Table 1.

Clinical features of complicated grief

Acute grief symptoms that persist for more than six months following the death of a loved one, including:
1 Feelings of intense yearning or longing for the person who died – missing the person so much it’s hard to care about anything else
2 Preoccupying memories, thoughts or images of the deceased person, that may be wanted or unwanted, that interfere with the ability to engage in meaningful activities or relationships with significant others; may include compulsively seeking proximity to the deceased person through pictures, keepsakes, possessions or other items associated with the loved one
3 Recurrent painful emotions related to the death, such as deep relentless sadness, guilt, envy, bitterness or anger, that are difficult to control
4 Avoidance of situations, people or places that trigger painful emotions or preoccupying thoughts related to the death
5 Difficulty restoring the capacity for meaningful positive emotions through a sense of purpose in life or through satisfaction, joy or happiness in activities or relationships with others