Everyone experiences grief at some point. It is a normal experience when you lose pet, a toy, or even go through a break up. Most people have the coping skills to deal with minor upsets in life. Processing let-downs and unfortunate events is part of life and it makes us more resilient. However, having lost my father early on in my life, I experienced a level of grief that was life-altering. The trauma of such a loss can reverberate through a person's life, shaping their relationships, worldview, and emotional well-being in profound ways. These early traumatic events can often lead to a prolonged grief disorder, also known as complicated grief, traumatic grief and is often diagnosed as persistent complex bereavement disorder. Especially in children it is difficult to make sense of a traumatic event and or process the loss of a primary attachment figure and as a result there is long term impact from the unresolved trauma. When an individual does not have the resources to "work through" or process the trauma, they often find them self in a state of grief that has long term implications for their well-being. Traumatic grief is different than normal grief related to loss. It is important to understand that traumatic grief is conceptualized by the severity of symptoms and is typically seen when there is a loss of someone significant, such as a primary caregiver/attachment figure. All aspects of the individuals life were likely altered in conjunction with loss and the person likely has impaired functioning in multiple areas of their lives. When someone has complicated bereavement or traumatic grief, they need support and will likely benefit from participating in interventions to help them make sense of such an event and to gain the tools to cope with future stressors.
As a therapist, I've encountered many clients who have experienced traumatic grief, such as the sudden loss of a loved one in a violent incident. Traumatic grief differs from typical grief in its intensity and the shock and disbelief it carries, often leading to persistent feelings of fear, anger, and vulnerability. Individuals may relive the trauma, struggle with accepting the loss, and find it hard to engage in daily activities or feel joy. Hope this helps! Thanks, Kayla Crane, LMFT
Psychotherapist at Grey Insight
Answered 2 years ago
Numerous distinctions exist between traumatic grief and conventional grief, foremost among them being duration. Traumatic grief typically manifests as more intense and prolonged compared to its conventional counterpart, with emotional distress persisting over extended periods, often spanning from several months to multiple years. The American Psychiatric Association, recognizing this, introduced the diagnosis of Prolonged Grief Disorder in the DSM-5-TR, which often co-occurs with other mental health conditions such as PTSD (APA, 2022). Another notable divergence between traumatic grief and conventional grief lies in their respective triggers. Traumatic grief commonly arises following sudden, violent, or unexpected losses, such as accidents, homicide, suicide, or natural disasters. While conventional grief can also stem from such events, traumatic grief tends to be more severe due to the shock and intensity of the loss experienced. Unlike conventional grief, traumatic grief may exhibit symptoms akin to Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), including intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance behaviors, and hypervigilance (APA, 2022). Untreated traumatic grief often leads to complex bereavement, characterized by a stalled or disrupted grieving process. Symptoms include difficulty accepting the loss, persistent preoccupation with the deceased, impediments to daily functioning, social withdrawal, and impaired interpersonal relationships. Various factors contribute to the likelihood of developing traumatic grief, including the suddenness or unexpected nature of the loss, a history of trauma or mental health disorders, inadequate social support, and the depth of the relationship with the deceased.