In the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), grief over the loss of a loved one is classified under Major Depression, which is considered a mental disorder. In his article found in the GeriPal website, Eric Widera expresses his disagreement to this notion.
Widera says that the behaviors and feelings associated with grief, such as sadness, changes in appetite and difficulty in sleeping, are nothing but “adaptive and healthy reaction to the loss of a loved one.”
Click here to read the article.