A ‘broken heart syndrome’ can have damaging health effects on those who lose those their loved ones. According to Dr. Sunil Shah, who helped lead the research at St George’s, University of London, the devastation felt by a surviving partner can make them overlook their own health issues.
“There is
evidence, from other studies, that the bereavement and grief lead to a range of
adverse physiological responses including changes in blood clotting, blood
pressure, stress hormone levels and heart rate control,” said Dr. Shah.
According to
cardiologists, emotions such as sadness, anger, and fear can trigger the
release of stress hormones such as adrenaline and in access, this can
temporarily ‘stun’ the heart muscle.
When you have
grown to become so attached to a loved one, it can rip you apart and make you
feel defeated when the person you cherish so much is suddenly taken away.
Undoubtedly, grief is a natural response to loss. The more significant the
loss, the more intense the grief will be.
From my own personal experience, this ‘broken heart syndrome’ is so true for when I lost my wife so suddenly, I sank into months of situational depression that led me to battle insomnia for a whole year. It was only my faith in God that helped me survive this extremely painful period in my life which pushed me to seek help from a psychologist.
This ‘broken
heart syndrome’ was clearly felt by Debbie Reynolds when she struggled to come
to terms with the passing of her daughter.
84-year-old Debbie Reynolds died on Wednesday night, 28th December 2016, shortly after her daughter, Carrie Fisher suffered a fatal heart attack.
Both Reynolds
and Fisher were extremely talented in their own ways. Though Fisher struggled
for years with a bipolar disorder, the author of Postcards from the edge
did not allow her condition to pull her down. Instead, she educated the
public about the condition as if she were on a mission – and went on to become
a dynamic mental health advocate, earning the respect of millions all over the
world.
Reynolds
contributed so much to the entertainment industry both as a gifted actress and
singer. She was Hollywood’s royalty, leaving a long and glittery
legacy in the cinema. Her talent shone brightly: She could dance, sing, act and
stomp her way through decades with musical hits such as Tammy and the
Bachelor and The Unsinkable Molly Brown, for which she
scored an Oscar nomination.
Many
world-famous singers like Jim Reeves, Engelbert Humperdinck have recorded the
popular song Am I that easy to forget, but to me, the best rendition was
done by Debbie Reynolds, a tune I listen to almost every day of the week.
I have every confidence that if copies of her song are reproduced, it
will sell like hot cakes as Reynolds was everybody’s darling.
In the words
sung so beautiful by the late Nat King Cole’s smash hit Unforgettable,
Debbie Reynolds, both you and your daughter Carrie Fisher will remain
unforgettable and live in our hearts forever – not just for your creativity and
talent, but for teaching us the virtue of giving love to one another I such an
immaculate manner. For the strong bond between mother and daughter are
virtues which we can all learn from and emulate. Their passing certainly
reminds us to stay closely knit as a family.
For those who
grief, support from the community can play an important role in helping the
bereaved cope with loneliness and despair so that they can ride out of the
storm.
Often those
who experience pain and suffering will be in a better position to show empathy
to others in a similar condition. One elderly lady who was singled out by
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his 2017 New Year message for rendering
support to those who grief is Mrs. Satyabhama Karunakaran who, after losing her
husband through a heart attack, has gone on to undertake volunteer work in
lending senior citizens some strength and a listening year as described in The
Straits Time report Times (“PM Lee lauds everyday heroes in New Year message”,
Sunday, January 1, 2017).
Yes, let’s
embrace the virtue of kindness, and take the cue from what popular TV
host, comedian and actress Ellen DeGeneres advice when she ends her TV show: “Be
kind to one another”.
RAYMOND ANTHONY FERNANDO
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