| Most traumas, including the death of a spouse | | | | predictable, and controllable world. The |
| are potentially shattering experiences. These | | | | overwhelming emotions which result from such |
| events can disrupt the survivor's social, | | | | challenges often drive individuals into a |
| emotional, and cognitive worlds. Although | | | | state of cognitive business. They slip into a |
| there has been frequent mention in the | | | | cycle of ruminative thinking trying |
| literature that traumatic situations cause | | | | unsuccessfully to figure it all out. Based on |
| people to talk about their experiences most | | | | research, it is hypothesized that social |
| evidence has been anecdotal. When someone | | | | sharing helps to undermine this cognitive |
| within a social network dies, members of the | | | | business cycle. This leads to predict that |
| network are naturally drawn together. During | | | | emotional memories that were not shared would |
| the grieving period especially within the | | | | be associated with higher cognitive needs |
| first few days or weeks the survivors | | | | than emotional memories that were shared. |
| socially share their emotions and memories | | | | This function of social sharing is also very |
| with each other. | | | | relevant in the context of bereavement. |
| | | | |
| Many of the discussion topics surround the | | | | Experiencing the death of a spouse, often |
| individual who died, of course, but funerals | | | | shatters people's basic beliefs that they |
| and grieving rituals often include the social | | | | live in an orderly, understandable, and |
| sharing of other personal and family | | | | meaningful world. As a result, individuals |
| histories. Although researched conducted to | | | | frequently search for some meaning or try to |
| date has not found compelling evidence that | | | | make sense out of their negative experiences. |
| social sharing leads to emotional recovery, | | | | Finding meaning in the loss of spouse is |
| our data suggested that it may serve several | | | | thought to be one way for dealing with and |
| other important cognitive, psychological, and | | | | adjusting to the event. Through the use of |
| social functions. | | | | social sharing, people can contribute to give |
| | | | both the death itself and its consequences |
| Analysis and Recommendations for Steps to | | | | more sense and meaning. |
| Handle The Loss of a Spouse in the First | | | | |
| Year. The roles we have within our social | | | | References: |
| networks are not often discussed or clearly | | | | |
| defined. One of the ironies of having a | | | | Stroebe, W., Stroebe, M., Schut, H., Zech, |
| spouse die is that we openly discuss the | | | | E., & van den Bout, J. (1997, June). Must we |
| person, our feelings about him or her, and | | | | give sorrow words? Paper presented at the |
| become conscious of that person's influence | | | | Third International Conference on Grief and |
| on us. As far as it applies to bereavement, | | | | Bereavement in Contemporary Society, |
| the death of a loved one generally introduces | | | | Washington, DC. |
| chaos in people's personal universe, which | | | | |
| may end up in denial and in alteration of the | | | | Watson, D., & Pennebaker, J. W. (1989). |
| sense of reality. When bereaved individuals | | | | Health complaints, stress, and distress: |
| socially share the loss of a loved one, the | | | | Exploring the central role of negative |
| contribution helps to give both the death | | | | affectivity. Psychological Review, 2, |
| itself and its consequences more reality. | | | | 234-254. |
| | | | |
| A widow has to go through a lot when her | | | | Wortman, C. B., & Silver, R. C. (1989). The |
| spouse dies especially when she is very | | | | myths of coping with loss. Journal of |
| young. The death of spouse very often | | | | Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 57, |
| challenges our beliefs of a coherent, | | | | 349-357. |