All About Prolonged Grief Disorder & How To Overcome it with CBT, Therapy & Counselling in Wolverhampton & West Midlands

What is Prolonged Grief Disorder?

Prolonged Grief Disorder is a mental health disorder consisting of a distinct set of symptoms following the death of a family member or close friend, which might otherwise be called bereavement.

People experiencing prolonged grief disorder are often preoccupied by grief and feelings of loss to the point of significant distress which impairs day-to-day functioning.

PGD is associated with a variety of symptoms including depression, emotional pain, emotional numbness, loneliness and problems managing interpersonal relationships.

Difficulty in accepting the loss is also common, which often results in ruminating about the death, a strong desire to be reunited with the departed, or a disbelief that the death even occurred.

Although most people will recognise the symptoms of prolonged grief disorder as being what most people would experience following the loss of a close friend or relative, it is classified as a mental disorder if it persists beyond a year and the symptoms occur on an almost daily basis.

Prolonged Grief Disorder Symptoms

According the the DSM, to be diagnosed with prolonged grief disorder the sufferer must have lost their loved one at least one year ago and experience the following two symptoms on a daily basis for at least the last month:

• Intense yearning for the deceased
• Preoccupied with thoughts of the deceased person

Additionally, sufferers must also have had at least three of the following symptoms daily during the last month:

• A feeling like part of oneself has died since the death (identity disruption)
• A feeling of disbelief about the death
• Avoiding being reminded that the person is dead
• Intense emotional pain such as anger, bitterness or sorrow
• Difficulty with social connection
• A lacl of interest and motibation in doing much
• Emotional numbness
• Feeling that life is meaningless
• Intense loneliness

Diagnosis of Prolonged Grief Disorder

Technically, only a psychiatrist can diagnose a prolonged grief disorder, but in the UK general practitioners have tended to diagnose mental health problems by using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

The DSM lists specific symptoms against a range of disorders and whenever a person meets this criteria, they are said to be suffering from that disorder.

Diagnostic procedures do NOT make use of medical testing (for example blood tests) in order to produce a diagnosis, but rather is an opinion based on the observation of certain behaviours in the person who is suffering.

Because of this lack of verifiable medical testing, diagnosis remains a controversial subject, particularly within the psychological community.

However, in the UK access to support services is often contingent on receiving a diagnosis, so in this sense, a formal diagnosis may be useful.

Getting a Mental Health Diagnosis

Please be aware that Tranceform Psychology do not diagnose mental health disorders.

Our psychological counselling services do not require you to have been formally diagnosed but should you wish to obtain a formal mental health diagnosis, then please contact your GP who can arrange it for you.

CBT for Prolonged Grief Disorder

If you’re committed to overcoming Prolonged Grief Disorder then we highly recommend following our Tranceformental CBT 10 session programme.

The Tranceformental programme is a highly successful & pragmatic course of CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) run over 10 sessions, that will teach you everything you need to know to understand the psychological aspects of your problem.

It can also help you to identify any unhelpful thinking styles or limiting beliefs that might be reinforcing the issue.

The programme is also available as an online self-help CBT programme. if you prefer not to consult a therapist directly.

CBT is an empirically supported approach used by mental health practitioners around the World.

Free Initial Consultations for Prolonged Grief Disorder

We offer all prospective clients a FREE initial consultation to discuss your Prolonged Grief Disorder prior to commencing any treatment plans.

The consultation is free and lasts around 50 minutes.

During this consultation we will discuss the various therapy options that are available to you and make a considered recommendation based on your individual personal circumstances.

Initial consultations are also available as part of our online therapy service.

At Tranceform Psychology we recognise the importance of the therapeutic relationship in helping people to bring about effective change, so its important to be able to ‘meet’ to discuss any therapy treatments BEFORE proceeding.

Our policy is to help people make a fully balanced & considered decision about undertaking work with us, including both the financial and personal implications.