Treatment Study for Complicated Grief (HEAL)

HEAL stands for Healing Emotions After Loss. This study is funded by Grant Number R01MH060783 from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). There are three sites outside of New York also conducting this study. The study is open to individuals 18 years of age and older who have experienced the loss of a loved one more than six months ago and are suffering from symptoms of complicated grief.

Antidepressant medication is commonly prescribed to treat people with complicated grief, even though its usefulness has never been confirmed by a research study. We think medication is helpful for treating complicated grief symptoms, so we are conducting the HEAL study to test this hypothesis.

If you participate in this study you have a 50/50 chance of receiving antidepressant medication (citalopram) or placebo medication (a sugar pill). Citalopram is FDA-approved for use in the treatment of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. You also have a 50/50 chance of receiving complicated grief treatment, a form of talk therapy, in addition to the pills prescribed.

As much as you may try to deny it, the human spirit will survive as long as you let it.” Patricia