance of depression.  Due to  impaired cognitive functioning, the brain is less able to cope with stressors and grief.  Furthermore, neurotransmitters are weakened in their function, while the weakened immune system leads to one feeling less energized, prone to stress and its eventual consequences.    The article, “Sleep Quality Is A Stronghold Against Depression and Anxiety” from Neuro Science News takes a closer look at how lack of quality sleep ties with depression and anxiety.  The article states,

“Chronic stress is a major risk factor for a number of mental health disorders, including depression and pathological anxiety. Adaptive cognitive emotion regulation (CER) strategies (i.e. positively-focused thought processes) can help to prevent psychiatric disturbance when enduring unpleasant and stressful experiences, but little is known about the inter-individual factors that govern their success.  Sleep plays an important role in mental health, and may moderate the effectiveness of adaptive CER strategies by maintaining the executive functions on which they rely”

“Sleep Quality Is A Stronghold Against Depression and Anxiety”. Neuro Science News. (2023).  NeuroScienceNews.com

To read the entire article, please click here

Commentary

 

Sleep is an essential aspect of our well-being, playing a crucial role in maintaining our physical and mental health. We often underestimate the impact that sleep deprivation can have on our overall well-being, particularly on our mental health. Recent studies have shed light on the strong link between sleep and depression, revealing a vicious cycle where lack of sleep fuels the flames of depression. Understanding this connection is vital in addressing the silent struggles that many individuals face.

Understanding the effects of sleep deprivation on depression

Sleep deprivation is known to have detrimental effects on our mood and emotions, and this is especially true for individuals struggling with depression. When we don’t get enough sleep, our emotional regulation is compromised, leading to heightened levels of irritability, sadness, and anxiety. The lack of sleep disrupts the delicate balance of neurotransmitters in our brain, such as serotonin and dopamine, which play a vital role in regulating our mood. As a result, individuals who are sleep deprived are more prone to experiencing depressive symptoms and finding it difficult to cope with daily challenges.

Moreover, sleep deprivation also affects our ability to handle stress. When we are sleep deprived, our stress response becomes hyperactive, making it harder for us to manage and recover from stressful situations. This prolonged exposure to stress further exacerbates the symptoms of depression, creating a vicious cycle that can be difficult to break.

The impact of sleep deprivation on cognitive function

In addition to affecting mood and emotions, sleep deprivation also takes a toll on our cognitive function. Lack of sleep impairs our ability to concentrate, make decisions, and think clearly. It becomes harder to focus on tasks, leading to reduced productivity and performance. Sleep-deprived individuals often struggle with memory problems, finding it challenging to retain information and recall it when needed.

Lack of sleep can lead to depression. It is important to give the brain and body the time it needs to heal and refresh itself

 

Furthermore, sleep deprivation affects our executive functions, which are responsible for planning, organizing, and problem-solving. When these functions are compromised, it becomes harder to navigate the challenges of daily life, leading to increased frustration and a sense of helplessness. These cognitive impairments can significantly impact our overall well-being and contribute to the development and persistence of depression.

Sleep deprivation and the risk of developing depression

While lack of sleep can exacerbate existing depression, it can also increase the risk of developing depression in individuals who are otherwise healthy. Sleep deprivation disrupts the delicate balance of neurotransmitters in the brain, which can trigger the onset of depressive symptoms. Chronic sleep deprivation also affects the regulation of stress hormones, such as cortisol, which further contributes to the development of depression.

For those with less sleep, there is a greater chance of depression

 

Additionally, sleep deprivation weakens our immune system, leaving us more vulnerable to infections and illnesses. The physical toll that lack of sleep takes on our bodies can contribute to feelings of fatigue, low energy, and a general sense of malaise, all of which are common symptoms of depression. Therefore, prioritizing healthy sleep habits is crucial in reducing the risk of developing depression and maintaining good mental health.

Strategies for improving sleep quality

Improving sleep quality is essential in breaking the cycle of sleep deprivation and depression. Here are some strategies that can help:

Establish a consistent sleep schedule

Maintaining a regular sleep schedule is key in regulating our internal body clock. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends, helps train our bodies to recognize when it’s time to sleep and when it’s time to wake up. This consistency promotes better sleep quality and overall well-being.

Create a sleep-friendly environment

Your bedroom should be a sanctuary for sleep. Make sure the room is dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature. Remove any distractions, such as electronic devices, and create a calming atmosphere that promotes relaxation.

Practice relaxation techniques before bed

Engaging in calming activities before bed can help signal to your body that it’s time to wind down. Try incorporating relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises, meditation, or gentle stretching into your bedtime routine. These practices can help reduce anxiety and promote better sleep.

