A recent study has highlighted the intense impact of grief on individuals, demonstrating that the sorrow following the death of a loved one can significantly increase the risk of death over a decade.
The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, was conducted by researchers at Aarhus University in Denmark and followed 1,735 bereaved relatives for 10 years, revealing alarming statistics tied to the intensity of grief experienced, CNN reported.
The researchers categorised participants into “low” and “high” grief symptom groups. Their findings showed that 26.5% of those with high grief symptoms — characterised by emotional numbness, feelings of meaninglessness, and identity confusion — died during the study period.
In contrast, only 7.3% of those experiencing milder grief symptoms passed away.
“High levels” of grief were defined as experiencing more than half of the nine identified symptoms, including emotional numbness, feelings of meaninglessness, difficulty accepting the loss, and confusion over one’s identity.
Participants completed questionnaires at the study’s outset, then again six months and three years after their bereavement, providing a detailed picture of their emotional state.
The study also observed increased interaction with the healthcare system among those with high grief symptoms, noting higher use of antidepressant medication, mental health services, and primary care.
“Those with a high grief trajectory seem to be a vulnerable group of relatives already before the death, with need for special attention,” Nielsen told CNN via email.
“(They) may need additional support. They may experience distress and have difficulties coping with the situation,” she said, pointing to previous studies that have highlighted low socioeconomic status, poor self-reported health, and higher symptoms of depression and anxiety as all contributing to overwhelming grief.
While this study didn’t specify causes of death, its findings align with existing research on how traumatic loss impacts physical health.
Cardiologist Sian Harding, professor emeritus of cardiac pharmacology at Imperial College London, who was not involved in the research, highlighted the study’s crucial “longitudinal perspective”.
She noted that while an acute effect of bereavement on heart health is well-known, this study demonstrates a prolonged, damaging impact that can manifest as heart disease and other ailments.
“It was not a particular surprise to me that this particular form of stress, while prolonged, has a damaging effect on the body. It can come out particularly as heart disease, but other things as well,” said Harding.
This prolonged stress from grief can lead to elevated blood pressure, increased cortisol levels, a higher risk of diabetes, and poor mental health.
The well-established “broken heart syndrome” — also called stress-induced cardiomyopathy or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy — a sudden weakening of the heart muscle, is a prime example of acute stress’s physical toll.
Findings from the latest study suggest that healthcare workers “may be able to discover distressed relatives early in the patient’s illness trajectory and offer follow-up,” said Nielsen.