The bereavement process for an accidental death is often difficult and complex. With an anticipated death, the remaining family and friends have an opportunity to establish a sense of closure. There is time to ask questions, express emotions and make peace with their loved one's passing. With an accidental death, there are often unresolved issues. The remaining family and friends may feel angry or guilty that they were unable to say goodbye, and might feel as though their loved one was taken unfairly or prematurely. A major difficulty for the survivors of an accidental death is the sense that the world is no longer stable. Feelings of vulnerability or anxiety may cause the survivors to feel as though everyone they know and love is at risk. Their sense of stability may further be threatened by the loss of income, home, or social status as a result of their loved one's death. Their family dynamic may be permanently altered by the loss of their family member, and may result in a sense of disarray and unease. Marital or other relationships may become strained as each person searches to reestablish their sense of security and place in the family once again. The bereaved's grief may be complicated by an involvement in the tragedy. They may suffer from "survivor guilt," in which the events of the accident are constantly replayed and the survivor is faced with a sense that they might have prevented the accident before it occurred. The media may cause further grief, especially if the deceased was a victim of a violent act and the family must endure invasive news coverage, frustrating legal processes, or in the worst case, an unrecovered body or unsolved murder. The sense that justice has not been met or that the circumstances surrounding the victim's death have not been fully addressed may lengthen the grief process significantly. It is helpful to remember that the grieving process can be like swimming against an ocean undercurrent, or like the repetitive nature of household tasks. While the bereaved may have to cover the same ground in their healing more than once, it does not mean that progress is not being made over all. Talking at length about the emotions of the experience can help the bereaved regain a sense of control as they come to understand their responses to the death. Eventually, learning to separate the traumatic emotions associated with the death from the loving attachment to the deceased will help the bereaved find peace as they acknowledge both their positive attachment to their loved one and the suffering they have had to endure. For more information, please visit: http://www.journeyofhearts.org/jofh/grief/accident2 http://www.bpusatampabay.org/HelpfulResourcesArticles/sudden_and_accidental_death.htm http://www.grieflink.asn.au/traumatic.html