Effects of a Parent's Death on an Adult Child
When a person loses his mother or father, he may experience a number of reactions. While many studies have been done regarding how children react to the death of a parent, adults can experience deep, emotional long-term effects as well. Helping an adult who has lost a parent is easier if you have a better understanding of what he is experiencing.
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Grief
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Even though most adults expect their parents to die at some point in their lives, the death of a parent can be a shocking and difficult experience. You may experience deep feelings of sadness, regret, helplessness and anger as a result of the grieving process. If a parent's death is unexpected, these feelings may be more pronounced and more intense. If you are grieving over a parent, be patient with yourself while going through the necessary emotional work.
Health Decline
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Many adults who lose parents show changes in food or alcohol consumption and pay less attention to their own health as they are pushing through the grieving process. Grieving adult children may gain or lose weight and could begin to neglect their personal hygiene. It is important to try to stay on track and stay healthy, even as you are trying to sort out your feelings. In most cases, those who lose a parent only experience a temporary decline in health.
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Relief
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Though it is more rare than the traditional shock and grief felt by most adults who lose parents, relief can be one of the strongest responses for children who were abused or had especially demanding or critical parents. For children who grew up in this type of environment, the death of a parent can bring a wave of relief and a sense of freedom that had not been possible while the parent was still alive.
Relationship Changes
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As an adult struggles to come to terms with the death of a parent, she will begin to analyze her life and start a process of reassessing her personal goals and motivations. These personal changes, combined with the general stress of grief, can have lasting effects on romantic relationships. Some relationships will grow stronger as a result of the death of a parent, while others may begin to erode as the adult redefines herself and experiences the wide range of emotions that come along with grief.
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References
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