Bereavement

[jakstat33]

According to Kaplan's explanation of question #38, uncomplicated bereavement may last longer than 3 months in some cultures... pretty interesting stuff. Why would this change from culture to culture? And which cultures have longer bereavement periods?

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[daisygirl]

According to Kaplan's explanation of question #38, uncomplicated bereavement may last longer than 3 months in some cultures... pretty interesting stuff. Why would this change from culture to culture? And which cultures have longer bereavement periods?

This may not be a legitamate example, but here goes anyway. I grew up in a very 'old-school' italian neighborhood. I noticed at a young age that you would see many older italian women dressed in black everyday and all year long for years. I later found out that the reason for this was because their spouses had died, and many of these women dressed in all black until they died themselves. Also, I have a very good friend who dressed in all black for two years after the death of her mother.

 

[jakstat33]

Were they Catholic, and did they get this from the Vatican... or is it something that has "always been done" in the Italian culture? It seems that the Italian women are channeling their sadness into their physical appearance, but I think of bereavement as more of a psychological process. Do these Italian women also have mood changes to go along with dressing in black until they die? What is there mental state during this time?

Just curious, don't waste your time answering if you need to study Micro.

This may not be a legitamate example, but here goes anyway. I grew up in a very 'old-school' italian neighborhood. I noticed at a young age that you would see many older italian women dressed in black everyday and all year long for years. I later found out that the reason for this was because their spouses had died, and many of these women dressed in all black until they died themselves. Also, I have a very good friend who dressed in all black for two years after the death of her mother.

 

[daisygirl]

Were they Catholic, and did they get this from the Vatican... or is it something that has "always been done" in the Italian culture? It seems that the Italian women are channeling their sadness into their physical appearance, but I think of bereavement as more of a psychological process. Do these Italian women also have mood changes to go along with dressing in black until they die? What is there mental state during this time?

Just curious, don't waste your time answering if you need to study Micro.

After looking up the definition of bereavement....

The situation that I mentioned is a form of bereavement. To bereave yourself of something does not insinuate that it must be psychological. Also, this manner of dressing is not something that would be associated with catholocism- I'm catholic and my mixture of ethnicities (irish/english/austrian/etc since I'm a real mutt) does not practice this sort of bereavement. As far as the mental stuff, I have no clue except for what I know regarding my close friend. She was hit hard by the death of her mother. This particular girl was only 17-18 when she lost her mother. However, I don't believe that she was clinically depressed. Remember, I stated that this form of bereavement is quite common where I live.

Also, not all italians practice this manner of bereavement. I have a feeling (may be wrong) that this is a more common practice with sicilians- most of the italians in my neighborhood are sicilian.

uggghhh, I really will get back to studying now. It is not a good thing when people on SDN are reminding me that I should be studying .

 

[jakstat33]

This stuff is so much more interesting than anything I'm studying now

 

[daisygirl]

This stuff is so much more interesting than anything I'm studying now

I know. That is why I'm wasting precious time posting about this stuff. I find it nearly impossible to garner any sort of will so that I may go back to memorizing lots and lots of crap that I will forget tommorrow.