Grief Quiz
Questions: 15 · 10 minutes
1. What has happened to routines that previously gave your day structure, such as meals, movement, hobbies, or regular sleep times?
Most remain in place or have been adapted in workable ways.
Some have become inconsistent, but I can usually restart them.
Several have fallen away, and restoring them feels difficult.
My days have lost nearly all structure because grief makes routines feel unmanageable.
2. Have you used alcohol, drugs, or medication specifically to numb or escape grief?
I have not used these substances for that purpose.
I have sometimes used more than I normally would to soften the feelings.
I regularly rely on a substance or medication to get through grief-related distress.
I have blacked out, mixed substances, taken an unsafe or unknown amount, or driven while impaired.
3. You find yourself mentally replaying events connected with the death. How does this affect you?
I may revisit events, but I can redirect my attention when I choose.
The replay occasionally keeps me occupied longer than I intended.
I repeatedly get stuck reviewing what happened or what I could have done differently.
The replay feels relentless and leaves little room for other thoughts.
4. When emotional pain peaks, what happens to your physical safety?
I remain physically safe without needing urgent intervention.
I sometimes act impulsively in minor ways and need deliberate grounding or contact with someone.
I have acted recklessly or come close to injuring myself, even without intending serious harm.
I have injured myself, entered an immediately dangerous situation, or feel unable to control a dangerous impulse.
5. Over the past two weeks, how has grief affected work, study, caregiving, or household responsibilities?
I have continued them with no noticeable grief-related disruption.
A few tasks have taken longer or required extra effort.
I have repeatedly missed, delayed, or left important tasks unfinished.
I have been largely unable to carry out essential responsibilities.
6. When a practical decision about the coming weeks needs to be made, how do you respond?
I can make the decision, even if grief is present.
I may delay briefly or ask for reassurance before deciding.
I often avoid decisions because planning life after the death feels overwhelming.
I feel unable to make necessary plans, and important matters are being left unresolved.
7. When you imagine your future after this loss, which response fits best?
I can picture meaningful possibilities while continuing to value the person who died.
I can picture a future, but doing so sometimes brings guilt or uneasiness.
The future often seems empty or disconnected from who I used to be.
I cannot currently imagine an identity or future that has shape apart from the loss.
8. During the past two weeks, how often have thoughts about the person who died pulled you away from what you were doing?
They have pulled me away briefly on some occasions.
They have occupied most of my day or made other thoughts hard to hold onto.
They have arisen without noticeably pulling me away from the moment.
They have repeatedly interrupted work, study, conversations, or rest.
9. If your distress became unmanageable today, what access would you have to human support?
I know whom I could contact and believe I could make that contact.
Someone is available, although shame, worry, or uncertainty might delay me.
Available support is unreliable, difficult to reach, or does not understand how much I am struggling.
I have no one I can safely contact, am being prevented from seeking help, or cannot initiate contact without assistance.
10. During the past two weeks, which statement best describes thoughts about dying or harming yourself?
I have not had thoughts of dying or harming myself.
I have had brief thoughts such as wishing I would not wake up, without considering action.
I have had repeated thoughts of dying or self-harm, but I do not intend to act on them.
I have considered how I might act, have taken steps toward acting, or cannot trust myself to stay safe.
11. A place, object, or conversation might remind you of the person who died. What do you usually do?
I can approach it or choose not to without feeling controlled by the reminder.
I sometimes postpone facing it because I expect the feelings to be difficult.
I regularly change plans or routines to avoid reminders.
Avoiding reminders has sharply restricted where I go, what I do, or whom I see.
12. Someone you trust invites you to spend low-pressure time together. Which response is closest to yours lately?
I can accept or decline based on what I need, without grief consistently deciding for me.
I sometimes withdraw even though part of me would value the contact.
I usually avoid contact because being with others feels too difficult or disconnected.
I have cut myself off from nearly everyone or feel unable to tolerate contact.
13. When a reminder brings a wave of longing, what usually follows?
I notice the feeling and remain grounded in what is happening around me.
The wave is noticeable, but it usually settles without substantially changing my day.
It is hard to regain my footing for hours afterward.
The longing dominates most of the day or feels nearly impossible to step back from.
14. Which statement best describes how real the death feels to you now?
I understand that it happened, although I still have brief moments of disbelief.
I can recognize the reality of the death while still missing the person deeply.
I often feel caught between knowing it happened and expecting the person to return.
I spend much of my time feeling or behaving as though the death cannot be real.
15. How has grief affected your ability to meet basic physical needs such as eating, drinking, taking essential medication, and resting?
I have continued meeting these needs adequately.
I have occasionally missed or delayed one of these needs because of grief.
I have repeatedly missed basic needs and need help keeping up with them.
I am currently unable to meet one or more essential needs, or my physical condition may be in danger.