Claire Smith in her book (Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief) argues that
"While many people experience anxiety for a variety of reasons — divorce, moving, illness, a genetic predisposition — the kind of anxiety that is brought on as result of losing someone close to you is its own breed. While grief anxiety maintains many of the same characteristics as generalized anxiety, there is an underlying situational cause. So when we can allow ourselves to grieve and truly explore the impact of the loss, we are better able to ease and manage the anxiety that accompanies it."
Do you think that there is a correlation between grief and other mental disorders? Do you think that anxiety could be considered the sixth step of grief or do you think that there is a different step entirely?
I would have thought anxiety would have been acknowledged as central to grief of all types because the loss of someone through death reminds us about our own finitude, and as Heidegger suggested, the angst about being finite is a part of the human condition and a fundamental driving force in human consciousness. Imagine if we lived forever: There would be no need to do anything today because we can always reach our goals in an infinite number of tomorrows.
That's a really interesting point of view.
I don't think this type of anxiety could be considered a mental disorder since as you rightly mention it forms a part of the grieving process, plus again as you say there is an underlying situation.
However, I do think that in cases where a child loses a parent at a young age, if the situation is not handled properly and the loss explained fully to the child this may lead to dysfunctional anxiety. This type of anxiety may in fact cause one to cling too tightly to relationships due to a deep-seated fear of loss (I have witnessed such anxiety in a family member).
I think that author is brilliant and makes some great points in the quote about holding to the grief and exploring it. Not surprisingly this seems counterintuitive since when we grieve the first thought is to flee rather than to sit with the grief.
Great post, extremely interesting topic too. Thanks for sharing 😁🤓