The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of How We Learn from Love and Loss

by Mary-Frances O'Connor

Prolonged grief disorder is now included in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) produced by the World Health Organization. It was accepted as a diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR) produced by the American Psychiatric Association in 2022. Characteristic symptoms include intense yearning, or preoccupying thoughts of the deceased, on a daily basis. Among other symptoms, there is intense emotional pain, a feeling of disbelief or an inability to accept the loss, difficulty engaging in activities or making plans, and a feeling that part of oneself has been lost. These symptoms occur for at least six months (or for at least a year, in the DSM-5-TR), interfere with the ability to fulfill one’s job, school, or family responsibilities, and exceed what is expected in the person’s cultural or social context.