“What could be the reason my mother is just not eating?”

Yes it can be

Absolutely. Please have her see a psychiatrist!

Hard to tell. She needs to see a medical doctor and maybe have blood work done

Definitely, she should be evaluated for depression by a psychiatrist

It could very well be a depression, but could be part of normal grief process. One would have to have more information to decide what it is.

Yes. It definitely could be depression.

Yes, Grief

Yes major depressive disorder

It sounds like your mother is definitely depressed. People will often suffer from major depression after the loss of a loved one. The symptoms of depression are disrupted sleep and appetite. Individuals will often cry or feel like crying. Most depressed individuals feel hopeless and helpless. They will lack motivation and tend to isolate themselves. Your mother should make an appointment with her primary healthcare provider for an evaluation for anti-depressant medication, which is helpful with the physical symptoms.

Hello,

Grieving is an important and healthy emotional step towards regaining her footing in her new life without your father, and yes, your mother's loss and bereavement could very well be developing into more of a depression. She could start with a check-up with her primary care doctor to address her emotional and physical symptoms. She might also want to consider participating in a bereavement group to be with others who have also experienced loss of their spouses.

The negative feelings associated with grief can leave many with a lack of appetite and disinterested in food and eating. After losing a loved one, most people experience sorrow, perhaps numbness, and even guilt or anger, and gradually these feelings ease, to accept loss and move forward, after 6-9 months at the most. For some people, feelings of loss can be debilitating and don't improve after time. This is known as complicated grief, sometimes called persistent complex bereavement disorder. According to estimates, between a fifth and a third of people are at risk of a complicated grief response and 10%-20% of individuals display such symptoms

Signs and symptoms of complicated grief may include lack of progress in accepting the loss, lack of trust in others, trouble carrying out normal routines, and isolation and withdrawal. An older adult who has lost a partner may also have several chronic illnesses such as type-2 diabetes, kidney failure or early dementia, and as a result may forget or neglect to take medications. Poorly managed chronic diseases can further contribute to poor nutritional intake. Contact your mental health professional doctor for problems functioning that don't improve after 6-9 months of the passing of a loved one. Healthcare professionals play a significant role in screening and recognizing signs of depression and referring to appropriate services.

A family member can make sure there is adequate assistance with everyday tasks like shopping, meal preparation and provide company at meal times. Consider convenience foods, ready meals and meal delivery services, which might play a role in helping maintain oral intake. With reduced appetite, it is important that someone tries to sustain their oral intake and a good strategy is to have small, frequent meals and snacks throughout the day. Nutritious drinks, such as whole milk, milkshakes, or, fruit juice, fruit smoothies and milky hot drinks, soups, all of which can play a role in helping someone maintain energy and calorie intake.

Your mother could be suffering from intense grief from the loss of her husband. To be safe it is best for her to see a counselor or psychiatrist to verify whether there is concomitant depression. If she exhibits sleep problems, negative thoughts and death wishes - these could be signs of vomit I’d depression.

This is clearly depression. A psychiatric evaluation is definitely indicated.

I do not know their relationship; however, favorable or not, they became part of each other and now there is a loss of part of oneself.
May I suggest a psychotherapy group for your Mom or individual therapy. If there is a prolonged [greater than 6 month] period of diminished appetite with weight loss, I would consider medicines.

I’m sorry to hear about your father’s recent passing. Your mom is likely grieving, and she may also be suffering from depression. There are different forms of grief, ranging from appropriate and expected, to ‘pathological’ grief, where someone may hear their loved one or see the person and struggle to cope with the loss. Sometimes while grieving people may have a reduced appetite, they may sleep less or more and may be very sad. If these symptoms are prolonged and/or impair a person’s ability to function, then it is a good idea to see a psychiatrist and/or a therapist for treatment. Engaging in treatment will not change the magnitude of the loss, but can help with processing and coping now and in the future. Sending best wishes and condolences to you and your entire family.

Carly Snyder, M.D.

A change in appetite, be it increased or decreased, is normal for someone experiencing grief or sadness, so a lower appetite that began after your father's death is very likely due to grief (which is depression stemming from a loss). Although grief is often self-limiting, some people never fully recover from a significant loss. Although she likely won't feel like doing so, your mother may benefit from seeking treatment from a therapist to help her move through the grieving process in the most healthy and expeditious way possible.
I'm sorry for your loss, and wish both you and your mother the best.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lisa Fairweather

See this link. It may help answer your question:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322157.php