"Man to Man" Grief Room Blog Spot

When Does Grief Become Depression? Is there a point at which grief morphs into clinical depression? Published on March 21, 2012 by Joseph Nowinski, Ph.D. in The New Grief 2 in Share Last week, NPR’s “Talk of the Nation” aired a show that explored the line between grief and depression . Although they are quite different, they look surprisingly alike. Panelist Dr. Michael Miller, editor of the  Harvard Mental Health Letter  and assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, said that with both grief and depression “People cry. They feel depressed. They’re having trouble sleeping . They may not have an appetite . They may not feel like doing anything. They may not take pleasure in anything.” Related Articles DSM-5 Controver...

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/bode-miller-breaks-down-over-brothers-death-in-olympics-interview-defends-reporter-against-backlash-2014172#comment-1248752693  I think we are still living in the Dark Ages when it comes to real men, i.e., Bode Miller, expressing their emotions in public, as was the case of Bode Miller, when he was being interviewed after his medal win. This story here uses the terms "Breaks down over Brother's death." While I did not see the whole interview, I suspect the same reporter may have asked him, "How are you holding up?" It just tells me, this reporter and maybe the larger society, can't handle it when a man shows anything but anger in public. There is nothing wrong with a man expressing emotion, feelings of grief and loss, after the death of a loved one. I don't think the interviewer went too far in asking the question. I object to the terminology used in the article. Men need to be able to g...

So you think you are ready to start dating again....Think again. Ask yourself a few simple questions.... There are a lot of questions and concerns you need to consider before you just go head long in dating/marriage.  I ask you to consider going through some pre-martial preparation from a licensed professional or a skilled clergy person before you get married.   It is likely the first serious dating relationship may be a "transitional figure" who you are not ready to bound with if you have not completed your grief work.  Another consider is it is likely that one or both of you have minor children or adult children. Go SLOW. One stat from the past stated that 50% of men who married in less than a year ended in divorce.  On the side, men live longer if they remarry. I am not saying there is anything wrong with remarrying, but first you need to work through your grief and mourning process.  A year and a half after the death of a spouse, 15% of ...

15 Things I Wish I’d Known About Grief Posted on November 21, 2013 by Teryn O'Brien   After a year of grief, I’ve learned a lot. I’ve also made some mistakes along the way. Today, I jotted down 15 things I wish I’d known about grief when I started my own process. I pass this onto anyone on the journey. 1. You will feel like the world has ended. I promise, it hasn’t. Life will go on, slowly. A new normal will come, slowly. 2. No matter how bad a day feels, it is only a day.  When you go to sleep crying, you will wake up to a new day. 3. Grief comes in waves. You might be okay one hour, not okay the next. Okay one day, not okay the next day. Okay one month, not okay the next. Learn to go with the flow of what your heart and mind are feeling. 4. It’s okay to cry. Do it often. But it’s okay to laugh, too. Don’t feel guilty for feeling positive emotions even when dealing with loss. 5. Take care of yourself, even if you don’t f...

Mesothelioma Cancer Emily Walsh, Community Outreach Director for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance. Mesothelioma Awareness Day asked me to pass this along on my blog,  "Did You Know" Source: Learn More: www.mesothelioma.com ?

Depending when you are coming upon this blog, I thought I should introduce an article on Anticipatory Grief .... Looking back on my own experience of caring for my late wife and working with hospice families I see anticipatory grief as hard work. If you are not too exhausted from the drain of emotions and the hands on care giving, the time after the terminal diagnosis and before the passing of your loved one can be a time of reflection and even an opportunity to gain new insights into your dying loved one and yourself.  I feel like it is a last chance to tell your dying loved the things that you may not have ever got around to saying to him or her.  I told myself and tell my hospice families not to be left with regrets.  As you are caring for your lived one look for "windows of opportunity" to speak with your loved one while they are still alert.  Remember even when they are non-responsive they can still hear you, because as you may have heard, "the hearing is the...

Brother David Steindl-Rast answers Dr. Ken Kramer's questions, "What do you to say to someone who is grieving?" and "How do YOU want to die?" From a 1990 interview at San Jose State University. Brother David is a Roman Catholic Benedictine monk and known for his web site Gratefulness.org  In this interview he reflects on grief and the importance of living and being aware of your purpose.   Tell me what you about this video.