What is it?

And what is happening for the person who is grieving?

It depends, very much, on their experience.

Disenfranchised grief is grief that isn't always recognized by others as a meaningful loss. Because the loss may not be understood or acknowledged, the person grieving may not receive the same support, understanding, or permission to grieve that they might receive after a more commonly recognized loss.

And grief can leak into many different areas of life.

Someone may seem unfriendly, irritated, depressed, spaced out, or forgetful. They may lose interest in friendships or activities. They may have difficulty at work. They may lean into addictions, spend beyond their budget, or make choices that seem unlike them.
t belief, but something quieter and constant.

These behaviours can easily be misinterpreted as dismissive, irresponsible, or uncaring.

What can be missed is that the person may be trying to find their way through a loss that has changed something fundamental in their life.

Some losses that can be disenfranchised include the death of a loved one by suicide, the loss of a relationship with a living child through estrangement, the loss of an ex-partner or friend, or the loss of a beloved animal.

It can also include the loss of money, a home, land, a way of life, or something deeply important that others may not understand.

People in the LGBTQIA2S+ community may experience disenfranchised grief when the loss of a loved one, relationship, or community isn't fully recognized or understood by those around them.

And sometimes there is another layer.

A person may be grieving something they had hoped for but never talked about.

A possibility.

A future.

A relationship they thought might be repaired.

A life they imagined would happen.