PATHS OF GRIEF: CHALLENGES AND POSSIBILITIES OF ACCEPTANCE FROM THE PERSPECTIVES OF FREUD, PARKES, WORDEN AND NEIMEYER

Abstract

Grief represents a common human experience, characterized by profound emotional, cognitive, and social processes in response to the loss of a person or a valued concept. Objective: This study examined the challenges and opportunities for grief acceptance based on the perspectives of Freud, Parkes, Worden, and Neimeyer, taking into account theoretical frameworks and personal experiences. Methodology: The research employed a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive approach, using bibliographic review and thematic content analysis of books, scientific articles, and recent theses. Results: Freud views grief as a gradual process of detachment, essential for redirecting feelings to new bonds, distinguishing it from melancholia, which involves negative self-evaluation and remorse. Parkes, based on attachment theory, characterizes grief as a non-linear adaptation to loss, with potential for personal and spiritual growth. Worden proposes four fundamental tasks: accepting the loss, processing the pain, adapting to the absence, and maintaining symbolic bonds with the deceased. Neimeyer emphasizes the reinterpretation of meanings and life stories, integrating the loss into personal identity. Conclusion: The findings show that, although grief is a collective phenomenon, its experience is unique, encompassing loss, adjustment, and reinterpretation. Combining different theoretical approaches demonstrates that, beyond pain, grief can offer opportunities for learning, emotional strengthening, and maintenance of symbolic bonds.