The death of a spouse can be one of the most tragic experiences a person can go through. It can cause severe distress, emotional pain, and depression. But could it lead to the death of the widow or widower? Let’s understand the sad reality of the impact of widowhood.

What is the effect of widowhood?

The widowhood effect refers to the potential increase in the likelihood that a widow or widower will die of emotional anguish after the death of their beloved partner. This phenomenon is mostly seen in the elderly who have lost a husband or wife in the long term.

The death of a spouse can disrupt a marriage and affect the physical, emotional, and mental health of the surviving spouse. Because grief is a very personal experience, one person may grieve the loss of a spouse for years while others may grieve for a relatively shorter period. However, when someone’s grief becomes very intense, the person may die within a short time after losing their longtime partner.

The phenomenon of the widowhood effect has been widely observed by researchers and experts believe that the death of a spouse can actually increase the risk of death of the surviving partner. According to a 2013 study, “widows are associated with a 48% increased risk of death.”

The close association between mortality and widowhood reveals the importance of a person’s health and social support in determining the death of a widow or widower.

What causes the widowhood effect?

Why is a newly widowed person more likely to die? And to what extent are they at risk of dying themselves? Experts are still trying to figure out the exact reasons that might increase someone’s risk of death. However, it is thought that it may be a grief-related mechanism.

Here are some other possible reasons for the widowhood effect –

Lack of self-care by the surviving spouse when one spouse becomes ill or after their death

When one spouse becomes ill, the other spouse may also become ill while caring for their partner who is suffering
But how common is the effect of widowhood?
One 2008 study revealed that the effect of widowhood was observed during the first three months among 30-90% of older adults whose spouse had died. However, about 15% of elderly widows or widowers may experience death in the following months. The probability of dying was 66% higher in the first trimester.

Regardless, the phenomenon is not limited to just the elderly. The study adds: “The effect of widowhood has been found among men and women of all ages across the world.” The risk of widowhood’s impact can be increased in both bereaved men and women “for almost all causes, including various types of cancer, infections, and cardiovascular disease.”

Related: 11 Signs You Should Never Let Her Go

Negative effects of widowhood

Some common health issues may arise due to the occurrence of the widowhood effect in the grieving spouse, some of which are mentioned below:

Mental health issues
The grief and bereavement caused by the death of a spouse can seriously affect the mental health of a widow or widower and lead to various psychological conditions. Researchers have noted a close relationship between widowhood and mental health conditions.

One meta-analysis of mental disorders in widowhood says: “Widowers are at a high risk of developing common mental disorders.” Anticipating and coping with the death of a partner or spouse often leads to-

pressure
anxiety
depression
prolonged grief disorder (PGD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Insomnia or difficulty sleeping
cognitive decline
Fatigue, exhaustion, or low energy
The researchers believe that “the death of a partner has long-term mental health consequences, leading to significantly slower adjustment to widowhood.” However, the psychological effects may be different for men (widowers) and women (widowers).

Gender differences in the effect of widowhood are particularly evident in depressive symptoms. Men tend to become more depressed than women after the death of a spouse, as men typically lack a strong social support group to help them through their loss. But this does not necessarily mean that a woman does not experience severe depression after the death of a partner or husband.

Other studies have also shown that the effect of widowhood can also increase the risk of severe cognitive decline in cognitively healthy adults over the age of 50.

Broken heart syndrome
Mourning, trauma, and stress over the death of a loved one can all lead to possible broken heart syndrome. Also known as Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy or stress-induced cardiomyopathy, this is a heart condition caused by extreme emotional or physical stress.

Broken heart syndrome is a temporary condition of transient left ventricular dysfunction in which the shape of the heart’s primary pumping chamber changes, affecting the heart’s efficiency in pumping blood properly.

Researchers have found that “broken heart” syndrome is most often experienced by widowed women and men, although it is frequently misdiagnosed as an acute coronary syndrome. Other studies showed that although the marriage was not strongly associated with takotsubo syndrome, “divorce/separation or widowhood was associated with elevated odds” of broken heart syndrome.