Avoid stimulants and electronics before bed

Caffeine and electronic devices can interfere with your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Avoid consuming caffeine in the afternoon and evening, and limit your screen time before bed. The blue light emitted by electronic devices can disrupt your sleep-wake cycle, making it harder to fall asleep.

The role of sleep hygiene in managing depression

Sleep hygiene refers to the habits and practices that promote healthy sleep. It encompasses various aspects of our lifestyle and environment that can influence the quality of our sleep. For individuals struggling with depression, prioritizing good sleep hygiene can significantly contribute to their overall well-being.

Establish a bedtime routine

Having a consistent bedtime routine signals to your body that it’s time to wind down and prepare for sleep. Engaging in calming activities such as reading a book, taking a warm bath, or practicing relaxation techniques can help you relax and transition into sleep.

Create a sleep-friendly environment

As mentioned earlier, creating a sleep-friendly environment is crucial for quality sleep. Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows that support your body. Make your bedroom a peaceful and inviting space that promotes relaxation and restful sleep.

Limit daytime napping

While a short power nap can provide a temporary boost in energy, excessive daytime napping can disrupt your sleep-wake cycle. Limit daytime napping to 20-30 minutes and avoid napping too close to your regular bedtime.

Limit alcohol and nicotine consumption

Alcohol and nicotine can interfere with your sleep quality. While alcohol may make you feel drowsy initially, it disrupts your sleep cycle and can lead to fragmented and restless sleep. Nicotine, on the other hand, acts as a stimulant and can make it harder for you to fall asleep.

Seeking professional help for sleep-related issues and depression

If you’ve tried implementing healthy sleep habits and are still struggling with sleep-related issues and depression, it’s important to seek professional help. A healthcare provider or mental health professional can assess your symptoms, identify any underlying causes, and recommend appropriate treatment options.

They may recommend therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), which focuses on identifying and changing the thoughts and behaviors that contribute to sleep problems. Medications may also be prescribed to help regulate sleep and manage depressive symptoms.

Remember, reaching out for support is a sign of strength, and there are resources available to help you on your journey towards better sleep and improved mental health.

The importance of addressing sleep issues in mental health treatment

Addressing sleep issues should be an integral part of mental health treatment. Sleep deprivation can significantly impact the effectiveness of other therapeutic interventions and medications. By addressing sleep problems, healthcare providers can optimize the overall treatment plan for individuals struggling with depression.

Moreover, improving sleep quality can have a positive ripple effect on other areas of life. When we are well-rested, we have more energy, better cognitive function, and improved emotional regulation. This, in turn, can enhance our ability to engage in therapy, develop healthy coping mechanisms, and make positive lifestyle changes that support our mental well-being.

Conclusion: The importance of prioritizing sleep for mental well-being

In conclusion, the link between sleep and mental health is undeniable. Lack of sleep can fuel the flames of depression, exacerbating symptoms and making it harder to manage daily challenges. Understanding the effects of sleep deprivation on mood, emotions, and cognitive function is vital in addressing the silent struggles that many individuals face.

Healthy sleeping habits translate to a healthier life both mentally and physically

By prioritizing good sleep hygiene, seeking professional help when needed, and integrating sleep-focused interventions into mental health treatment, we can break the cycle of sleep deprivation and depression. Remember, a good night’s sleep is not just a luxury; it is an essential investment in our mental well-being. Let us prioritize sleep and take the necessary steps to nurture our minds and bodies for optimal mental health.

Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.  The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in grief counseling.

 

Additional Resources

“The Link Between Sleep and Depression”. Krouse, L. (2023). VeryWellHealth. Access here

“Sleep and Depression”. Fulghum Bruce, D. (2022). WebMD. Access here

“Depression and Sleep: Understanding the Connection”. John Hopkins Medicine.  Access here

“Depression and Sleep: What’s the Connection?”. JeWell, T. (2019). Healthline.  Access here

 

Grief and the Brain Video

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Grief and loss affect the brain and the results are the many experiences we feel when we lose someone.  The emotional imprint of the event itself is usually strengthened as it is processed through the Amygdala without much time for reason.  The emotionally charged memory of the event also sticks with one.  In addition, the Hypothalamus commands the Pituitary Gland to initiate a Fight or Flight Response hence creating an emotional and physical response to the stressor of the loss.  These feelings take time to control and for reason to return.  Hence why in so many cases when those who hear bad news or in denial, angry or extremely emotional.

Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.  The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification

What Is a Psychological Disorder?

