The psychological work of grief

The grieving process is one of the most complex operations that the psyche must face in the face of loss. It is not simply an emotional moment of sadness, but an active process of internal transformation, where the subject is forced to reorganize their emotional ties and internal representations in the absence of what was valued and loved.

Process of libidinal detachment from the lost object

When something or someone who has occupied a significant place in the psychic life is lost, the emotional energy—the libido—that was invested in that object does not disappear, but is temporarily left without a destination.

The work of mourning consists of removing that emotional charge from the absent object through a series of unconscious operations that gradually undo the ties that sustained that internal relationship.

This is not an immediate or voluntary act: the mind needs time and symbolic resources to process the loss, allowing that psychic energy, once released, to be directed toward new relationships, activities, or meanings.

Difference between real loss and unconscious loss

Grief is not always triggered exclusively by an obvious external event, such as a death or a specific separation.

While it often refers to a real loss, it can also arise from less obvious situations, such as subjective changes, symbolic disappointments, or internal breakdowns. In these cases, the subject may not be fully aware of what they have lost, even though they experience it with equal intensity.

This type of unconscious loss can give rise to more complex forms of grief, where affection is withdrawn without a clear understanding of its cause. Sometimes, the psychological distress that is generated manifests itself as inhibition, apathy, or diffuse suffering, the source of which can only be clarified through deeper work.

Unconscious representations and mnemonic traces of the object

In the unconscious, loved objects do not exist as physical entities, but as impressions and memories that have left their mark on the psychic apparatus. Every experience, every emotion, every meaningful bond leaves a trace—a mnemonic trace—that constitutes the symbolic map of the subject's inner world.

When an object is lost, it is not only its external presence that is lost, but also the entir