A partner's death can hit harder when finances are unstable

Grief over the sudden death of a partner leads 1 in 6 surviving partners to experience such severe psychological distress that they begin taking sedatives or antidepressants. If the death also results in a noticeable loss of income, the share of widows and widowers using psychotropic medication is significantly higher. Economic insecurity greatly amplifies the mental strain after the death of a loved one, researchers conclude.