Delayed grief

 ( Grief ) 

The terms delayed grief and unresolved grief are variations of grief after a loss. The meaning of unresolved grief is any aspect of grieving that has yet to be resolved.

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Overview In cases of delayed grief, the reaction to the loss is postponed until a later time, even years later, and might be triggered by a seemingly unrelated event, such as a recent divorce Grief Counselling and Grief Therapy: A Handbook by James William Worden, 2003, p. 46. or even the death of a pet, but with reactions excessive to the current situation.

The delayed grief may manifest as any of the reactions in normal grief: pangs of intense yearning, spasms of distress, short bouts of hysterical laughter, tearful or uncontrolled sobbing, feeling of hopelessness, restlessness, insomnia, preoccupation with thoughts about the loved one, extreme and unexplained anger, or general feelings of depression. In extreme cases, reaction may invoke suicidal tendencies.

The term "delayed grief" is also used to describe a pattern in which symptoms of distress, seeking, yearning (etc.), are occurring at a much later time period than is typical."Bereavement, Mourning, and Grief", U.S. National Cancer Institute, web: Cancer-gov-HP-4. Delayed grief refers to any reaction that occurs later than usual, as a delayed onset of symptoms."Grief", Macmillan Encyclopedia of Death and Dying, p. 28, Findarticles.com. Contrast to the term "complicated grief" as meaning a form of grieving that spans years (see full description at: Grief).

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Examples In a 1987 study, of 135 people with cancer, who were referred for psychological counseling, 76% of them reported a previous grief experience, and 60% of the cancer patients still had unresolved grief from prior losses.

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See also

• Anticipatory grief
• Complicated grief disorder
• Disenfranchised grief
• Prolonged grief disorder

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Further reading

• (2025). 9780061949289, HarperCollins. ISBN 9780061949289
• (2025). 9780203699638, Routledge. . ISBN 9780203699638
• (2025). 9780826124562, Springer. ISBN 9780826124562

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