Currently there is a lively debate in psychiatric circles that questions whether loss of a loved one is truly depression or normal reaction. According to a recent Los Angeles Times article the debate is beginning to heat up as manuals are being created to help psychiatrist developed a consistent diagnosis for patients who are suffering from grief. Opponents of the concept of combining grief and depression as a single diagnosis say that pharmaceutical companies are behind the suggestion of widening the definition of grief to include a diagnosis of depression. With this diagnosis, medical doctors are armed with the basis to prescribed lucrative antidepressant medication. This would of course allow the pharmaceutical companies to broaden their net of suitable candidates for depression medication. The debate is likely to continue; however, most experts agree that patients should allow time to grieve after the loss of a loved one. Dr. Kim encounters patients who in some cases have lost a loved one and are considering plastic surgery as part of their approach to a new life without their loved one. Sometimes, outsiders can view this as using plastic surgery to overcome grief. For most patients this is not the case. Usually they have been through the grieving process and plastic surgery is an excellent way to draw the line and look optimistically towards the future. For many patients this includes facial rejuvenation procedures including facelift, brow lift, or blepharoplasty. Although losing a loved one is always painful focusing on feeling good and living a new life helps many patients to move on.
