Abstract
Despite 75 years of investigation, the concept of pathological grief remains tenuous and controversial. The author turns to the stories of two nineteenth century women, one real and the other fictitious, to examine the syndrome of grief gone awry. He concludes that pathological grief may be best viewed on a continuum of psychopathology, the expression of which depends upon the interaction between the personality of the patient, the nature of the lost relationship, and the circumstances of its loss.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Deutsch H: Absence of grief. Psychoanalytic Quarterly 6: 12–22, 1937.
Volkan V: Typical findings in pathological grief. Psychiatric Quarterly 44: 231–250, 1970.
Raphael B, Middleton W: What is pathologic grief? Psychiatric Annals 20: 304–307, 1990.
Middleton W, Moylan A, Raphael B, et al: An international perspective on bereavement related concepts. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 27, 457–463, 1993.
Freud S: Mourning and Melancholia (1917), in Complete Psychological Works, Standard Edition, Vol. 14, London, Hogarth Press, 1962.
Engel GL: Is grief a disease? Psychosomatic Medicine, 23: 18–22, 1961.
Bowlby J: Process of mourning. International Journal of Psychoanalysis 42: 14–25, 1961.
Clayton PJ, Herjanic M, Murphy GE, et al. Mourning and depression: their similarities and difference. Canadian Psychiatric Association Journal 19: 309–312, 1974.
Clayton PJ, Halikas JA, Maurice WL: The depression of widowhood. British Journal of Psychiatry 120: 71–78, 1972.
Horowitz MJ, Wilner N, Marmar C, et al: Pathological grief and the activation of latent self images. American Journal of Psychiatry 137: 1157–1162, 1980.
Parkes CM: Bereavement—A review. British Journal of Psychiatry 146: 11–17, 1985.
Jacobs S, Hansen F, Kasl S, et al: Anxiety disorders during acute bereavement: risk and risk factors. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 51: 269–274, 1990.
Prigerson HG, Frank E, Kasl SV, et al: Complicated grief and bereavement-related depression as distinct disorders: preliminary empirical validation in elderly bereaved spouses. American Journal of Psychiatry 152: 22–30, 1995.
Viederman M: Grief: normal and pathological variants. American Journal of Psychiatry 152: 1–4, 1995.
American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd ed. (rev), Washington, DC: Author, 1987.
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.) Washington, DC, Author, 1994.
Dickens C: Great Expectations. New York, Greenwich House, 1982.
Krupp GR: Identification as a defense against anxiety in coping with loss. International Journal of Psychoanalysis 46: 303–314, 1965.
Siggins LD: Mourning: a critical survey of the literature. International Journal of Psychoanalysis 47: 14–25, 1966.
Critchley M: The Miss Havisham Syndrome. History of Medicine 6: 2–6, 1969.
Tisdal EEP: Queen Victoria's Private Life. New York, The John Day Company, 1962.
Freud S: Psychoanalytic notes on an autobiographical account of a case of paranoia (1911), in Complete Psychological Works, Standard Edition, Vol. 12, London, Hogarth Press, 1962.
Ramchandani D: The hypomanic personality of Wilkins Micawber: A Dickensian case study. Psychiatric Quarterly 63, 245–249, 1992.
Wells CE: The hysterical personality and feminine character: a study of Scarlett O'Hara. Comprehensive Psychiatry 2: 353–359, 1976.
Smith MK: The melancholy hero—a link in the evolution of medical psychology. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 7: 174–179, 1973.
Manheim L: Dickens' fools and madmen. Dickens Studies Annual 73: 69–97, 1972.
Kernberg OF: Borderline conditions and pathological narcissism. New York, Aronson, 1975.
Hibbert C: Queen Victoria in her letters and journals. New York, Viking, 1985.
Thompson D: Queen Victoria—The woman, the monarchy, and the people. New York, Pantheon Books 1990.
Rynearson EK: Personal reflections: is grief pathologic? Psychiatric Annals 20: 294, 1990.
Volkan V, Showalter CR: Known object loss, disturbance in reality testing, and “regrief work” as a method of brief psychotherapy. Psychiatric Quarterly 42: 358–374, 1968.
Jacobs S, Kim K: Psychiatric complications of grief. Psychiatric Annals 20: 314–317, 1990.
Parkes CM: Bereavement and mental illness. British Journal of Medical Psychology 38: 1–26, 1965.
Lindemann E: Symptomatology and management of acute grief. American Journal of Psychiatry 101: 141–148, 1944.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ramchandani, D. Pathological grief: Two victorian case studies. Psych Quart 67, 75–84 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02244277
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02244277