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Before the dawn of Clinical Psychology, mental maladies and disorders were considered to be demonic in origin.   A person who seemed to act crazy or disorderly was quickly diagnosed as possessed or an evil spirit.   Frightful enough,  Stone Age skull remains show drilled holes into the skull that lead researchers to believe the holes were created to release evil spirits (Myers and Dewall, 2019, p.495).   The terrifying treatment of those with abnormal behavior continued through the centuries and included an array of rituals to expose evil spirits or drive them away.  As time progressed, individuals were sent to asylums and treated inhumanely being chained to beds or confined to small areas as if animals (Myers and Dewall, 2019, p.495).

The scientific era and medical model replaced these archaic beliefs to understand that mental issues and psychological disorders can be diagnosed and treated and in most cases cured (Myers and Dewall, 2019, p.495).   This lead to a stronger understanding that psychological disorders are disturbances in cognition, emotional control and behavior.  These behaviors hence are in some way dysfunctional and maladaptive (Myers and Dewall, 2019, p.494).

A psychological disorder involves impairment to cognition, emotional regulation and behavior. Please also review AIHCP’s mental health certifications

 

Hence psychological disorders prevent an individual from living a day to day normal life.  In some way, they interfere at various extremes and levels with an individuals ability to perform and interact with others.  While mental illness should never be a stigma, these types of disorders still carry heavy prejudices with them regarding employment and how others view individuals.  Unlike a physical disability, mental disorders are viewed in a more harsh fashion, even if only today in whispers and at subconscious levels.  Mental illness is still sometimes equated with crazy or dangerous.

The American Psychiatric Association Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, is a hand book for mental health care professionals.  It lists the broad range of mental maladies from the smallest to most extreme types of illnesses.   It helps professionals diagnose and treat a variety of maladies listing the numerous symptoms and number of required symptoms to be diagnosed with a particular disorder.  Ranging from the simple OCD to Depression and anything in between, the manual serves as an important diagnoses tool.  It is important to note, that only licensed counselors or those with Psychology and Psychiatry doctorates should ever diagnose.  For pastoral and ministry level counselors, the diagnoses and treatment of pathology is restricted.   Most pastoral counselors or basic grief counselors only deal with coping over natural occurrences such as loss, advice, or guidance.   Clinical counselors deal with diagnoses and treatment of more serious psychological disorders.

The article, “List of Psychological Disorders” by Kendra Cherry takes a very comprehensive look at the multitude of types of disorders.  She states,

“The DSM-5-TR lists hundreds of distinct conditions. Anxiety1 and depression2 are among the most common types of mental health conditions that people experience. While the DSM provides diagnostic information about such conditions, including the age at which they typically appear, it does not provide guidelines for treatment or predictions related to the course of illness.”

“List of Psychological Disorders”. Cherry, K. (2022). VeryWellHealth.

To review the entire article, please click here

Commentary

Depression treatment is the most sought after care.  It is the leading diagnosed mental disorder and by far the most common of all issues.  This is not surprising since human loss is a universal experience.  However, not all human loss leads to depression and not all cases of depression are loss orientated but instead hormonal, seasonal, or genetic.  In addition to Major Depressive Disorder and Bi-Polar Disorders, Prolonged Grief is also a major issue individuals face in regards to loss.  This type of loss is a complication in the grieving process.

Depression and anxiety are two of the most common forms of mental health issues

 

Beyond depression, anxiety disorders are another high volume issue people face.  With large amounts of stress in the modern world, individuals have difficulty coping and handling day to day issues.  Anxiety though is an issue that is separate from any source stressor and exists within it own right.   While both basic grief and stress issues can be handled via coping, anxiety disorders and depression require clinical professional help to diagnose and treat.

While most individuals face anxiety or depression, there are a variety of other more deep issues that result from severe trauma or flaws within one’s social interaction.  While these conditions are far more rare, they do require professional care and help.  Among these issues include Anti-Social Disorders, PTSD, psychosis and attachment disorders.

Still most individuals who experience minor ticks in life need assistance to function.  From OCD to ADHD to sleep issues or phobias, individuals need counseling and help.  Some may require help with addictions, or others may require help facing past fears.   Some of these issues can be rectified with basic counseling and coping, while others may need addressed via medication to better balance neuro-transmitters.

Conclusion

Ultimately, mental disorders need to be seen in the same light as any physical disorder and not stigmatized or shunned as something necessarily dangerous, crazy or weird but understood as an ailment.  Individuals with mental disorders, suffer as much as those with physical ailments.  Those who suffer mentally should not be fearful to seek help due to labeling but should be encouraged to take a large stake in their mental health.

