5 Reasons Your Loss Causes Trauma

Grief
March 26, 2025

After experiencing a significant loss, nothing remains the same.

The emotions you feel, how you think, how you act, and how you view the world all change.

You may experience a barrage of complex emotions and find it challenging to cope with your new normal. If care is not taken, you could develop traumatic grief.

Here are five reasons your loss causes trauma.

For one, if your loved one had a traumatic death such as sudden death, homicide, suicide, or accident, their loss will likely be traumatic for you.

You will need grief support from family, friends, and/or therapists.

Also, harboring deep feelings of guilt about your loved one's death can lead to mental health complications, including severe depressive episodes and PTSD ( post-traumatic stress disorder).

The pain of losing a loved one is unreal; however, developing any form of guilt only robs you of the opportunity to grieve and heal.

Similarly, losing a loved one to a tragic death can cause fear, paranoia, and anxiety.

Fear is a complex grief emotion; it can stop its victim from living their life, healing, moving forward, or making meaning of their life.

Consider this overview to learn five reasons your loss causes trauma.

Your Loved One Had A Traumatic Death

Loss causes trauma when we lose our loved ones to a traumatic death.

Almost all types of loss have a trauma component; however, some deaths are much more probable than others to be traumatic and result in post-traumatic stress symptoms.

Sudden deaths, untimely deaths, deaths without warning, deaths involving brutality, rape, mutilation, or any form of suffering can affect a griever's ability to cope with grief and heal.

Likewise, losing a loved one to accidents, suicide, or homicide exposes one to a different type of grief.

Similarly, witnessing the death of a loved one, roommate, spouse, or parent can lead to fear, shock, anxiety, depressive episodes, and trauma.

It might be difficult to erase such traumatizing memory and return to everyday life without proper support from family and friends.

You can also visit a mental health practitioner to help you manage emotions, cope with loss, and prevent or avoid post-traumatic stress symptoms.

A woman in a sad state of mind.

You Feel Guilty

After losing a significant one, most people often find themselves ruminating over memories, reliving moments, days, weeks, or even years before their loved one's death, and thinking deeply about what they could have done to prevent their death.

Having deep feelings of guilt about your loss causes trauma.

Your guilt could stem from the belief that you ignored some vital warning signs or that you could have done something concrete enough to prevent the death of your loved one.

Even if there was no possibility the death could've been predicted, in many tragic deaths, there is a series of events that occurred before the death that the survivors wish they could have changed.

You may also be dealing with survivors' guilt in addition to feeling guilty for not being able to stop the death of your loved one.

Survivor's guilt can make you feel bad for surviving the death of your loved one and wish it was you instead.

While guilt is a typical initial emotional response to losing someone we love, it could easily lead to trauma when it becomes persistent.

Taking steps to overcome this guilt is essential to healing and finding peace with yourself after your loved one's death.

You can consult professional counselors or therapists to help you dig into your feelings of guilt and address them.

A traumatized soldier holding his head.

You Are Scared

Losing someone we love is a scary experience.

In many cases, the loss causes trauma and induces fear and anxiety, making it difficult to trust people or feel safe anywhere.

For instance, losing a loved one to a car accident can cause extreme fear of driving, riding with someone, and fear of vehicles in general.

Likewise, losing a loved one to a violent/intentional attack can make it difficult to trust people, maintain friendships or create new ones, stay in quiet places alone, and be around many people.

The phobia, anxiety, and fear that arise after losing a loved one in a traumatizing way, can deprive you of living a healthy and fulfilling life and prevent you from healing.

Fear can make you wary of things you used to enjoy and prevent you from pursuing happiness.

Thus, if you are experiencing intense anxiety or fear after a significant loss, it's essential to seek help from mental health practitioners to help you address your issues and reduce their influence on you. 

Your Health Has Been Compromised

When a loved one dies, survivors of the traumatic loss are prone to developing symptoms that other people grieving the same loss might not experience.

Loss causes trauma when your health becomes significantly compromised after losing a loved one.

