What is disenfranchised grief?
Understanding Disenfranchised Grief: The Loss of a Beloved Pet
Losing a pet is a profound emotional experience for many people. To us, our pets are more than just a dog, cat, bird, or other animal; they are our cherished companions in life. They provide us with unconditional love and support. Unfortunately, when we experience the passing of a pet, our grief can be misunderstood, minimized, or even dismissed by society. This type of bereavement not widely understood by others is known as disenfranchised grief.
What is Disenfranchised Grief?
Disenfranchised grief refers to the sorrow and pain after a personal loss that is not openly recognized or socially supported by our fellow humans. Unlike the death of a human loved one, the loss of an animal may not be conceptualized by others as a significant loss. Friends, family members, co-workers, and employers may lack the understanding of the depth of a bereaved pet parent’s grief, further exacerbating feelings of sadness, isolation and alienation.
The Social Ritual of Mourning
When a human being dies, we have well-established traditions, norms, and rituals to navigate grief as a group. There are memorial services, celebration of life events, funeral ceremonies, and symbolic rituals honoring the deceased. Unless personally and purposely thought out, similar rituals are absent when it comes to coping with pet loss. This results in the bereaved person struggling to make sense of the depth of personal loss very few understand, experienced themselves or empathize with how you are feeling.
How Disenfranchised Grief Impacts Our Emotional and Psychological Health
The lack of socially acceptable rituals to memorialize and validate the loss of a pet can have implications on our mental health. From my own work with clients, disenfranchised grief can lead to emotional numbness, isolation, guardedness, minimization of one’s own thoughts and feelings as a protective mechanism and even prolonged mourning. Without adequate support and coping skills disenfranchised grief can have short and long-term consequences on our mental health.
The Value of Seeking Support
If you are struggling with the loss of a pet, it is important to know your grief is real and support is available. If you have a close friend or family member who can help reach out to them and be receptive to their support. For some people an animal bereavement group can provide support during the initial and later stages of coping with loss. Your local Humane Society is a great resource for free support groups in your area. There are also national programs such as the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement https://www.aplb.org/online-video-support-about/ , who sponsor free online support via chat as well as video on an ongoing basis for free. For others seeking a more personal approach individual therapy from a licensed mental health provider who specializes in pet loss can help you process and navigate the significant experience of losing your beloved pet.
Pet Loss Florida Understands and We Provide Specialty Care to Cope with Pet Loss
If you are struggling to cope with the loss of a pet or animal companion, you do not have to navigate your grief alone or in isolation. As a licensed psychologist I am here to provide professional, compassionate support and guidance to help you navigate this difficult chapter in your life. I have years of experience providing secure, HIPAA compliant telehealth services and I can provide care for clients located anywhere in the state of Florida. Complete our contact form to schedule a free consultation to see if we are a good fit to work together.
