Complicated Grief Explained

If you were to describe grief, what would you say?

You’re probably thinking of losing a loved one. There may be feelings of sadness, hurt, and loss as part of the grieving process.

Grief isn’t easy for anyone. It’s chaotic. It’s life-changing. Grief is painful, challenging, and intense.

Grief can change the directory of your life. It can make you become a different version of yourself.

You may even say that grief is complicated. But that’s not exactly true, especially because there is a certain type of grief that is actually known as complicated grief.

What exactly is complicated grief?

Defining Complicated Grief

Grief occurs as a body’s natural response to the loss of a loved one. Grief takes time to get over, but usually, over time, someone can get back to their daily life again.

Complicated grief occurs when the negative emotions or feelings from the loss of a loved one or grief from another reason don’t improve over time. Complicated grief may start to affect a person’s day-to-day life.

Symptoms of Complicated Grief

The symptoms of complicated grief are similar to that of normal grief. With normal grief, the signs and symptoms will fade over time. With complicated grief, individuals affected will show intensified signs and symptoms.

Here are some of the signs and symptoms of complicated grief:

Avoiding reminders of their loss

Difficulty returning to their normal life

Disbelief that the death occurred

Emotional numbness

Feelings of intense loneliness or detachment

Identity crisis

Intense longing for the person who has passed

Loss of purpose or meaning in life

Not willing to accept the loss

Obsessing over their loss

Persistent thoughts of the person lost

Suicidal thoughts

If left untreated, other signs and symptoms can start to develop. Over time, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, and suicide can develop. When depression occurs with complicated grief, the signs and symptoms of both can worsen.

If the signs and symptoms are left untreated, people experiencing complicated grief may also start to show physical signs and symptoms. Loss of appetite, trouble sleeping, stress, and a weakened immune system are common physical signs associated with complicated grief.

Causes of Complicated Grief

Unfortunately, there is no known cause of complicated grief. That being said, some individuals may have an increased risk of being affected. Those more susceptible to complicated grief include the following:

An unexpected or sudden loss of a loved one

Difficult childhood

Experiencing more than one death within a short period

Financial problems after a loss

History of anxiety, mental health, or mood disorders

History of drug or alcohol abuse

Not being present when the loss took place

Poor social support after a loss

Witness the loss

Treatment Options

No matter what type of grief you’re experiencing, grief is a complicated emotion. To make matters worse, complicated grief can be even more complicated for those affected.

It’s important to know that you are not alone. Everyone experience grief at least once throughout their lifetime. Despite what your grief may be telling you, there is help available for you. If you or a loved one are experiencing signs or symptoms of grief, especially six months to a year after the loss occurred, it’s time to reach out for additional support.

If you’re experiencing grief or complicated grief, therapy is one of the most common and beneficial types of treatment options. A therapist will work with you to help you monitor your grief, better manage your emotions, and help you find ways to cope.

For further reading, click the button to check out our article on grief:

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