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intermediateprolonged grief disorderbereavementDSM-5-TR new diagnosisgrief vs depressiondifferential diagnosis
A 62-year-old woman presents 14 months after the death of her husband of 35 years. She reports intense yearning and longing for him that dominates her daily life, difficulty accepting that he is gone, emotional numbness, a feeling that life has no meaning without him, and avoidance of reminders that he has died. She has been unable to return to work, has withdrawn from her social network, and spends most days looking at his photographs and talking to his empty chair. She describes her grief as 'just as raw as the day he died' and cannot envision a future. Her adult children report that her functioning has not improved at all since the funeral.
Explanation
Prolonged grief disorder was added to the DSM-5-TR as a new diagnosis to capture bereavement responses that persist with disabling intensity beyond expected norms. The key diagnostic requirements include: death at least 12 months prior (6 months for children), persistent yearning/longing nearly every day, at least 3 of 8 additional grief-related symptoms, functional impairment, and a response that exceeds expected social, cultural, or religious norms.
Key Takeaway
Prolonged grief disorder is a DSM-5-TR diagnosis requiring persistent intense yearning at least 12 months after bereavement with functional impairment that exceeds culturally expected grief norms.