Understanding Complicated Grief in Loss Contexts

A 36-year-old female client named Sarah has recently experienced the loss of her husband in a tragic car accident. Since this event, she has displayed symptoms of profound sadness, difficulty sleeping, and lack of interest in social interactions. During a therapeutic session, she expresses feelings of guilt for having quickly made plans to return to work and has mentioned feeling as though she's betraying her husband's memory. Sarah's behavior can be indicative of maladaptive coping mechanisms following a significant loss.

In the context of grief and loss, it is essential to understand how individuals react differently based on their familial, cultural, and personal contexts. Fill in the blank with the term that best describes Sarah's possible psychological state: Sarah's difficulty in coping with grief may be associated with a state of ___________________ resulting from her unresolved feelings toward her loss.