Factors that can complicate grief

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If one or more of the following factors are present, the grief process can be complicated and more difficult to complete: 

	No previous experience with loss, death, or grief.
	Other recent losses or personal history involving multiple losses.
	Little or no support from friends or family members.
	Societal norms that trivialize and negate the loss.
	Insensitive comments from others about the loss
	Generally poor personal coping skills
	Feelings of guilt or responsibility for a death
	Untimely deaths like those of young companion animals
	Deaths that occur suddenly, without warning
	Deaths that occur after lengthy, lingering illnesses.
	Deaths that have no known cause or that could have been prevented.
	An unexplained disappearance
	Not being present at the time of death
	Not view he body after death
	Witnessing a painful or traumatic death
	Deaths that occur in conjunctions with other significant life events (birthdays or holidays)
	After-death anniversary sates and holidays
	Stories in the media that misrepresent or cast doubt on medical treatment procedures
	Advice based on others experiences with death or on inaccurate information about normal grief.