The Ripple Effect of Losing a Loved One

Father Chris Didier discusses the ripple effect of trauma following his son Zach’s death from fentanyl poisoning on their family and entire community.

What is Secondary Grief?

A woman comforting a man while he cries on the couch | Safer Sacramento

Secondary grief refers to the additional losses and emotional distress that occur as a result of the primary loss. It often impacts those who are close to someone experiencing a direct loss.

Examples of secondary grief:

  • A person experiences the devastating loss of a spouse. Not only are they grieving the loss of their loved one, but they may also experience the loss of financial stability, companionship, and a parent figure for the children. 

  • Your best friend’s father passes away. Seeing your friend, who you care deeply about, suffer causes you deep emotional pain.

The symptoms of secondary grief can look the same as those for primary grief and deserve to be acknowledged and valued.

The symptoms of secondary grief can look the same as those for primary grief and deserve to be acknowledged and valued.

Managing Secondary Grief

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Understand that secondary loss and grief are part of the complexity of life and human nature. Life is messy and so is grief. Allowing yourself to experience grief while taking healthy steps to process it will lead to better outcomes. 

When you are experiencing secondary grief as it connects to another person’s primary grief, recognizing and acknowledging the validity of your own grief is important. Try to maintain open communication with the person experiencing the primary grief to share feelings and to support one another through the grieving process. Be careful of taking on too much of the responsibility for managing your loved one’s grief. 

Therapy, counseling, and support groups specifically for those experiencing secondary grief can also be helpful.

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  2. Gillette, H. (2022, December 19). 9 Different Types of Grief. Psych Central. https://psychcentral.com/health/types-of-grief#prolonged

  3. Grief. American Psychological Association. (2024). https://www.apa.org/topics/grief

  4. Grief. Cleveland Clinic. (2023a, February 22). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24787-grief

  5. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022, December 13). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355967

  6. PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder): Symptoms & treatment. Cleveland Clinic. (2023b, October 6). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9545-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd