Any type of death can result in a traumatic bereavement. Traumatically bereaved children and young people experience significant distress and difficulties, over and above a more typical grief. It is vital that these children are identified and given the appropriate help and support.
All deaths have the capacity to overwhelm, shock, terrify, and shatter worldview. In fact, research has shown that PTSD symptoms are not only found in those who survive violent and sudden deaths, but also those who experience the death of a close person to terminal illness.
one-off or ongoing events. being directly harmed. witnessing harm to someone else. living in a traumatic atmosphere.
Traumatic grief can happen in response to a sudden, unexpected loss. For example, maybe you lost a child, or experienced the violent death of someone close to you. It might also involve losing your support system.
Witnessing or discovering a sudden death, even if you didn't know the person, can be traumatic and distressing.
While many people won't go on to experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD or C-PTSD), an analysis from the World Health Organisation's 'World Mental Health Survey' found there was a 5.2% risk of people developing PTSD or C-PTSD after they found out about the unexpected death of someone they love.
Grief is overwhelming and one of the most painful emotions any human will ever encounter. While the pain of grief is the same whether the death is sudden or anticipated, a sudden loss is shocking and disorienting, reducing our ability to cope with and understand what has happened.
The death of parent is an incredibly stressful event for a child, and one that can have profound consequences for the child's future wellbeing.
Trauma is defined as “a psychological, emotional response to an event or an experience that is deeply distressing or disturbing.” In reality, trauma can come from any experience that makes us feel unsafe, physically or emotionally, and that disrupts the way we cope or function.
We know death is coming, so why does it make us so sad? There are, of course, many reasons. Our loved ones play important roles in our daily lives, and their deaths leave gaping holes. Often, we want more time with them — more joy, more laughter, more healing — and death makes those hopes impossible to fulfill.
The reasons why death is scary are often related to the fears of the unknown, of non-existence, of eternal punishment, of the loss of control, and fear of what will happen to the people we love.
People might feel or act differently to usual when they are grieving. They might have difficulty concentrating, withdraw and not enjoy their usual activities. They may drink, smoke or use drugs. They may also have thoughts of hurting themselves or that they can't go on.
Most people experience feelings of numbness, shock and disbelief in the hours and first few days following a sudden death. "It can't be true." "I can't believe this is happening." It is common for people to feel confused, dazed, bewildered and unable to comprehend what has happened.
Intrusive memories
Recurrent, unwanted distressing memories of the traumatic event. Reliving the traumatic event as if it were happening again (flashbacks) Upsetting dreams or nightmares about the traumatic event. Severe emotional distress or physical reactions to something that reminds you of the traumatic event.
Shock. The most overwhelming and common reaction to a sudden death is shock and uncertainty. This results in feeling disconnected to your feelings or to other people; it can seem as if you are living in a dream. The initial news and stages of grief are often characterized by disbelief.
The few studies that have compared responses to different types of losses have found that the loss of a child is followed by a more intense grief than the death of a spouse or a parent [5].
The scariest time, for those dreading the loss of a parent, starts in the mid-forties. Among people between the ages of 35 and 44, only one-third of them (34%) have experienced the death of one or both parents. For people between 45 and 54, though, closer to two-thirds have (63%).
Don't worry, this is a natural part of grief. Your brain is on overload with thoughts of grief, sadness, loneliness and many other feelings. Grief Brain affects your memory, concentration, and cognition. Your brain is focused on the feelings and symptoms of grief which leaves little room for your everyday tasks.
Many conclude that unexpected death is easier on the person who dies, but harder on the survivors. Expected death gives time to prepare and say goodbyes, is predictable, makes sense, offers chance to wrap up unfinished businesses, provides an opportunity to honor wishes, stretches out grief, etc.
Death is one of the hardest things to over come; while others have developed paganism for death it's ultimately the scariest thing to face in life. Losing a best friend, a family member, or the love of your life. Therefore the death of someone special is definitely the hardest thing to face.
The most common reaction on hearing of the death of someone close to you is shock. Shock can affect you for a few days or a number of weeks.
Grief and loss affect the brain and body in many different ways. They can cause changes in memory, behavior, sleep, and body function, affecting the immune system as well as the heart. It can also lead to cognitive effects, such as brain fog.
This is known as complicated grief, sometimes called persistent complex bereavement disorder. In complicated grief, painful emotions are so long lasting and severe that you have trouble recovering from the loss and resuming your own life. Different people follow different paths through the grieving experience.