Traumatic Bereavement
Trauma refers to the way that some distressing events are so extreme or shocking that they overwhelm a person’s ability to cope, resulting in lasting negative impact. Traumatic bereavement refers to the experience of losing someone suddenly and unexpectedly, often as a result of a sudden event such as an accident, homicide, suicide, or natural disaster. Witnesses to such a traumatic event can also be affected as well as the family or friends of someone who has died.
Traumatic bereavement - such as the suicide of someone who was close to us - can have a considerable impact on our emotional, physical, and psychological well-being. Children and young people can be traumatised if the events happen directly to them, or if they witness or learn about them happening to someone else.
Understanding the Impact of Trauma Bereavement
Emotional Effects: Traumatic bereavement can lead to a range of intense and overwhelming emotions including shock, disbelief, anger, guilt, blame, and sadness. These emotions can persist for a long time and may be accompanied by feelings of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Physical Effects: Traumatic bereavement can also have physical effects on our health. For example, it can weaken our immune system, disturb our sleep patterns leading to insomnia, fatigue, or restless sleep, and increase the risk of developing chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Social Effects: Bereavement often leads to social isolation, which can exacerbate existing mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. Inadequate social support further exacerbates the feelings of helplessness, overwhelming hopelessness, and a sense of vulnerability to future adversities.
Psychological Effects: Traumatic bereavement can have long-term psychological effects, such as PTSD, depression, and persistent complex grief disorder (PCGD), which result in chronic psychological suffering and lower quality of life.
Overall, traumatic bereavement can have a profound and long-lasting impact on our emotional, physical, and psychological health. Seeking professional help, family and social support, may help manage the effects of grief and deal with the loss in a healthy way.
Help For You
If you think you may be experiencing trauma as a result of a bereavement, please search this website for organisations that can help you to cope. AtaLoss provides the signposting service for the Support After Suicide Partnership to help anyone affected by suicide to get the specialist support they need. All organisations providing specialist support are listed.
If you have been affected by murder or manslaughter, SAMM or Victim Support can help.
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