Grief and Bereavement
- Life and Death in Context
- On Words and Their Meaning
- Living with Dying
- Feeling
- Deciding
- Doing
- Moving Through the Stages of Grief
- Opening the Floodgates
- Helping Myself
- Helping Others
- Bringing Good Out of Our Pain
- Resources
- For More Information
- Web Links
- Synonyms and Keywords
- References
- Authors and Editors
Life and Death in Context
There is an appointed time for everything, and there is a time for every event.
Whatever our beliefs may or may not be as to a specific "appointed time," each of us knows the inherent truth of the well-known Bible verse. One day, death comes to us and to everyone we love.
Mere knowledge of this inevitability does not lessen our suffering. Poet Maya Angelou wrote, "I answer the heroic question, 'Death, where is thy sting?' with 'It is here in my heart and mind and memories'"—a reflection that death takes from us the physical presence of people who are precious, with effects that often bring piercing pain and indescribable depression.
Although the walk through the valley of the shadow of death is the toughest part of life for the human spirit to endure, most of us move beyond the shadows and once again enjoy the sunlight. Let us gather insight into some of the feelings and experiences you may have in your walk through this valley of shadows, and let us offer hope that sorrow will not be your constant companion for the rest of your years.
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Grief and Bereavement
Stress Overview
Everyone is familiar with stress. We experience it in varying forms and degrees every day. In small doses, stress can actually be beneficial to us. It is only when the stress becomes too great, affecting our physical or mental functioning, that it becomes a problem.
- In small doses, stressors can help give us increased energy and alertness, even helping to keep us focused on the problem at hand. This type of stress is good. People may refer to the experience of this type of stress as feeling "pumped" or "wired."
- As the level of pressure gets too great, stress eventually surpasses our ability to cope with it in a positive way. Often, people describe themselves as being stressed out, burned out, or at wits end. At this point, it is important to find positive and productive ways to deal with the stress and, more importantly, to address the person or situation that is causing the stress.
- Everyone reacts to stress diffe...
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Grief Support in the ED »
A worried father is brought to a private waiting area.
