This blog post will start with a question: Have you ever felt that grief and trauma were in a connection so strong that it’s impossible to tell where one ends and the other begins? You are not alone. The association between PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, and grief is complex, multilayered, and cannot be fully described without specific details.

While the two often intersect, they grow roots from different experiences. PTSD is based on exposure to a traumatic event: surviving a natural disaster, witnessing violence, or enduring an assault. Grief, however, is the emotional response to loss—whether it’s the death of a loved one, the end of a meaningful relationship, or even a major life change.

What makes this relationship even more tricky is how these experiences can sometimes overlap: a person dealing with grief may also feel the echoes of trauma, or a person experiencing PTSD may feel the additional weight of loss that amplifies their symptoms.

PTSD and Grief: Are They Two Sides of the Same Coin?

It’s easy to see why grief and PTSD might seem connected. Both can leave you feeling disoriented, vulnerable, and overwhelmed. But they’re not identical. The key difference lies in their origins.

Still, there are similarities between the two. Both can lead to:

• Intrusive thoughts: Recurrent, distressing memories that may be perceived as uncontrollable.
• Avoidance behaviors: Avoiding the locations, persons, or situations that bring thoughts of the loss or trauma.
• Emotional numbing: An apparent feeling of separation from the world around one.
• Hyperarousal: A state in which a person becomes excessively vigilant, appearing restless and constantly on edge.

Here’s where things get complicated: traumatic grief can look just like PTSD. For instance, if someone has a loved one die suddenly, or in some violently traumatic manner, the shock and horror of what transpired may increasingly feel less about grief and more about the symptoms of PTSD. All that does is blur the lines, especially where emotions are involved.
Traumatic Grief:

Have you ever heard the term “traumatic grief”? It’s not an official diagnosis, but a term describing what happens when these two concepts, grief and trauma, collide. Traumatic grief is when the loss itself is tied to a traumatic experience.
For example, an individual might suddenly lose a loved one through an accident or a crime. They will relive the loss of a loved one and the details of how it happened—both traumatically. This can increase emotional damage and make the healing process appear impossible. People with traumatic grief often experience symptoms that are reminiscent of PTSD, such as:

• Nightmares or flashbacks of the traumatic event.
• Avoidance of reminders of the loss or trauma.
• Difficulty trusting others or feeling safe.
• Physical symptoms like headaches, stomach pain, or fatigue.

The difference is important because traumatic grief does not follow the same pattern as typical grief and does not necessarily lessen over time nor become easier to handle without some kind of professional intervention.

Prolonged Grief Disorder:

You may have heard the term “prolonged grief disorder.” It describes the overwhelming emotional and psychological impact of experiencing both grief and trauma simultaneously. For example, someone who loses a loved one to a violent incident might experience the following: profound guilt over not being able to prevent the loss; intense anger at the circumstances or individuals involved; a pervasive sense of vulnerability or danger.

This combination of grief and trauma can be debilitating. Even though it is common to think that over time things get better and symptoms start to decrease, if left unaddressed in some scenarios, it may start a cycle of avoidance, self-isolation, or even despair.

Finding the Path to Healing

Navigating the overlap of PTSD and grief can feel like trying to find your way through a dense fog. But healing is possible. It often starts with recognizing what you’re experiencing and seeking the right kind of support.
Following are a few strategies that work:

• Starting to visit therapy sessions is fundamental in nature, with the therapist having experience related to trauma or emotional damage. A course of treatment that includes EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and trauma-focused CBT may work especially well for such cases.
• Leaning on your support network: this could mean close friends, family, or attending group therapy. Feeling isolated creates burdens when one speaks their mind or tells their truth.
• Practice mindfulness: Meditation or grounding exercises can help calm your mind and reduce feelings of hyperarousal.
  Be patient with yourself: Healing isn’t a linear or fast process. There will be ups and downs, and that is okay.

Can Time Heal All Wounds?

Here’s the deal: time doesn’t heal anything. What heals is what you do in that time. In grief, that means making meaningful moments to remember and keep the loved one alive—creating rituals, writing letters, and telling his or her story. With PTSD, this generally means coming head-to-head with the trauma in an encouraging and protected setting.
It’s also important to remember that healing doesn’t mean forgetting. The scars of grief and trauma don’t disappear, but they do fade. Over time, they become reminders of what you’ve endured—and survived.

Wrapping It All Up

So there can be a relation between PTSD and grief? Absolutely, but it’s complicated. While they grow from different emotional landscapes, their symptoms can overlap in specific ways, especially in cases of traumatic loss.

The good news? Help is available. If you are struggling with PTSD, grief, or both, reach out to a mental health professional. Life after loss or trauma will be different, but it can still be meaningful, beautiful, and full of hope.

Would you like to take that first step today? Healing starts with one conversation.