Mental Process
bereavement Audio
be·reavement [ bih-reev-muh nt ]
Subclass of:
Emotions
Also called:
Grief
Definitions related to bereavement:
  • Bereavement is the period of grief and mourning after a death. When you grieve, it's part of the normal process of reacting to a loss. You may experience grief as a mental, physical, social or emotional reaction. Mental reactions can include anger, guilt, anxiety, sadness and despair. Physical reactions can include sleeping problems, changes in appetite, physical problems or illness. How long bereavement lasts can depend on how close you were to the person who died, if the person's death was expected and other factors. Friends, family and faith may be sources of support. Grief counseling or grief therapy is also helpful to some people. NIH: National Cancer Institute
    MedlinePlus
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
  • Feeling of grief or desolation, especially at the death or loss of a loved one.
    Sadock's Comprehensive Glossary of Psychiatry and Psychology
    BJ Sadock Titles Press, 2012
  • Process of grieving and mourning; associated with a deep sense of loss and sadness.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
  • Refers to the whole process of grieving and mourning and is associated with a deep sense of loss and sadness.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
  • The period of grief and mourning after a death.
    Harvard Dictionary of Health Terms
    Harvard Medical Publishing, 2011
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