Argus Institute

Grief Complications

There are several factors that can complicate your grief, so allow yourself some permission for additional grieving time. Some of these factors include:

• No previous experience with significant loss, death, or grief
• Other recent losses
• A personal history involving multiple losses
• Little or no support from friends or family
• Societal norms that trivialize and negate the loss
• Insensitive comments from others about the loss
• Generally poor coping skills
• Feelings of guilt or responsibility for a death
• Untimely deaths like those of children, young adults, or young companion animals
• Deaths that happen suddenly, without warning
• Deaths that occur after long, lingering illnesses
• Deaths that have no known cause or that could have been prevented
• An unexplained disappearance
• Not being present at death
• Not viewing the body after death
• Witnessing a painful or traumatic death
• Deaths that occur in conjunction with other significant life events like birthdays, holidays, or a divorce
• Anniversary dates and holidays after the loss
• Stories in the media that misrepresent or cast doubt on medical treatment procedures
• Advice based on others' negative experiences or on inaccurate information about normal grief

After any loss, especially one of this magnitude, it may be helpful to seek out the assistance of a grief counselor or other mental health professionals to Support You Through Your Grief.