What Is Secondary Loss?

Secondary loss refers to the psychological, emotional, and social challenges that may follow after an initial loss, which is referred to as a primary loss. These secondary losses may happen immediately after a death or may gradually emerge over time. Like primary losses, secondary losses can disrupt and affect various aspects of someone’s life such as their sense of identity or their relationships with other people.

The term “secondary” does not mean that the loss is any less intense or meaningful in than the primary loss, but refers to the experience in relation to the initial or primary loss instead. Although primary losses often cause significant life changes, secondary losses can be equally powerful and painful to navigate. For example, the death of a partner would be considered a primary loss, but the loss of companionship and the ability to achieve shared goals together would be considered secondary losses. The experience of navigating a new identity in the absence of one’s partner would be another secondary loss. Examples of secondary loss can include:

• Loss of identity 
• Loss of faith
• Loss of financial independence
• Loss of companionship 
• Loss of support system
• Loss of shared dreams or goals 
• Loss of confidence 
• Loss of safety or security
• Loss of purpose or direction
• Loss of family structure 

Sometimes secondary loss can also present as disenfranchised loss or ambiguous loss. This can occur when other individuals don’t recognize the experiences or burdens as a type of loss and fail to properly acknowledge them or validate the emotions associated with grieving over them. In those instances, secondary loss is also disenfranchised loss. Similarly, sometimes individuals who are actively navigating secondary loss don’t recognize these experiences or psychological and emotional burdens as losses. They may also feel uncertain if they should even experience feelings of grief and sadness over these experiences. This is a secondary loss that also presents as ambiguous loss. 

Secondary losses illustrate the multifaceted nature of grief and loss, as well as the immense value of resilience among bereaved individuals. It is crucial to acknowledge secondary losses in the grieving process since they can influence each individual’s ability to cope. Finally, understanding secondary losses can make it easier to help bereaved individuals find appropriate resources and suitable support in their journey towards healing their grief.

Sources 

“Distinguishing Primary and Secondary Loss”. Grief Journey. Retrieved from https://griefjourney.com/startjourney/when-you-are-grieving/distinguishing-primary-and-secondary-loss/ 

“A Deep Dive Into Secondary Loss”. What’s Your Grief? Retrieved from https://whatsyourgrief.com/a-deep-dive-into-secondary-loss/