Abstract

The loss of a loved one is a highly stressful event that nearly everyone experiences. Multiple losses can leave relatives feeling overwhelmed or stuck in their grief, a phenomenon commonly referred to as bereavement overload. This study aimed to elucidate the meaning of prolonged grief from the viewpoint of the survivors of the Bam earthquake (Iran, December 2003) 11 years after the earthquake in south eastern Iran. Family members who lost loved ones in the Bam earthquake were considered potential participants. A total of 12 survivors participated in this study. The interviews were analyzed with Ricoeur's phenomenological hermeneutic method. The meaning of prolonged grief was comprehensively understood as "being under the umbrella of persistent grief." This can be divided into four themes: experiencing a divine and painful destiny, experiencing heartbreaking goodbye with loved ones, losing all hopes and dreams, and being in a state of fragile peace. The results in this study suggest survivors of the Bam earthquake grief can be moderated by adequate crisis-related coping resources such as social, cultural, and religious supports. These supports are clearly important to survivors' post-earthquake recovery.