Prolonged grief disorder classified as official diagnosis

The American Psychiatric Association will add prolonged grief disorder (PGD) to the newest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the primary resource among providers for diagnosing mental health issues. Emotional distress after a significant loss is common for most people, but individuals with PGD experience ongoing, debilitating grief that doesn't go away. Like many mental health issues, PGD can impact physical health as well, and is linked to increased risk for cancer, hypertension and other medical problems. Treatment for this "complicated grief" typically starts with psychotherapy, according to Yahoo News.