Losing Loved Ones to Death (IN: Perspectives on Loss and Trauma: Assaults on the Self by J H Harvey)

Certain basic principles of loss phenomena are highlighted throughout the discussion of different topics related to loss. For death of close others, these principles are as follows: 1) our major losses are relative, 2) our major losses have cumulative effects, 3) when major losses occur, they contribute to new aspects of our identity, 4) major losses involve adaptations related to our sense of control, & 5) valuable coping strategies for dealing with major losses include working on the meanings of the losses & learning how to give back to others based on our lessons of loss.