Ambiguous loss

Ambiguous loss is a loss that occurs without a significant likelihood of reaching emotional closure or a clear understanding.[1][2] This kind of loss leaves a person searching for answers, and thus complicates and delays the process of grieving, and often results in unresolved grief. Causes include infertility, termination of pregnancy, disappearance of a family member,[3] death of an ex-spouse, and a family member being physically alive but in a state of cognitive decline due to Alzheimer's disease.[4][5]

An ambiguous loss can be categorized into two types of loss: physical or psychological.[6] Physical loss and psychological loss differ in terms of what is being grieved for, the loss of the physical body, or the psychological mind. Experiencing an ambiguous loss can lead to personal questions, such as, "Am I still married to my missing spouse?," or "Am I still a child to a parent who no longer remembers me?".[7] Since the grief process in an ambiguous loss is halted, it is harder to cope or move on to acceptance from the type of loss experienced. There are various types of grief that can occur due to the type of ambiguity experienced and corresponding therapy techniques to address the certain types of grief. The overall goal of therapy to cope with ambiguous loss is to overcome the trauma associated with it and restore resilience.[8]

  1. ^ Boss, Pauline (2000). Ambiguous Loss: Learning to Live with Unresolved Grief. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0674003811.
  2. ^ Ball, Aimee Lee (January 12, 2012). "Exit Left, Wordlessly". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  3. ^ Beam, C., & Dudly, D. (2014, August 1). Living With A Loved One's Disappearance. AARP The Magazine.
  4. ^ Gilbert, Kathleen R. (February 1996). "Ambiguous Loss and Disenfranchised Grief". Indiana University. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  5. ^ Dudley, Brier (31 May 2008). "From the Jim Gray tribute: Searching the sea, coping with ambiguity and the Microsoft discount". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
  6. ^ Boss, Pauline (April 2010). "The Trauma and Complicated Grief of Ambiguous Loss". Pastoral Psychology. 59 (2): 138. doi:10.1007/s11089-009-0264-0. S2CID 144242336.
  7. ^ Boss, Pauline (November 1999). "Insights: ambiguous loss: living with frozen grief". The Harvard Mental Health Letter. 16 (5): 4–6. PMID 10521908.
  8. ^ Roos, Susan (2013). "Chronic Sorrow and Ambiguous Loss: Gestalt Methods for Coping with Grief". Gestalt Review. 17 (3): 229–239. doi:10.5325/gestaltreview.17.3.0229.