Article April 13, 1992 Issue

Second Thought

Looking again at news and commentary

The New York Times

"New Studies Find Many Myths about Mourning"

"Some of the most widespread beliefs about mourning are largely myths, new scientific findings are showing. And researchers warn that these myths can increase the mourners' distress by holding them to false expectations of what is 'normal.' ...

"Elements of the prevailing wisdom that now seem more myth than fact include the idea that 'healthy' grieving includes a period of intense distress or depression shortly after the loss, that failure to have such feelings bodes poorly for psychological adjustment and that the mourner should get over the loss after a finite period of grieving....

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