DEATH AND GRIEF IN LOGOTHERAPY

Abstract

This article offers a reflective analysis of death and grief, understanding them as fundamental dimensions of human existence. Death, though inevitable, is often denied or silenced, associated with fragility and the interruption of life projects. This denial contributes to the weakening of the symbolic rituals that historically gave meaning to finitude, making the grieving process even more complex. Grief, in turn, is an expected emotional and psychological response to loss, but it can take on prolonged or dysfunctional forms when not properly addressed. Feelings such as fear, suffering, helplessness, and existential emptiness are common in this process and can lead to intense psychological distress or even serious illness. In this context, religiosity and spirituality are recognized as resources frequently used in coping with death, which can either foster a new meaning to loss or, in some cases, intensify suffering, depending on each individual's belief system. To further this discussion, this study adopts Logotherapy as its main theoretical framework, an existential approach founded by Viktor Frankl, which proposes the search for meaning as the central axis of human experience, even in the face of inevitable suffering. Logotherapy offers valuable assistance in understanding how the bereaved person can transform pain into an opportunity for growth and reconnection with existential values. The methodology adopted is qualitative in nature, based on a literature review, including classical and contemporary authors from the fields of Psychology. The main objective is to broaden the understanding of the meaning of death and grief from an existential perspective and contribute to the improvement of care practices, especially in Clinical and Hospital Psychology. By recognizing that talking about death is also talking about life, the article proposes a more humane, ethical, and sensitive perspective on issues involving finitude, suffering, and the possibility of meaning.