A psychotherapist talks in her book about why we mourn celebrity deaths and why they hurt so much

When a celebrity has passed away, have you found yourself grieving and yet wondered what evoked such a strong emotion of loss for you?

This is a question I’m asked very often by clients in therapy and by journalists. While it’s hard to say if everyone is impacted by them, it is true that many of us are affected thus. This becomes attenuated if the death is untimely and due to unfortunate circumstances or accidents.

Clients often talk about celebrity deaths in therapy sessions. My sense is that these deaths remind us of our own mortality and how time is so limited. More so, when the deaths are untimely, the idea of uncertainty and unpredictability of life also emerges. It’s also very common for clients, who struggle with clinical depression and suicidal thoughts, to experience an increased intensity when it comes to their own moods, particularly when there is a celebrity death either because of suicide, under strange circumstances or untimely. They often mention how they feel more depressed and anxious in the light of celebrity deaths. The mention of increased anxiety and panic attacks also goes up in days following celebrity deaths and some clients talk about the fact that they...

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