Please review AIHCP’s multiple mental health certification programs and see which one matches your academic and professional goals

 

AIHCP offers a wide variety of mental health certifications.  These certifications are for licensed and non licensed healthcare, pastoral and professional care givers.  While licensed and clinical professionals have more freedom in treatment than non clinical caregivers, the certifications can still help many in the non clinical field help individuals cope and find the help they need.   All of AIHCP’s mental health certifications can help non clinical professionals help individuals with non-pathological issues cope and deal with a wide variety of issues, as well as give a good foundation for clinical professionals.  Among the numerous programs offered by AIHCP, some of the most popular are Grief Counseling, Stress Management Consulting, Anger Management, Christian and Spiritual Counseling, Crisis Consulting and Clinical Hypnosis.

To review the full list of certifications, click here

Please review these programs and see which one matches your academic and professional goals as a clinical or non-clinical healthcare professional.  The programs are online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification.

Reference

Exploring Psychology. 11th Edition. Myers and Dewall (2019). Worth Publishers: Macmillan Learning. New York.

Additional Resources

“Understanding Psychological Disorders”. Ferguson, S. (2023). Healthline.  Please access here

“Mental Illness”. Mayo Clinic. (2022).  Please access here

“Mental Health Disorders”. Cleveland Clinic. (2022). Please access here

“A Comprehensive List of the Most Common Mental Health Disorders”. Brown, E. (2022). VeryWellHeatlh.  Please access here

Maslow and Human Love/Loss

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Fulfilled Need that Is Lost

Humanity in the fallen world has numerous needs to maintain existence.  Among the most basic needs are food and water.   Instinctively within human nature is a drive for to satisfy hunger and thirst, as well as drives to reproduce.  These are natural evolutionary forces that push the human person to exist and perpetuate the species.   In Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Maslow lists basic needs of existence as the base of all needs.  Following these needs are needs of safety and shelter.  Beyond that is a more complex social need of belonging and love.  Following this basic social need, is a mental need to perform and succeed in certain areas and talents that help manifest self esteem.   Still even beyond those accomplishments, there needs to be a self actualization of self that recognizes one has met one’s fullest potential.  Finally, after all these physical, social and mental accomplishments, one needs to find an existential or spiritual idea of meaning and tie that meaning into one’s life (Myers & Dewall, 2019, p. 351).  Hence humanity has many needs to find completeness .

One of Maslow’s needs is social fulfillment, When death happens, this need becomes unmet and leads to the grieving process

 

When these basic needs are denied or removed, one can experience a sense of loss.  Human loss is more than merely losing a loved one but is an assortment of losses that range from the everyday minor issues to other losses that include home, shelter, job, career, relationships, or lack of success.  Some of these loses are losses related to physical events, while other losses are more abstract, ambiguous or anticipated (Kastenbaum & Moreman. 2018, p. 374-375).

Attachment is key to any type of loss.  John Bowlby observed that the greater the attachment to something, the greater the loss reaction (Kastenbaum & Moreman, 2018, p. 378).  Hence grief is a simple formula of losing a vital attachment and learning to adjust without it.  The problem is the adjustment.  Especially when one considers the core of human needs includes love, being loved and belonging.  When someone is ripped away from another, these needs are now unfulfilled and lead to an adjustment period referred to as the bereavement period.  Ironically, there is no true period of grieving but a life long reaction to adjustment of the absence of that love.  Some proceed through the adjustment period without pathology, while others are able to better cope.

Kubler Ross gave various stages to the adjustment of loss.  Denial, anger, sadness, negotiating and acceptance became the 5 classic steps to grieving ( Kastenbaum & Moreman. 2018, p. 380). However, while these emotions clearly are part of the grieving process, one cannot neatly place grief into stages.  Grief instead is messy.  Grief oscillates from extremes and reverts back and forth between different emotions. (Bonano, G. 2019, p.40).  Ultimately, the person must perform the needed grief work to adjust to the new status.  The person must search for meaning in the loss (Wolfelt, A.

This is why Robert Neimeyer’s work on Meaning Reconstruction is so key to overall healing.  Neimeyer looks to connect past, present and future, pre-loss and post-loss into one story of a person’s life.  The loss must be incorporated into the full narrative of the human person (Worden, J. 2009, p. 5-6).   This incorporates the loss more fully into the person’s existence and finds meaning in the loss itself.  It also helps the individual realize that while the loss and absence of love physically exists, the continued bond in memory and in life itself still exists.  The love that was shared is a part of one’s life and continues to shape oneself.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs clearly illustrates the necessity of love, being loved and belonging, but when these things are torn away through loss, a serious grief reaction occurs and individuals need to understand how to cope and incorporate loss into life.

