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grief

n. the anguish experienced after significant loss, usually the death of a beloved person. Grief is often distinguished from bereavement and mourning. Not all bereavements result in a strong grief response, and not all grief is given public expression (see disenfranchised grief). Grief often includes physiological distress, separation anxiety, confusion, yearning, obsessive dwelling on the past, and apprehension about the future. Intense grief can become life-threatening through disruption of the immune system, self-neglect, and suicidal thoughts. Grief may also take the form of regret for something lost, remorse for something done, or sorrow for a mishap to oneself.

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Psychology term of the day

December 7th 2024

family medicine

family medicine

the practice of treating a wide variety of illnesses and disorders in individuals and family members of all ages. Physicians now specializing in this area (called family practice doctors) must first undergo special training and become certified or board-eligible in family medicine in order to practice; such requirements did not apply until the 1970s. Family physicians trained before family medicine became a certifiable specialty are usually called general practitioners or GPs (labels sometimes also used by osteopaths). Both types of family physician are considered primary care providers.