Which form of grief is often characterized by difficult feelings that persist longer than expected?

Complicated grief is characterized by feelings that are more intense and prolonged than those typically associated with normal grieving. While most individuals experience grief in a way that gradually eases over time, those with complicated grief may find themselves feeling stuck, overwhelmed by persistent sadness, or unable to engage in usual daily activities long after a loss. This form of grief can also involve intense emotions such as anger, guilt, or longing for the deceased that do not diminish over time.

By contrast, normal grief tends to follow a more straightforward trajectory where individuals may experience a range of emotions that ultimately lessen as they adapt to their loss. Anticipatory grief occurs before an impending loss, such as when a loved one is terminally ill, prompting feelings of grief in advance and often allowing for some degree of emotional preparation. Disenfranchised grief refers to the pain experienced when a person's loss is not openly acknowledged or supported by society, leading to feelings of isolation but not necessarily to the prolonged sense of grief characteristic of complicated grief. Each of these other forms of grief highlights different experiences and responses to loss, but it is the nature of complicated grief that distinguishes it through its intensity and duration.