The loss of a life partner is one of the most drastic events in a person’s life, and what many people don’t realise is that the suffering of the bereaved is not only emotional.
The death of a partner can also make you physically ill – in the worst case, it can even be fatal. When people die in quick succession after one of them has lost the other, this is often due to the so-called “widowhood” effect.
Prominent examples of a worldwide phenomenon
The list of prominent partners who died in quick succession is long. Country legend Johnny Cash followed his wife June Carter just four months after her death. More recent is the case of former US President George H. W. Bush and his wife Barbara, who both died in 2018.
But the phenomenon does not only affect celebrities. In the general population, too, doctors and psychologists have been observing for decades that people die shortly after the death of their partner.
“The loss of a partner has been shown to be associated with an increased incidence of illness, more frequent hospitalisation and increased mortality in the survivor. Particularly due to cardiovascular diseases,” explained Claus Vögele, Professor of Clinical Psychology and Health Psychology at the University of Luxembourg.
The reason lies in the body’s long-lasting stress reactions. These are accompanied by the increased release of stress hormones, which over time overstrain the cardiovascular system and weaken the body’s immune functions.
At the same time, there are psychological factors: prolonged grief, feelings of hopelessness and possibly depression, which in turn can trigger changes on a physical level. “If these reactions persist after the loss of a partner or spouse, we talk about the widowhood effect,” said Vögele.
The term is often confused with broken heart syndrome. Te later generally refers to a heart muscle disease that is triggered by extreme emotional or physical stress. The widowhood effect is a more specific term: in this case, it is the loss of a partner that acts as a triggering situation.
Body under state of constant alert
Grief puts the body in a state of alert, said Vögele. Stress hormones are increasingly released and the cardiovascular system runs at full speed. Normally, this state subsides within days or weeks.
However, if the perceived stress caused by the loss does not disappear, the body remains under constant pressure. “If this stress persists, for example for several months, it drains the body’s reserves and many reactions that make sense in the acute alarm situation make you ill in the long term,” warned the psychologist.
Grief for a loved one has an enormous impact not only on the psyche, but also on the immune system © Photo credit: Shutterstock
The stress hormone cortisol is particularly dangerous. At permanently elevated levels, it considerably weakens the body’s immune functions, makes it more susceptible to infectious diseases and favours inflammatory processes – including in the cardiovascular system.
If the perceived threat persists, the heart is constantly working at full speed. “If this state of excitement persists for months, it leads to overstressing of the heart with potentially dramatic consequences,” explained Vögele. The spectrum ranges from cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation to heart attacks, myocarditis and cardiac insufficiency.
Women are affected more often
According to Vögele, up to 50% of the increased risk of death following the loss of a partner can be attributed to cardiovascular diseases, with women particularly at risk.
“Stress-related cardiomyopathies affect them more often than men and become more frequent in old age,” explained the researcher. Studies show that around 90% of those affected are women, with a median age of 66.
However, the widowhood effect is not an age-dependent phenomenon, and younger people can also be affected.
Heart disease is not always the cause of death. Prolonged grief can lead to hopelessness and depression and those affected neglect themselves, sleeping too much or too little and losing weight. “These consequences on an emotional and behavioural level sometimes contribute to people dying not long after losing their partner – even if it’s not necessarily heart disease that causes them to die,” explained Vögele.
Be patient, recognise the warning signs
Relatives are often faced with the difficult question of how to deal with a grieving person. Vögele advises patience. “People who experience the loss of a loved one should be given space to grieve. This grief can last much longer than you feel or think is normal as a relative.”
Claus Vögele is urging people to be aware of the health risks that can accompany the loss of a loved one © Photo credit: Anouk Antony
Nevertheless, there are warning signs. “As a relative, you should be alert if the bereaved person seems listless for several weeks, sleeps too much or too little, constantly loses weight and neglects themselves,” said the psychologist. These are signs of a possible onset of depression, against which action can be taken.
Physical symptoms should also be taken seriously, such as unexplained chest pain during physical exertion, dizzy spells and shortness of breath. “If you’re not sure, it’s always a good idea to talk to the bereaved person and encourage them to seek professional help from a GP, psychotherapist or psychiatrist,” advised Vögele.
There are also counselling centres for people in mental health crises. After all, the loss of a beloved partner is the ultimate crisis. Professional help can ultimately make the difference between a long grieving process and a potentially fatal outcome.
About the expert
Dr Claus Vögele is Professor of Clinical Psychology and Health Psychology at the University of Luxembourg and a licensed psychotherapist. His research specialisms include cardiovascular diseases, stress and investigating the disease-causing effects of loneliness.
(This article was originally published by the Luxemburger Wort. Translated using AI, with editing and adaptation by John Monaghan.)