Motivation to Find the Beloved

In psychological studies, the person is driven by motivation.  Motivation is defined as “need or desire that energizes and directs behavior” (Myers & Dewall. 2019, p. 349).  In addition to genetic and evolutionary drives, one is also driven to certain goods via an arousal of the psychological state that looks to decrease that desire through obtaining or fulfilling it.  This is referred to as Drive-Reduction Theory (Myers and Dewall. 2019, p. 349).

There is a continued drive to remained connected with the deceased

 

The need and drive finding the beloved after loss is definitely a natural and evolutionary urge.  The process of bereavement helps the individual react and adjust through a series of emotions to understand the loss itself.  This can be difficult at first to rationally understand, since emotionally charged events are first deciphered through Amygdala.  This short road is far more emotional and reactionary to an initial loss (Myers and Dewall. 2019, p. 370).   Charged emotions respond to this drive to find the lost or deceased person.  This is why denial is so common when a horrible event occurs.

Emotion plays a large role in one’s appetites and how one is pushed towards or pulled away from an object.  According to Myers and Dewall, emotion itself is the response of the whole organism from physiological arousal, expressive behaviors and conscious experience (2019, p. 369).  Within the list of emotions, many scientists differ what are the core base emotions, but most concede that anger, fear, disgust, sadness and happiness are the basic human emotions (Myers and Dewall. 2019, p.369). Others also include interest, shame, guilt, as well as pride and love (Myers and Dewall. 2019, p. 369).

Obvious sadness is a key emotion related to loss.  The desire to return to a normal state of existence and the inability to do so frustrates the will and the absence of the beloved causes intense sadness.  Sadness as an emotion helps readjust but it also is beneficial as a social key in illustrating to others a sign of distress.  Due to various cues of facial expressions one can infer another person is struggling (Bonano, G. 2019, p. 31).   So while the bereaved is motivated internally and naturally to find the deceased, the function of sadness helps the person find adjustment and understanding overtime of the loss.

The drive to continue the bond with the deceased is not pathological, as past Freudian views pointed out ( Kastenbaum & Moreman. 2018, p. 379).  Instead it healthy to continue the bond through spiritual practice or memorialization.  Successful grieving in fact involves this continuation of the bond (Bonano, G. (2019, p. 140).   However, there are limits to healthy continuation of the bond and pathological.  Healthy coping will continue the bond in a non maladaptive way that accepts the loss and permits everyday existence but unhealthy bonding can be illustrated in cases such as clinging to possessions of the deceased (Bonano, G. 2019, p. 141).   This clinging is far different than keeping a few objects, but this pathological reaction involves extreme hoarding of past possessions and refusal to move forward.  In fact, in some cases, the room is left perfectly as was prior to the death (Bonano, G. 2019. p.140).

Hence one can understand the extreme motivational drive and need to maintain a bond with the deceased even after the death has occurred.  It is a healthy drive but one that needs moderated.

Conclusion

Psychological needs to love, be loved, belong and maintain those bonds is a key drive within the human person.  When these things are frustrated, the drive continues to push forward in the process of bereavement.  Overtime, this drive adjusts but it takes time to adjust to loss.

Emotions are key to expressing ourselves. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification

 

 

Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.  The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Grief Counseling.

References

“Exploring Psychology” 11th Edition. Myers, D & Dewall, N. (2019). Worth Publishers: Macmillan Learning, NY

“Other Side of Sadness”. Bonano, G. (2019). Basic Books, NY.

“Death, Society and Human Experience” 12th Edition. Kastenbaum, R. & Moreman, C. (2018). Routledge, NY and London.

“Understanding Your Grief” 2nd Edition.  Wolfelt, A.  (2021). Companion, Fort Collins, CO.

“Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy”. 4th Edition. Worden, J. (2009). Springer Publishing Company, NY

Additional Resources

“Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs”. Mcleod, S. (2023). Simply Psychology. Access here

“The Value of Sadness”. Firestone, L. (2015). Psychology Today.  Access here

“What is Attachment Theory? Bowlby’s 4 Stages Explained”. Ackerman, C. (2018). PositivePsychology.com. Access here

“16 Tips for Continuing Bonds with People We’ve Lost”. Williams, L.  (2014). What’s Your Grief?  Access here

 

 

 

Memory and Grief

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Memory

As sentient beings, the human person is composed of past and present events that construe identity.  Without a process to recall who one was, then one loses the sense of self.  While metaphysically, the wholeness of the individual still exists, the physiological ability to recount past events due to dementia or brain damage can play a detriment to the past self.  The process of retaining the past and what has been learned is referred to as memory.

