Sudden, Traumatic Death of a

¶ … Sudden, Traumatic Death of a Family Member on Other Family Members Benasutti looks at the effects of sudden, traumatic death of a family member on the rest of the family, noting that under these circumstances the process of grief and bereavement is more complicated. She looks at the factors that make such an experience more difficult to cope with than the death of a loved one under less trying circumstances.

She notes that when a loved one dies in a sudden and traumatic way, the family is left in shock and chaos, and that such deaths present therapeutic difficulties. Because of the circumstances surrounding the death, she calls the family members "co-victims." Although those who have experienced the loss realize that others have suffered losses too, the circumstances of their loss sets their experiences somewhat apart from grief friends may have experienced. This can leave surviving families feeling quite alone.

The authors give examples, such as the widow of a minister who told his wife he was going to the park, but who instead jumped off a bridge to his death. She gives specific examples of the kind of extra obstacles such people have to overcome as they learn to come to grips with their grief and loss under complex circumstances. She notes that losing a loved one under such circumstances can be complicated by the beliefs others may hold.

For instance, friends may think that after a certain period of time a person should be "done grieving," but that sudden and traumatic loss takes longer to come to grips with. She emphasizes that grief is not a short, specific event, but a process with stages and something loved ones must work through.

The best conclusion for grief is to remember the lost loved one, to cope with the changes brought the family by his or her lost, and to find new ways to lead a fulfilling life after the loss. Imperio looks at steps medical doctors might take to help prevent suicide. The author notes that suicide is a major health issue in the United States, and that while 30,000 thousand successfully complete suicide every year in this country, another 650,000 people attempt it. Suicide is a serious public health issue.

Because of this, the Surgeon General, David Satcher has spoken out about the importance of identifying those at risk of suicide so effective interventions can be used, emphasizing that early detection is important. Imperio notes that while research has been done on identifying those With suicidal tendencies, less work has been done regarding what are the most effective treatment regimes of such people. Because of this, psychiatrists and therapists don't really know which therapies are most effective, or under what circumstances and with whom they should be used.

Until there is more empirical evidence, Imperio suggests that therapists and psychiatrists look closely at what they're doing with each patient or client to assess how well it is working. The author notes that some headway has been made with two specific disorders. People with bipolar disorder who take lithium long-term as a maintenance therapy are less likely to commit suicide, and clozapine has been shown to reduce.