While broken heart syndrome is not necessarily a cause of death for older adults experiencing the effect of widowhood, it is certainly a consequence of the grieving process and may influence mortality.

Changes in appetite and weight
Research indicates that widowhood can have a strong negative effect on eating behavior, dietary intake, and weight change in elderly widows or widowers. It was found that they were more likely –

eat less
all alone
Eat fewer homemade meals
Eat fewer snacks
Eat more commercial meals each week

Unfortunately, researchers note that widows enjoy eating fewer meals and smaller portions. As a result, they lost a significant amount of weight over a short period.

They experienced less satisfaction and satisfaction during meals due to less companionship when eating. “Widows were found to be at increased risk for weight loss. This may be due to a decrease in appetite and enjoyment of their meals,” the researchers explained.

The role of social support in the impact of widowhood

The death of a spouse can have a strong impact on the surviving partner’s social life. Studies show that levels of social engagement often change due to widowhood in later life. It can affect both formal social roles, such as religious engagements, meetings, or volunteer commitments, and informal social roles, such as social interactions with family and friends, whether in person, via phone calls, texts, etc.

The researchers note that the effect of widowhood can often lead to “higher levels of informal social involvement” as social participation often decreases before the death of a spouse due to health problems. It can increase dramatically after losing their partner due to the support of family, friends, and loved ones.

However, not everyone who experiences the effect of widowhood may want or have a change in their levels of social participation. This is why some seniors are at increased risk of loneliness after becoming a widow or widowers.

Widow and loneliness

The loss of a long-term partner can create an emotional void that is difficult to fill and can lead to feelings of emptiness and hopelessness. “After long-term marriages, these older adults experience feelings of loneliness, both at home and indoors, which often leads to depressive disorders,” the researchers explain.

Some elderly individuals experiencing the effect of widowhood may also deliberately withdraw and isolate themselves socially due to grief and emotional pain, leading to further symptoms of depression.

How social support can help

Strong social relationships can mitigate the negative effects of loneliness and stress associated with widowhood. According to a 2021 study, “Social engagement can improve the risk of death for widows by increasing physical, psychological, and social vitality, and even getting more social support during the social engagement.”

Staying active in a social group can help widows cope with the impact of widowhood. Social support, positive relationships, and social interactions can reduce symptoms of depression and make the grieving process smoother for widows or widowers.

How to survive the impact of widowhood

Losing a partner or spouse can feel like the end of the world. However, there are some steps you can take to come to terms with your loss, counteract the impact of widowhood and begin to heal.

If you are dealing with the loss of a partner, these steps can help you –

Accept your loss
Grief is a different experience for everyone and no matter how you deal with your grief and grieve the loss of a loved one – it’s okay. However, if you can, try to accept your reality and the fact that your spouse has moved to a better place.

Acknowledge your feelings instead of suppressing them. Being in denial or resisting the truth will only prolong the grieving process.

Understand that your life will be different
Your life will never be the same again and that’s the sad, hard truth. The life you had before your partner died no longer exists. And the more you try to cling to this life, the more difficult it will be for you.

Slowly learn to let go of the past and discover what your life could be like in the future, keeping the sweet memories of your husband in your heart. Instead of living in the past, explore how your life would be different now. Keep your focus on the future without dragging the past.

Ask for support
Talk to your loved ones about your thoughts and emotions. Communicate openly about the impact of your widowhood to trusted family members and friends. Do not isolate yourself and make sure you reach out.

If you feel like it, talk to a mental health professional or therapist to learn how you can adjust to your new life and move forward.

Practice self-care
Losing your spouse can be devastating in many ways. It can completely change the way you live your life and take care of yourself. But it is very important to take care of yourself and find healthy ways to fill the void in your life. Try to stay busy doing the things you love, pursuing interests, or volunteering to help those who need it.

move on

Moving on after losing your partner is never easy. But it is something we must eventually do. We each deal with grief in our unique way. So there is no specific time limit to overcome the effect of widowhood.

You just need to make sure to take care of your physical and mental health, stay in touch with your loved ones, and honor the memory of your late partner.