Emotion, grief and loss are powerful agents in memory. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification

 

Memory is critical to existence of any organism.  The memories can be explicit or implicit.  Both are extremely important.   Explicit memories refer to one’s conscious memories that are retrieved with effort.  They include semantic and episodic events.  Semantic refers to factual knowledge, while episodic refers to events.   The implicit memory is automatic and can recall more primitive and conditioned responses without effort to recall.  These include space and time, motor and cognitive skills and natural reactions learned from classical conditioning.   Explicit memories are short term stored in the Hippocampus and long term stored in the cortex, while implicit memories are stored in the more primitive areas of the brain in the Cerebellum and Basal ganglia. These types of memories permit one to live day to day knowing one’s conscious past self as well one’s automatic responses and skills that are imbedded within one’s subconscious.

When an event occurs, our senses interpret the data and the brain encodes, stores and when needed later, retrieves.   The neurons in the brain form various interconnections and physiologically capture the abstract thought.  In this amazing transfer of abstract to material, memories are kept.    Some information is stored temporary in short term memory but more important life events are stored in long term memory.  Obviously, the more important the event, the more long lasting the memory.  In fact, in intense, traumatic, or critically important moments, the emotional part of the brain and the Amygdala reacts to an event.  The body produces more glucose for better brain activity and the event and subsequent memory has a far strong imprint upon the person.

In the case of severe trauma, a smaller percentage of the population is unable to store the memory properly and it becomes fragmented and unable to store to the point where it is not properly integrated first with the Hippocampus and then later with the cortex hence resulting in PTSD.  The fragmented memory hence becomes a haunting event that is triggered via sound, scent and place and can manifest in flash backs or nightmares and night terrors.

Memory and Loss

Obviously, some of the most intense memories are loss.  When someone a loved one passes away, the vivid nature of the memory is more strong due to the emotional connection and the reaction of the Amygdala to the situation.  This leaves a very vivid memory.   One can relate to the most detailed accounts of an emotional event, to the event itself, but also side details of the what one felt at the moment, the surrounding environment and people present, while other past memories not emotionally charged or almost completely forgotten and if remembered only in a foggy way.  The emotion involved in losing someone charges the brain so much that the memory remains very strong.  In fact, the neural networking between neurons is much stronger in an emotional memory.

This is good and “bad”.  It is good because it is a critical moment in one’s life but it is “bad” because it causes more pain when retrieving it.  Obviously, I put “bad” in quotations only because of the distress associated with the retrieval but very few would ever trade an emotional memory of such critical importance no matter how sad.  Hence when recovering from a loss, the memory remains vivid and strong and can be retrieved consciously but also through automatic functioning via scent, sound or place.   In many ways, the brain does not wish to forget the event and this is why the more intense the attachment, the more intense the loss reaction.  The brain clearly understands love and attachment and it holds very dear the memory of that attachment and has evolutionary designs to ensure the connection beyond the event.

The Amygdala signals emotional reaction associated with a loss hence creating a stronger imprint on the brain’s memory of the loss. This is why the memory remains strong and with someone going through grief and loss

 

While some memories may hurt, many during the grieving process fear the loss of these memories.  While memories of loss are painful, they connect one to the lost loved one.  The fear of losing those memories is like losing the person again.  Sometimes, individuals will fear even losing the memory of loved one’s face, smile or voice.  Fortunately, the strong neural networking for important events allows one to hold tight to the treasured memories of a loved one.  Even after reconsolidation, when memory is retrieved and reviewed again with the possibility of altering before being stored again, is less likely in a intense traumatic or eventful memory.

While memory is still not perfect due to injury, or forgetfulness over time, many individuals who lose a loved one are encouraged to memorialize the loss.  This is not only critical in acknowleding the loss and also celebrating the relationship in a healthy coping way, but it also permits one to submit additional records beyond one’s memory.  A written log in a journal, pictures, or a tribute of some type all strengthen memory of the deceased and ensure a written record of one’s loss.

In addition, sleep and dreams at a subconscious level maintain memory.  During sleep many things are encoded into the longer term memory.  In dreams, information is processed but also neural networks are strengthened.  Unfortunately, traumatic events are also relived albeit in symbolic form.  The loss of a loved one is remembered in dreams as the brain recollects the emotional event. While most dreams of a deceased loved one are merely the working of the brain while one sleeps, many contend that in dreams the loved one comes to them in a spiritual way due to the subconscious state of the mind.  Many religious and spiritual views contend that dreaming is not only remembering but also a way the deceased can communicate.  While empirically this is not possible to test, those of faith maintain these experiences.   Science in this case cannot negate or confirm, hence one is left to faith and one’s own subjective experience and belief.