Physical symptoms of grief often include digestive problems, high blood pressure, changes in appetite, sleep disruptions, and physical pain, including unexplained pain, body aches, etc.

In some cases, survivors may also have injuries sustained from the accident or events that caused the death of their loved one.

Self-care is vital to maintaining excellent health and healing through your grief.

Thus it's essential to take care of your physical health, and you can seek support from professionals to help you feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally.

In addition, you must also avoid unhealthy coping strategies, self-harm, or isolation as they may increase mental health problems like depression which can, in turn, indirectly compromise your physical health.

You Have Developed Complicated Grief

When a loved one dies, it can be difficult to accept the reality of your loss and acknowledge the pain of your grief.

However, when you avoid, suppress, or mask your feelings of grief, the loss causes trauma, and your grief could develop into something more complicated.

Signs of complicated grief can include detachment, intense sorrow, bitterness, difficulty accepting loss, inability to think positively, suicidal thoughts, persistent rumination/obsession about the incident, persistent longing, or feeling life holds no purpose.

Although there are no rights or wrongs when it comes to grieving, there are unhealthy ways to grieve that can cause complications and trauma in your grieving journey.

When you begin to experience intense depression, paranoia, trouble maintaining routines, isolating yourself from others, or feelings of guilt about the death of your loved one, it is advisable to contact a mental health professional for help. 

Conclusion

After a traumatic loss, the symptoms of grief often intensify and persist than normal grief.

Loss causes trauma for so many reasons, and knowing them will help you avoid/correct them and get the grief support you need.

Loss can cause trauma if your loved one had a traumatic death, you feel scared, you feel guilt, you have developed complicated grief, or your health has been compromised. 

Resources 

https://life-loss.com/traumatic-loss/

https://psychcentral.com/health/traumatic-grief#how-to-cope

https://www.centerforanxietydisorders.com/ptsd-sudden-death-loved-one/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/complicated-grief/symptoms-causes/syc-20360374

https://teachtrauma.com/information-about-trauma/types-of-trauma/traumatic-loss/

Author
Jennifer Luttman, LPC, ACS

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, and owner of Overcomers Counseling. I'm dedicated to helping individuals find strength and healing through life’s challenges. With a deep understanding of mental health and years of professional experience, I specialize in fostering hope and resilience while equipping her clients with tools to thrive. Passionate about empowering others, she creates a safe, supportive space where everyone feels seen, valued, and capable of overcoming obstacles on their path to well-being.

Common Questions about Grief

Is there any support for family members affected by a loved one's death?

Yes, we provide supportive counseling for family members who are struggling with the loss of a loved one. Our compassionate therapists can help you gain insight into your feelings and provide constructive strategies to cope with the pain of bereavement.

Why does grief seem worse in the morning?

Grief can seem worse in the morning as the reality of the loss is often one of the first thoughts upon waking. This can be particularly true if you shared many mornings with the person who has passed away during wonderful years spent together.

How do I deal with my loved one's addiction?

Dealing with someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol can be difficult. It is important to remember that addiction is a disease, and the addict is not responsible for their behavior. You can offer support and understanding, but it is important to set boundaries. You can also get help for yourself through therapy or counseling.

How long does grief usually last in the elderly?

There is no "right" or "wrong" answer when it comes to how long grief will last in the elderly. For some people, the grieving process may last for several months or even years. For others, it may come in waves – they may have periods of intense grief followed by periods of relative calm. It's important to remember that everyone grieves in their own way and at their own pace.

What are some common symptoms of grief in the elderly?

There are a variety of symptoms that can be associated with grief in the elderly. Some common physical symptoms include fatigue, changes in appetite, and difficulty sleeping. Emotional symptoms can include sadness, anger, anxiety, and guilt. It's also common for those who are grieving to withdraw from social activities and lose interest in hobbies or activities they once enjoyed.

What is complicated grief or prolonged grief disorder?

Complicated grief, also known as prolonged grief disorder, is when intense grief symptoms continue for an extended period, often longer than six months. This type of grief can result in difficulty resuming normal life activities and can lead to sleep problems.