What is the term for grief that extends over a long period without resolution?

The term for grief that extends over a long period without resolution is chronic grief. This type of grief is characterized by a persistent feeling of sorrow or loss that does not diminish over time and can significantly impact a person's daily functioning and emotional health. Individuals experiencing chronic grief may struggle to find closure and may feel stuck in their pain, unable to move forward in their lives.

In contrast, acute grief typically arises immediately following a loss and is often intense but may start to diminish as time passes and the person begins to adapt to the loss. Normal grief refers to the typical emotional response to loss, which evolves over time and may include various feelings but ultimately leads to healing. Abnormal grief, while it can overlap with chronic grief, generally refers to patterns of grief that are disruptive or severe in a way that indicates an unhealthy response to loss, but this term is less commonly used than chronic grief to describe prolonged mourning.