Why Complicated Bereavement?
Among the factors listed above, the most generally recognizable as challenging is likely the means of the death confronted by the bereaved. A sudden and/or violent manner of death, for example, such as unexpected illness, suicide, or car accident creates more profound grief than an expected death, such as that of an older loved-one from a known illness. The effect of unexpected and traumatic deaths typically come with such grave surprise that, even after the initial shock, loved-ones may continue to experience the world around them as chaotic and frightening. A sudden and overwhelming experience of life’s potential for terrible harshness may leave the bereaved with a view of life as treacherous, and as little more than a minefield of painful possibilities. Overwhelming grief and a complicated bereavement path commonly emerges from this experience with the choice to avoid potential pain by simply avoiding participation in life. Another barrier commonly found after a loss comes in diffic
