5 Aspects That Can Complicate Grief When Losing A Loved One
Psychological grief is one of the most common emotional disorders that is worked on throughout psychotherapy processes. While it is true that feeling great pain when losing a loved one is normal and does not constitute a psychological disorder in itself, it is also true that sometimes it can last too long or give way to a feeling that the circumstances exceed one’s expectations. person.
Here we will focus on those cases in which the situation of loss emotionally overwhelms the person who suffers it, and we will see what they are. the factors that can lead to grief becoming complicated to the point of needing professional help.
We understand psychological grief as the phenomenon that occurs when a loss produces a significant emotional alteration in a person, due to the emotional bond that united them with that which is no longer there.
Normally, the most relevant and painful cases of psychological grief occur after the death of a loved one. , although technically they can also occur when losing other important elements for oneself: a home, a job, or even a part of the body, for example. In any case, here we are going to focus on what occurs when losing a loved one.
As its name indicates, psychological grief is the grieving process as it is experienced by people, beyond the cultural and anthropological phenomena of expression of loss, which are easy to observe (rituals, changes in emotions). clothes to wear, etc.).
Thus, psychological grief is what is carried inside and is expressed subtly through the actions of individuals, being unique to each person. However, in the context of psychology, the term “grief” is often simply used to refer to this phenomenon, given the context from which it is spoken.
Suffering from grief is normal, and is part of the experience of loss. However, there are cases in which this discomfort reaches a level of intensity that is too high, or gives rise to the appearance of other significant psychological problems, and lasts too long; In these cases, what we call “complicated grief” occurs, an emotional alteration that is a reason to go to psychotherapy. and that is often related to the consolidation of a trauma.
It is important not to let the problem become chronic, since in these cases the memories related to the situation of loss create a very deep and painful emotional scar in our mind, prone to giving us a hard time frequently by not being able to relive those memories in a normal way, from the perspective of someone who has already overcome the situation.
Luckily, both in cases in which complicated grief is beginning to occur and in those in which it has already been consolidated, it is possible to achieve correct emotional management of all this if professional psychological help is available.
5 elements that facilitate the appearance of complicated grief
These are some of the factors that increase the risk that grief due to the loss of loved ones becomes complicated, giving way to a psychological problem.
Of course, it must be taken into account that this is only an increase in probabilities, and that none of these elements is, by itself, the cause of persistent or excessively painful psychological grief. Furthermore, there are cases in which none of these criteria are met and despite this, complicated grief appears, requiring professional help.
1. Presence of previous psychological alterations
If the person had already developed psychological disorders before and these have not subsided or have not been treated, the combination of this phenomenon with the appearance of grief can lead to the generation of a new emotional complication. The presence of psychopathologies such as major depression and post-traumatic stress are especially relevant.
2. The death of a boy or girl
If the person who died was a minor, especially if it is a son or daughter of the person experiencing grief, the chances of a problematic form of grief occurring are greatly increased.
3. The death occurred in a catastrophic event or very suddenly
When the loss has occurred in a situation of violence it is easier for grief to become complicated.
To a lesser extent, if the death has occurred in a very unexpected way, the likelihood that, for a long period, the person will feel overwhelmed by the situation, also increases. This is because in cases in which there were already suspicions that a death would occur in a short time (for example, in cases of diagnosed severe illness), the person has more time to prepare for this loss.
The feeling of emotional overwhelm produced by grief can become practically unbearable. If the person was already facing a present full of pressures and “fronts on which to fight”, such as a delicate work situation, lack of money, etc.
5. Isolation and lack of social support
People who grieve in a situation of social isolation, especially when it is a loneliness perceived as such by oneself have fewer resources to face this experience, and are more likely to present problems in the emotional management of grief.
Are you looking for psychological support in the face of psychological grief?
If you are going through a psychological grieving process, contact our team of professionals. In Psychomaster We offer psychotherapy to people of all ages through proven intervention modalities, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or EMDR therapy, among others.
You can count on our services both in our center located in Madrid and through online therapy by video call. On this page you will find more information about how we work, and our contact information.
