Factors That Can Complicate Grief

If one or more of these factors are present, the grief process may be complicated and more difficult to complete.

• 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 conjuction with other significant life events like birthdays, holidays, or a divorce.
• After death anniversary dates and holidays.
• Stories in the media that misrepresent or cast doubt on medical treatment procedures.
• Advice based on others' negative experiences with death or on inaccurate information about normal grief.

Other Resources:

• A Dog's Purpose
  
  
• The Old Man and the Dog
  
  
• Support Our Troops Lab Story
  
  
• Rainbow Bridge
  
  
• Manifestations of Grief
  
  
• Factors That Can Complicate Grief
  
  
• Memorialization
  
  
• National Support Hotlines and Resoruces
  
  
• Additional Website/Internet Support Services