Complicated grief is a condition in which an individual experiences intense and long-lasting bereavement symptoms. The grief is complicated when the emotions and behaviors related to the loss are prolonged, intense, and difficult to manage. Individuals with complicated grief may feel trapped in their grief, unable to move forward or find joy in life. They may experience feelings of meaninglessness, bitterness, and despair, and may have difficulty adjusting to life without their loved one. Complicated grief can have severe effects on an individual's physical and mental health, and it is essential to seek support and treatment if you are struggling with this condition. At Lost Stories, we offer therapy and support groups for individuals navigating the complexities of grief. The term overlaps with what is now diagnosed as prolonged grief disorder, although a diagnosis requires an individual assessment.
Prolonged grief disorder (PGD) describes persistent, disabling grief after a death. Intense yearning or preoccupation with the deceased may be accompanied by loneliness, disbelief, emotional numbness, a disruption of identity, or difficulty returning to daily activities. In DSM-5-TR, the death must have occurred at least twelve months earlier for adults, or six months earlier for children and adolescents. Additional criteria and social, cultural, and religious context matter; the passage of time alone does not establish a diagnosis. (American Psychiatric Association)
Alongside assessment, I am interested in the particular relationship that remains in memory and imagination. Love, disappointment, relief, and guilt can coexist. Giving these feelings room may make mourning less governed by an image of how you ought to grieve.
American Psychiatric Association. Prolonged Grief Disorder.
Klein, M. (1940). Mourning and its Relation to Manic-Depressive States. In Love, Guilt and Reparation and Other Works 1921–1945.