Conclusion

Memories are critical to self.  The most important memories and life events are fortunately emotionally charged and hard to forget.  This plays a major role in how one processes grief and learns to adjust to the loss itself.

Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals

 

Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.  The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Grief Counseling.

Reference

“Exploring Psychology”.  Myers and DeWall. (2019).  Worth Publishers, New York.

Additional Resources

“Healing Your Brain After Loss: How Grief Rewires the Brain”. (2021) The American Brain Foundation.  Access here

“What Does Grief Do to Your Brain?”. Pedersen, T. (2022). Psychology Today.  Access here

“GOOD GRIEF: HOW MOURNING CAN AFFECT YOUR MEMORY”. Lundstrom, J.  SimpleSmartScience. Access here

“Emotions Can Affect Your Memory — Here’s Why and How to Handle It”. Swaim, E. (2022). Healthline. Access here

Mental Health Stigma

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

When someone is physically ill with symptoms one goes to one’s physician.   When someone is sick or ill, others do not consider it a handicap.  If one has diabetes, they do not discriminate or spread gossip in a negative way.  Yet, the moment someone has a mental health issue, various nicknames or prejudices emerge that the person is weak or even worst crazy.  Society has laid a stigma upon the idea of mental health as not a legitimate health issue and makes individuals ashamed of their condition or and feel foolish to seek help.

One can see it in social norms that demand men should never cry, or one should get tougher when it gets life gets rough.  No wonder there is a mental illness crisis in the United States with numerous mentally ill not receiving care and some even resorting to suicide or mass shootings.  While those who engage in anti social behavior are of the most smallest percentage of those facing mental issues, there are millions who suffer from unresolved trauma, depression, bi-polar, anxiety, ADHD, OCD and a host of other conditions.  If individuals would treat their mental health as their physical health, many would lead far more happier and productive lives.

Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification as well as AIHCP’s other multiple mental health certifications in Anger Management, Stress Management, Crisis Intervention and Substance Abuse Practitioner.   The programs are online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in any of the above programs.

Negative Coping

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Negative coping can make grief worse than it is.  It can lead to later complications.  It is hence important to do grief work.  It is important to acknowledge the loss and work with it.  This may involve some bad days but it is working towards an adjustment of living without something or someone.  By avoiding the loss, or doing more uninhibited activities, or taking pills or drugs, one is ignoring the loss and problem.

Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.  The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Grief Counseling

Attachment Disorder Video

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Human bonds are very important since human beings are social.  When bonds are not formed properly in early childhood, the effects on the personality of an individual can be devastating.   Individuals can have difficulty forming healthy and trusting relationships with other individuals.  It can affect relationships and other social bonds with friends and family.

Some individuals may have inhibited or uninhibited attachment disorders which avoid intimacy or form superficial and fake relationships without substance.  Some may exhibit more avoidance while others may display an extreme anxiety with others.  This has tremendous affects on loss and grief as well because it forms complications when a person passes away.

The video below discusses the topic of attachment disorders in greater detail.  In the meantime, please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals.  The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Grief Counseling.

Please review the video below

LGBTQ Diversity and Grief Video

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Different minority groups share different social traumas and collective grief.  The LGBTQ community is no different in experiencing its own pain and suffering in the world.  The collective grief that is shared within the community when a night club is shot up not only resonates within their community but also causes trauma and fears of other hate crimes that can be perpetrated against them.

Individually, they face uphill battles within their families, churches and communities.  Many are discriminated against by family members or potential jobs.  Some lose parents or siblings over their identity.  Others face issues within their faith as moral questions take central stage.  Along with marriage rights and civil rights, the grief of having an alternative life style can be over bearing.

Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Diversity Certification.  The program is a sub certification for those already certified as Grief Counselors.  The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals looking to better meet the diverse grief experienced by minority groups.

Grief on the Brain

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Grief effects the whole entirety of the human person.  The emotional aftershocks of a loss are so emotionally devastating that the after shocks rock the brain and in turn physically rattle the body.  Individuals who lose a person they loved hence experience a total reckoning as the body looks to readjust and recalibrate to the loss itself.  When this occurs, the brain itself is rewiring itself with neuro pathways to associate with the loss and initial unprocessed and raw feelings.  These raw feelings  surge from the amygdala and trigger a variety of neurochemicals within the brain that deal with the loss and pain of someone dying.

