Grief is an experience we all have to face. From sudden, unexpected deaths to deaths that were coming for a while, it’s always distressing to lose a loved one. From wondering if there was something you wish you did differently to questioning your own mortality, grief is complicated.
However, complicated grief is not about the process itself. Rather, it’s about grief that lasts longer than usual. Grief is not a single straight line; people can experiences the stages of loss differently and how long it takes to move on can vary.
If it’s been over a year and you’re still unable to move on, you may have complicated grief. What is it? Let’s get into it.
What is Complicated Grief?
Complicated grief is when you cannot maintain a normal life after losing a loved one, and this especially applies if it’s been over a year.
Grief can make us not want to get out of bed. It can make us cry throughout the day. Grief in general is complicated. However, most of us learn to move on.
When someone has complicated grief, they…
- Feel nothing but sorrow over the loss of their loved one.
- They may feel detached quite often.
- They are unable to trust others.
- A person who experiences complicated grief may always focus on things that remind them of their loved one.
- Be unable to keep a routine.
- Feel like they caused the death of their loved one.
- In some cases, the person may feel suicidal.
It’s quite extreme. While not an official disorder, many therapists treat complicated grief all the time.
Risk Factors
Anyone can experience complicated grief, but there are several risk factors that can make the experience more likely. These include:
- The death being sudden or premature. You are more likely to experience complicated grief if your son dies than your grandparent.
- You witnessed the person dying.
- You were dependent or close to the person who passed.
- You have a previous history of depression or other mental disorders or substance abuse disorders.
- You lost multiple people in a short period of time. For example, your parents died back to back.
Having these can make it likely that you are going to experience complicated grief. While not always the case, it’s important to be mindful of this.
Of course, complicated grief can happen to anyone. You may end up feeling it even if your loss was someone who you weren’t too close to. While less likely, you may have regrets of not seeing them more, or your grief could be a sign of other issues.
Is There Any Way to Prevent It?
Grief is an experience we all must face, so don’t think of it as preventing. Instead, look to early treatment.
When one loses their loved one, seeking help immediately is important. This is especially true if the person had any of the above risk factors.
Help can come in the form of being supportive to someone who lost their loved one, or seeking a therapist shortly after the loss.
Prevention can be difficult. Even if you seek help, you can still feel the symptoms of complicated grief, and it can be difficult for you. That’s why seeking treatment is the next first step.
Treatment
The loss you experience will be there for a lifetime. However, you learn to continue your life despite this.
Talking to a therapist is your best bet, as they can help you get back on a routine. In addition, they can teach you mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques that can make it much easier for you to avoid thinking about your loved one. Focusing on the here and now and discarding any debilitating thoughts is a good first step.
In addition, someone who is experiencing complicated grief may need to take medication. Antidepressants are one tool used to treat the symptoms while the therapist handles the cause.
If left untreated, complicated grief can lead to possible health disorders and can lead to suicidal behavior. If you or a loved one are experiencing grief that lasts much longer than usual, it is important for you to seek help immediately.
Getting a Diagnosis
Of course, it can be difficult to know the difference between normal grief can complicated grief. Being diagnosed may be able to help with this.
With that said, if you are experiencing complicated grief, it can be difficult to get out of bed. Luckily, you are able to do so online through the help of Mind Diagnostics. If you want to learn more, then you should click the link below and get started. Here’s hoping you can move on and learn to live the best life possible.
https://www.mind-diagnostics.org/blog/complicated-grief
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