Today I am missing my longtime friend who died of ovarian cancer this year. The pain of this loss prompted me to write this post to share some of the information that I have gained. I hope it is helpful for you or someone you know.
Disenfranchised grief is grief that is not acknowledged, supported, or socially validated. It occurs when a person experiences a significant loss, but others minimize it, judge it, or view it as less legitimate. As a result, the grieving person may feel isolated, misunderstood, or unable to openly mourn. While this type of grief is often discussed in relation to losses such as an elderly parent, an ex-partner, or a miscarriage, it also commonly arises after the death of a close friend.
Friendships are often chosen family, yet their loss is frequently overlooked. Society tends to reserve public rituals, extended support, and long-term compassion for grief tied to kinship or romantic partnership. When a friend dies, the bereaved may feel pressure to downplay their pain, question the legitimacy of their grief, or mourn privately. This lack of recognition can make the loss feel invisible, compounding the emotional impact.
The death of a close friend can be deeply destabilizing, particularly in adulthood, when friendships often serve as primary sources of emotional intimacy, identity affirmation, and daily support. Friends witness major life transitions, hold shared histories, and often know parts of us that even family members do not. When a friend dies, the loss can disrupt routines, social networks, and one’s sense of continuity. Yet because the relationship is not legally or biologically defined, grief may be dismissed with phrases such as “at least it wasn’t family” or “you’ll always have the memories,” unintentionally minimizing the depth of attachment and loss.
The loss of friendship can also carry a unique loneliness. Unlike family loss, there may be no formal role for the bereaved friend in funerals, decision-making, or mourning rituals. The griever may feel excluded from services or unsure of where they belong. This is especially true when the deceased friend’s family does not fully recognize the closeness of the relationship, or when the friendship existed outside socially visible norms. The absence of communal acknowledgment can intensify grief and complicate the healing process.
The loss of a friend may also prompt identity shifts and existential reflection. Friends often anchor us to particular versions of ourselves—who we were at certain stages of life, shared dreams, or mutual understandings of the world. When that person is gone, the bereaved may feel disoriented, questioning who they are without the relationship. This can be especially pronounced when the friend was a primary confidant, a sobriety partner, a co-parenting ally, or a key emotional support.
Research supports the complexity of grief following the loss of a close friend. In their article, “Losing a Part of Yourself’: How women grieve their close friend’s death,” Sauber and O’Brien (2025) examined how attachment styles influence both prolonged grief and posttraumatic growth. They found that attachment-related anxiety and avoidance shaped how individuals coped with loss through perceived social support and coping strategies. Certain coping styles—particularly avoidant emotional coping and problem-focused coping—played a significant role in shaping grief outcomes. These findings highlight how relational patterns and emotional regulation strategies influence not only the intensity of grief, but also the potential for growth following loss.
As with other forms of disenfranchised grief, social validation plays a critical role in healing. Without acknowledgment, grief may become internalized, delayed, or complicated. Recognizing the legitimacy of friendship loss challenges the unspoken hierarchy of grief that places family relationships above all others. Acknowledging that love, attachment, and meaning are not limited to blood or legal ties allows grief to be held with compassion rather than comparison.
Supportive responses to someone grieving a friend mirror those offered for other significant losses. Rather than minimizing the relationship, it is helpful to acknowledge its importance and invite remembrance. Simple statements such as “Your friendship clearly mattered deeply” or “Tell me about your friend” can open space for the bereaved to share their story. Presence, curiosity, and continued support over time communicate that their grief is real and worthy of care.
Expressive writing can also support healing after the loss of a friend. Writing a letter to a deceased friend may help the bereaved express unfinished conversations, gratitude, anger, or longing. This type of journaling allows emotions to surface without concern for grammar, structure, or judgment. Revisiting meaningful passages later—perhaps in a journal or therapeutic setting—can help integrate the loss into one’s ongoing life narrative.
In addition to writing letters to a deceased friend, What’s Your Grief offers another meaningful variation: writing a letter from the loved one who has died. This exercise invites the bereaved to imagine what their friend might say to them now, drawing on shared values, remembered wisdom, humor, and relational patterns. It can be especially helpful during moments of longing or uncertainty, such as when facing a life decision and wishing for that person’s guidance. Writing a letter from a friend to oneself can illuminate internalized support, foster self-compassion, and strengthen continuing bonds. Rather than denying the reality of the loss, the exercise honors the ongoing internal relationship while acknowledging the pain of absence.
When supported by a grief-informed and empathetic professional, expressive writing and letter-based interventions can provide a compassionate container for mourning a relationship that mattered deeply—even if the world did not fully see it.
References
Sauber, E. W., & O’Brien, K. M. (2025). “Losing a part of yourself”: How women grieve their close friend’s death. Omega: Journal of Death and Dying.
What’s Your Grief. (n.d.). To me, from you: Writing letters from those we’ve lost. https://whatsyourgrief.com/to-me-from-you-writing-letters-from-those-weve-lost/
Leilani M Norman 
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