How Is Important We Know About Loss ?

Now a days, many disasters are happened around us. Earthquakers, tornadoes, tsunami, high floods and others. Realize or not, it gave great impacts in our life, especially people who suffered it instantly. Those are a variety of life events as representing losses.

Loss is truly an issued that should be viewed from a bio-psychosocial perspective. A person experiences loss in the absence of an object, person, body part or function, or emotion that was formerly present. Loss occurs when something or someone can no longer be seen, felt, heard, known, or experienced.

In Fundamental of Nursing (1992), written that loss has decided in five categories :

1. Lost of External Object

Although the loss of external objects is not usually a prominent loss, the area of finances can be troublesome and stressful for some people. Loss of an external object involves any possession that is worn out, misplaced, stolen or ruined by disaster.
The extent of grieving a person feels for a lost object depends on its value, the sentiment the person attaches to it and the object’s usefulness.

2. Loss of a Know Environment

Loss through separation from a known environment may occur through maturational or situational circumstances and through injury or illness. The loneliness of an unfamiliar setting may threaten self-esteem and makes grieving more difficult.

3. Loss of a Significant Other

Significant other include parents, spouses, children, work associates, entertainment figure and also pets. The loss of the loved one may be total or partial. There may also be a loss of some special aspect of the person, even though the person is still physically present.
Loss occurs as a result of separation, moving, running away, promotion at work and death.

4. Loss of an Aspect of Self

The loss of an aspect of self may include a body part, physiological function, or psychological function.
“While other girls in my class were anticipating their first real kiss, I was worrying about whether my father was going to come into my bed that night.”
The woman who has been raped also suffers a number of losses.
A person not only experiences grief over the loss but may experience permanent changes in body image and self concept.

5. Loss of Life

Concern is often not about death it self but about pain and loss of control. Although most people are afraid of and anxious about death, the same issues will not be equally important to each person. Each person respons differently to death.
The type of loss is significant to the grieving process. We need to recognize that each person’s interpretation of a loss is highly individualized.

In a religious book, there are good suggestion which could be followed :

• When you felt afraid of lossing something, try to imagine the worse things that could be happened. Than, prepare your self receiving any risks with good preparation. If you did it, you will feel saved your self from bad suffered feelings.
• Love someone as the way he/she is, not too much. Cause someday you will hate him/her. And hate someone not too much, someday you could love him/her.
• The more we understand what loss is, the better we will make decision for our strides in this beautiful life.
  

References :

1. Potter, A. Patricia. Anne G. Perry (1992). Fundamental of Nursing: concepts, process & practise. Missiouri: Mosby-Year book Inc.
2. Shapiro, C. Hoenk. (1993). When Part of The Self is Lost : helping clients heal after sexual and reproductive losses. The Jossey-Bass health series.
3. Al-Qorni, ‘Aidh Abdullah, DR., Ma. (2004). Don’t Be Sad : Cara Hidup Positif Tanpa Pernah Sedih & Frustasi. Maghfirah Pustaka: Jakarta.