What Causes Grief?

Grief develops after someone suffers a traumatic event. Memories such as anniversaries and birthdays may trigger an emotional response, developing feelings of sadness long after the events have passed. Though grief is your body's normal response to coping with a loss, a mental health professional need to assess long-term sadness that affects your daily life .

Terminal Diagnosis

• Facing a terminal disease can cause grief.

  If you receive a terminal cancer diagnosis, you may go through a progression of feelings as you come to accept your diagnosis. Not only will you experience grief, but your loved ones will as well. Your family may become grief-stricken at coping without you, while managing what time they have left with you. Grief isn't necessarily defined by death, as you may experience grief as your disease advances or if your life changes as a result of the disease, notes the Mayo Clinic.

Suicide

• Suicide can leave unanswered questions.

  The unexpected death of a loved one through suicide can cause an upheaval. You may feel guilt, anger and despair. You may even question why your loved one sought to end her life. Grief associated with a suicide can become complicated because you may wonder if you could have intervened and prevented the death. It may be difficult to accept the loss of your loved one.

Death

• Children can bond with pets, making their death hard.

  Death of a loved one can make you focus on the loss, resulting in grief. You may feel that your loved one was deprived of his life. Parents who experience the loss of a child may feel as if his death wasn't fair. Even children who lose a pet may experience grief at the loss of their best buddy.

Job Loss

• Threatened job security can lead to grief.

  Those who have a strong attachment to their jobs may experience grief if they lose their job, according to the North Carolina Office of State Personnel. Many identify themselves by their job through the enjoyment of what they do or because they maintain a certain position within their job. To lose a job can lead to a sense of hopelessness and the concern of how to make ends meet.

Relationship Loss

• An ending relationship can disrupt your happiness.

  Losing a loved one through a breakup or divorce can cause grief. Committing to a relationship that ends with you parting ways, can make you feel betrayed, angry and hurt. You may feel extremely sad at losing your companion. Even when the relationship reaches its end, you may still have expectations of the commitment you once had.