Grief is painful no matter what, but coping with a sudden death is often disorienting, shocking, and can make processing the experience more challenging. With an unexpected death, you’re not just dealing with a loss. You are also coping with the trauma of how that person died, which can make it difficult to make sense of the situation. Sudden death trauma may be related to:

• Personal involvement: If a person witnesses or is involved in a sudden death event, such as an accident, they often blame themselves and replay the incident in their minds over and over.
• Not being there: Hearing secondhand news about the sudden death of someone you care about can add stress from imagining what happened.  
• Violent death: Many unexpected deaths are due to violence, which can be traumatic and hard to make sense of.
• Multiple deaths: Sometimes with sudden deaths, the bereaved person may be grieving multiple losses, such as involving multiple family members. Coping with these types of sudden death is shocking and can result in disbelief. When there is no opportunity to say goodbye, there may be mixed feelings, things left unsaid, regrets, and guilt. Many people who are grieving an unexpected death feel helpless and confused about why it happened. There’s often a loss of meaning, which can lead to anger, depression and numbness. Some unexpected deaths may have a social stigma attached to them, which can lead to feelings of shame and the desire for secrecy and isolation. If you’re grieving a sudden death or supporting someone who is, it’s important to consider all these unique factors and look for specific ways to help heal from the trauma while also grieving and mourning.  
• Suggested Ways to Cope

Elizabeth Beasley, Health Grades

Medical Reviewer: William C. Lloyd III, MD, FACS