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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Grief causing physical symptoms
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
Grief causing physical symptoms
by kcossich, Apr 18, 2001 12:00AM
My father died very unexpectedly on Dec. 22 in his sleep. I had just given birth to my first child on Nov. 14. My father and I were very close and his death has devastated me. Soon after his death, I began having panic attacks, chest pain, etc. I have also developed a "fear of dying in my sleep" syndrome because he died that way. I have difficulty sleeping at night and have not had a restful night's sleep since he died. Went to a cardiologist who ruled out heart problems and was diagnosed with costochodritis, which is very painful. I am on Xanax for panic attacks/anxiety and also am now taking Celexa (just started 3 days ago) for depression, which I have just begun to experience). I tried Paxil for awhile, but my dr. believes it was causing the panic attacks, and sure enough, they have stopped since I weaned myself off of the Paxil. I am also seeing a grief counselor, which seems to help some. My question is twofold: can extreme grief cause the physical symptoms I have had (I've never had anxiety/depression/chronic pain before Dad's death) and my second question is: does Celexa have a high success rate? I think it is a fairly new anti-depressant, isn't it?
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Apr 24, 2001 12:00AM
, Apr 24, 2001 12:00AM
The first answer is yes...grief like this, especially sudden and unexpected death, represents not just grief,it represents also a traumatic experience. It will pass in time, especially if you keep up with the grief counselor.
Celexa is a very effective medication and has a high success rate, but its not the celexa that will heal you. It is only a temporary prop, soemthing to get rid of as quickly as you can.
Celexa is a very effective medication and has a high success rate, but its not the celexa that will heal you. It is only a temporary prop, soemthing to get rid of as quickly as you can.
kcossich
Before you feel the need to post to this next person and enlighten them with what you perceive to be your vast knowledge
on the subject, I caution you that I do global infrastructures for a living and hate when someone takes advantage of the transmission and Internet protocols set up for the world to enjoy. This forum was designed to help people in need from a TRAINED specialist. You are violating a sacred trust and I do not appreciate it. Keep it up and I will infiltrate your TCP/IP and cause you to never be able to log onto anything again.
DO NOT DESTROY THE INTENTIONS OF THIS SITE!
You can take any amount of drugs to try and relieve this, but in the final analysis only time will help heal your pain, and your anxiety...Forget the drugs, except maybe for pain...You need to take control of your life again, be forgiving of yourself, you are vulnerable and it is not your fault. Talk by all means if it helps...It is sad and devastating when someone close to us dies...mourn...then think of yourself, you have to go on, and you will....
In time, this illness will pass.
Ray