When A Parent Dies…Is It Normal To Feel Angry?

when a parent dies

By Jackie Pilossoph, Founder, Divorced Girl Smiling, the place to find trusted, vetted divorce professionals, a podcast, website and mobile app.

When a parent dies, there are many emotions felt, and the devastating experience is different for everyone. One thing I did not expect to feel when my dad died a few weeks ago was anger. I found myself absolutely furious at trivial issues, and if something didn’t go perfectly well, I was all bent out of shape, 100 times worse than I would be normally. I came to realize that the anger was masking my broken heart. 

Is It Normal To Feel Angry After A Parent Dies? by Jackie Pilossoph for Chicago Tribune Pioneer Press

No one can tell you how you are going to feel when one of your parents dies. So when my father passed away a few weeks ago, I assumed I was going to be immensely sad, simply because that would make sense, right?

While I did experience devastation and sorrow, I felt something else, which was unexpected: anger. Over the next couple weeks, I found myself feeling livid, heated and argumentative with others. Any daily situation that didn’t go perfectly well caused me to become furious and distressed.

Click here to read the rest of the article, published in the Chicago Tribune Pioneer Press.

 

Listen to the Divorced Girl Smiling podcast View the DGS trusted divorce professionals! Divorced Girl Smiling is now offering a private, no-cost, one-on-one phone consult

Sign up for the Divorced Girl Smiling newsletter to get articles on divorce and dating.

Sign up


    Gmail

    LinkedIn
    Divorced Girl Smiling welcome video
    Jackie Pilossoph

    Editor-in-chief: Jackie Pilossoph

    Jackie Pilossoph is the Founder of Divorced Girl Smiling, the media company that connects people facing with divorce to trusted, vetted divorce professionals. Pilossoph is a former NBC affiliate television journalist and Chicago Tribune/Pioneer Press features reporter. Her syndicated column, Love Essentially was published in the Chicago Tribune/Pioneer Press and Tribune owned publications for 7 1/2 years. Pilossoph holds a Masters degree in journalism from Boston University. Learn more at: DivorcedGirlSmiling.com

    2 Responses to “When A Parent Dies…Is It Normal To Feel Angry?”

    1. Geralyn Austin

      My condolences on the loss of your father Jackie. We attended Mt. Lebanon high school together many years ago. I remember the flares of anger as my father battled a short, brutal cancer. It was the helplessness of watching my dignified dad be ravaged and made small. Pissed me off to no end. But every time friends asked about my dad, I would always thank them. I appreciated being able to share my pain and now I always ask, knowing the answers are often hard to hear. Be well.

      Reply
      • Jackie Pilossoph

        thank you so much. I truly appreciate your reaching out. I’m so sorry about your dad, too.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *