The DSM-5, which clinicians use to diagnose mental health conditions, lists learning of the violent or accidental death of a close relative or friend as a qualifying traumatic event.
What this means practically is that learning your spouse died in a car crash or being present during a sudden cardiac event can set the conditions that can cause PTSD.
A 2024 study published in JAMA Network Open confirmed that PTSD, prolonged grief disorder, and major depressive disorder were highly prevalent and often occurred together in people who experienced traumatic loss.
There is a difference between grief and PTSD. Grief is sadness, longing, and the slow process of adjusting to a world without someone. PTSD from grief is driven more by fear and intrusion.
What PTSD After Loss Actually Looks Like
People often assume that PTSD only happens to combat veterans or survivors of physical violence. That's not the complete picture. PTSD can happen to anyone. The signs of PTSD due to the loss of a loved one look like this:
Intrusion symptoms: Unwanted, repeated memories of how the death happened.
Avoidance: Going out of your way to avoid anything connected to the loss.
Negative shifts in thinking and mood: It is persistent guilt or a deep belief that you should have done something differently.
Hyperarousal: You feel difficulty sleeping or concentrating on anything. A constant sense of being "on edge" that does not go away with time.
The key marker that separates grief-related PTSD from normal bereavement is duration and impairment. Grief softens over months. PTSD does not fade on its own without treatment.
Who Is Most Vulnerable to Developing PTSD After a Loss
Losing someone you loved deeply does not automatically result in PTSD. There are other factors at play.
Relationship to the Deceased: Losing a spouse or a child carries the highest psychiatric risk of any bereavement type.
Circumstances of the Death: Deaths involving intentional violence produce more severe PTSD symptoms.
Place of Death: The place where someone dies also leaves a scar on people that doesn't easily fade away.
Prior Mental Health History: If you have experienced trauma before, childhood adversity, a previous loss, anxiety, or depression, the risk of developing PTSD increases.
How to Cope With PTSD After the Sudden Death of Someone Close To You?
The instinct when grief turns into something heavier is often to push through it alone. But PTSD does not resolve with time. You should consider getting professional treatment for PTSD from mental health experts.
Professional Treatments That Work
Trauma-Focused CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy): It addresses distorted thought patterns and avoidance behaviors.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): It is the most effective treatment for PTSD and has shown strong results in people with prolonged grief.
Prolonged Exposure (PE): It gradually approaches trauma memories and avoids reminders to reduce fear and avoidance.
Immediate Coping Strategies for PTSD
Ground yourself during flashbacks or panic: Name five things you see, four you can touch, three you hear, two you smell, and one you taste.
Reduce triggers gently: Keep a brief note of when distress spikes.
Ground yourself during flashbacks or panic: Name five things you see, four you can touch, three you hear, two you smell, and one you taste.
Reduce triggers gently: Keep a brief note of when distress spikes.
Getting the Right Support for Grief-Related PTSD
Living with PTSD that stems from losing someone is one of the heaviest experiences. With the right treatment, you can cope with the situation.
At Boston Neurobehavioral Associates, our mental health experts can help you recover from PTSD, loss, grief, and depression with proper treatment.
You can connect with the experts and get a consultation.
FAQs
Can Grief From Losing a Loved One Actually Cause PTSD?
Yes. While grief itself is a natural response to loss, the circumstances around a death can cause PTSD.
How Long After a Loss Can PTSD Develop?
PTSD symptoms can appear within days of a traumatic death or emerge weeks and months later.
Can Losing a Loved One to Suicide Cause PTSD?
Yes, suicide of a loved one can cause PTSD in some cases.
What Treatments Work Best for PTSD That Stems From Grief and Loss?
Trauma-focused CBT and EMDR are some of the most effective treatment options that work best for PTSD.