Ambiguous grief is characterized by uncertainty and ambiguity surrounding loss. In other words, if there are unanswered questions and no clear resolution it makes the grieving process more difficult. To help individuals cope with this form of grief in a healthy, effective way, some patients have turned to Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
Keep reading to learn more about ambiguous grief what causes it, and how EMDR for ambiguous grief can offer relief and healing.
What is ambiguous grief?
Grief is a natural response to loss and can be caused by several things — the death of a loved one, a broken relationship, the end of a meaningful chapter in life, a miscarriage. What isn’t as natural is grief without closure, meaning the reason for our pain remains unknown or impossible to resolve.
Say, for example, you lost someone who died unexpectedly, was kidnapped, or left without saying goodbye. Any of these instances can result in a lack of closure, which can be incredibly painful to cope with and move on from. This is often referred to as ambiguous grief.
The two types of ambiguous grief
There are two types of ambiguous grief: Type 1 and Type 2. The key difference between the two is that Type 1 involves the psychological effects of someone who is not physically there, and Type 2 involves a lack of psychological presence from someone who is physically there.
Some events associated with Type 1 ambiguous grief include kidnapping, terrorism, natural disasters, and war.
Some events associated with Type 2 ambiguous grief include miscarriages, foster care, loss due to suicide, and a loved one struggling with substance abuse.
Whether you are experiencing Type 1 or Type 2 ambiguous grief, it can be extremely difficult to process your emotions and work through them in a healthy way.
Symptoms of ambiguous grief
While both types of ambiguous grief cause similar feelings of despair, the presenting symptoms can differ. Common symptoms of ambiguous grief include:
- Cognitive struggles
- Persistent sadness
- An overwhelming feeling of being “stuck”
- A constant state of questioning and confusion surrounding the loss
- Loss of interest in things that once brought the individual joy
How can EMDR treatment help with ambiguous grief?
While traditional talk therapy is helpful for some people, EMDR may be a better option if you’re finding it difficult to move on from a loss that is without closure. EMDR for ambiguous grief helps people process and deal with their emotions and memories through precise eye movements.
When it comes to ambiguous grief, our brain will constantly loop a traumatic event or memory in a way that seems unbreakable. That’s why EMDR focuses on the three phases our brain moves through when we process information: activation, assessment, and stabilization.
EMDR for ambiguous grief targets recurring thoughts associated with loss and helps patients reprocess and embed them into their memory system. In each session, the memories are brought into conscious awareness until the emotional intensity is easier to cope with.
EMDR treatments are also used to help with:
- PTSD
- Panic attacks
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Addictions
- Phobias
- Eating Disorders
Interested in trying EMDR for ambiguous grief and where to seek treatment?
Interested in EMDR for ambiguous grief or other issues you may be struggling with? At North Jersey Health & Wellness, we offer EMDR to help treat a range of traumatic experiences. Contact our office and someone from our team will help you schedule a consultation.