You Can’t Sever Grief (Even If You Wanted To)

Here’s what Severance gets right — and wrong — about our human urge to avoid uncomfortable emotions like grief.

Have you ever wished you could leave grief behind—like a coat on a hook or a file on a shelf?

In the television series Severance, characters undergo a procedure that separates their work and personal lives so completely, they become two versions of themselves. One knows only work, the other only life. No overlap, no mess.

It’s a compelling fantasy, especially when facing something as painful and unpredictable as grief. What if we could sever it... cut off the ache, the awkwardness, the fear of saying the wrong thing?

The truth is, many of us already try.

When grief touches our lives, or the lives of those around us, we often respond by compartmentalising it. We shift the conversation. We default to platitudes. We keep things ‘neat’. Whether you’re a friend, family member, colleague, or professional, this impulse to emotionally sever from grief is common — and deeply human.

But grief doesn’t respect boundaries like that. Grief can't be severed.

Grief isn’t just an emotion. It’s a response to love and loss, part of the story that shapes who we are. Attempting to shut it out, whether in ourselves or in others, only disconnects us from what matters most: connection, empathy, and shared humanity.

Avoiding grief conversations, no matter how well-intended, often results in silence, discomfort, and isolation for the grieving person. It signals: Your grief is too much. You should be ‘better’ by now. Let’s not talk about this.

It’s emotional severance — without the sci-fi.

At Grief Action, we’re committed to shifting this response. You don’t need a script or all the answers. But you do need the right tools, including language that helps, not hurts.

Our free resources help both professionals and community members begin this shift. It’s about moving from avoidance to meaningful presence — from emotional severance to genuine support.

Because grief isn’t something to sever. It’s something to honour.

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Image credit: Artem Horovenko on Unsplash

Categories: : Grief Action, Grief And Media