Grief after Death Loss

Like humans, grief comes in many shapes and sizes. Though we wish we could sometimes control our sorrow, this powerful human emotion bubbles up at strange times throughout our lives. There isn’t a specific end to grief, but the pain will be lighter with time.

Here are some ways one can grieve after a death:

Delayed Grief:

When you or a loved one experiences a death loss, your hearts may not know how to respond yet. This delayed grief could be due to how the person died, our relationships with that person, or just how our bodies process grief. When grief finally comes, it can sometimes be months or years after their passing. Notably, delayed grief can be triggered by another event, seemingly unrelated to the loss.

Prolonged Grief:

Though there isn’t a set timeline for people to work through grief, there are signs that prolonged or traumatic grief occurs. The symptoms could be related to someone’s long-term inability to function, drastic lifestyle changes, outbursts, self-destructive behavior, and more. In general, prolonged grief may occur depending on the nature of the loss. If it was sudden or violent, this could wreak havoc on our emotions differently than if we expected the loss due to illness.

Chronic Grief:

Unlike prolonged grief, chronic grief is distinguished by avoiding situations that remind them of their loss, intrusive thoughts, or abandoning a belief system altogether. If this persists for an extended period, people who experience chronic grief may develop clinical depression or substance abuse issues to cope with long-term grief.

Beyond these, many types of grief can happen before or after a death loss. If you are grieving and looking for community support or additional resources, we’re here to help. Our Actively Moving Forward (AMF) app gives free access to high-quality resources. Members have access to virtual support groups, interviews, articles, inspirational quotes, and messages. Members can direct message with others who suffered a similar loss and engage in community conversations.

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