Grief and loss have a staggering effect on the brain. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification

 

Like stress, the flight or fight response is activated which increases the heart rate, raises blood pressure and produces cortisol to deal with the stressful and painful trauma of losing someone.  This of course gives more free reign to the amygdala over the reasoning area of the pre-frontal cortex.  This is what leads to more emotional outbursts, less reason, less memory, and less concentration itself.  In reality, the brain and its entirety of parts is in some way responding to the loss itself.

The article, “How does grief affect the brain?” by Joe Phelan looks at the many issues associated with the brain’s reactions to loss and the after effects upon the human body.  The article is strongly based off Lisa Shulman, a Neurologist who studied extensively the effects of grief on the brain.  According to Shulman,

“The amygdala [the brain’s center for emotions], deep inside the primitive part of the brain, is always on the lookout for threats,” Shulman said. “When triggered, it sets off a cascade of events that put the entire body on high alert — the heart speeds up, breathing rate increases and blood circulation is increased to the muscles to prepare to fight or flee.”

“How does grief affect the brain?”. Joe Phelan. January 8th, 2023. Live Science

To read the entire article, please click here

Grief Work

Helping the brain heal is what grief work is all about.  Grief work helps re-create new neuro pathways that can associate other connections with the deceased that are not only associated with the death itself.   The brain, evolutionary, will long the absence of a loved one.  This is critical for survival, so naturally it takes time to create new neuro pathways that are beyond simply mourning and trying to find the one who is no longer present.  The yearning is a direct result of this and until adaptation manifests and new neuro pathways with new experiences are paved, then one remains in deep grief.

Rewiring one’s neuro pathways in relationship to the loss involves grief work and reconstructive narratives of one’s life

 

When Pro-Longed Grief occurs or more severe grief due to trauma, complications can occur which can keep the brain trapped in acute grief.  The unprocessed and raw emotional pain, similar to memories and sensations in PTSD, are not processed into long term memory.  This can lead to longer grieving periods until the information and memory is properly processed, stored and new neuro pathways allow for different connections with the deceased.

It is hence a sad tragedy when grief literally kills one of a broken heart.  When things are not processed, adjustments not made, the constant chronic state of fight or flight can produce extra stress on the heart and blood pressure itself.

Reworking Neuro Pathways

Meaning reconstruction is key in helping rework neuro pathways in the brain that associate the loss in a new perspective but also allow memory to properly be processed within the brain.  This helps prevent intense emotion that oscillate with more frequency and intensity in the early stages of the brain from continuing to do so many months later.  Meaning reconstruction also helps create a new narrative regarding the deceased, re-establishing a new relationship not found in the temporal world.  It also helps connect the loss with the present and future, as if chapters within a book.  The past chapters of the person’s life and the deep connection with parent or spouse are still integral parts, but those relationships are adjusted and understood in new ways of the person’s next chapters.

Ways to begin to carve out new neuro pathways include journaling and memorializing.  Through these two grief works, one is able to remember and honor.  The words on paper can help the person adjust and the new memorials can help them cherish the past but also strengthen the bond in its new form.  Grief work is tough but throughout, the brain begins to form new connections and grief leaves its acute stage and enters into a far less disruptive force.

Does this mean the loss goes away?  The sense of loss never leaves.  The connection in the brain and memories can trigger intense emotion, but these triggers are natural and not pathological as in cases of PTSD or depression.  As long as love once existed, then the loss will always have meaning and tears can emerge at a moment’s notice.  This is not bad but is the result of an emotional scar of losing someone very dear and special.  It is to many individuals a sign of their undying love and reminder of the value of the person no longer present.

Conclusion

To understand more about how grief effects the brain, please review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Training

 

Grief has a profound effect on the soul, mind and body.  It takes time to adjust to it without ever truly healing. However, like all wounds, despite the scar, one heals.  Retraining the brain so one can again emotionally function is the aspect of grief work.  Adjustment is essential and new neuro pathways are key to that adjustment.  With so many false ideas about grief and myths regarding it, individuals can grasp in the chaos of loss longer than they need to.  Grief Counselors can help individuals suffering from the trauma of loss and help guide them through the difficult process.

Please also review The American Academy of Grief Counseling’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals.  The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Grief Counseling.

Bibliography

“How does grief affect the brain?”. Joe Phelan. January 8th, 2023. Live Science

Additional Resources

“How your brain copes with grief, and why it takes time to heal”. Berly McCoy. December 20th, 2021. NPR. Access here

“How grief rewires the brain and can affect health – and what to do about it”. Michael Merschel,  March 10th, 2021.  The American Heart Association. Access here

“What Does Grief Do to Your Brain?”. Traci Pedersen. May 6th, 2022. Psych Central.  Access here

“How Grief Changes the Brain”. Sophia Dembllng. August 18th, 2022. Psychology Today. Access here