Grief and Grieving
When to Call a Health Professional
If you or someone you know develops complications of grief such as disturbing or suicidal thoughts, depression, or anxiety, get help.
Call911or other emergency services if:
- You think you cannot stop yourself from harming or killing yourself.
- You hear voices that frighten you, especially if the voices tell you to hurt yourself or other people.
- Someone who is grieving tries to harm himself or herself or someone else.
- Someone who is grieving threatens to hurt someone else or makes threats of suicide.
Call a health professional if:
- You feel hopeless and detached for more than a couple of weeks.
- You cannot stop yourself from thinking about death or suicide.
- You have a sudden change in your behavior that concerns you, such as drinking more alcohol than you normally do.
- You have been grieving longer than you think is good for you.
- Someone you know has symptoms of depression.
Who to See
Counseling is best done by a mental health professional with experience in grief counseling, such as a:
- Clinical social worker.
- Psychologist.
- Licensed professional counselor.
- Psychiatrist, who can prescribe medicine to control symptoms. Some psychiatrists also offer counseling.
Health professionals who can help you if you are having medical or mental health problems requiring medicine include:
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| Author: | Jeannette Curtis | Last Updated: November 12, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Sidney Zisook, MD - Psychiatry | |
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| Topic Contents | |
| Topic Overview | |
Health Tools  | |
| Cause | |
| Symptoms | |
| What Happens | |
| Treatment Overview | |
 | When to Call |
| Home Treatment | |
| Other Places To Get Help | |
| Related Information | |
| References | |
| Credits | |