Closure

According to the American Psychological Association (n.d.), closure is characterised by attaining resolution for psychological issues that are bothering an individual; typically, a person can derive this via seeking firm answers or increasing their tolerance towards ambiguity (Boss & Carnes, 2012; Zimbardo, n.d.). Although the literature is divided on the definition of closure, the preceding definition will be taken for the context of this article.

In a world where death, heartbreak, and hardships are commonplace, the need for closure becomes essential. Closure can be garnered via confiding in others or getting answers from them (Barkley, 2024). Where the other party of concern cannot be present, self-reflection towards attaining acceptance of the ambiguity is more feasible (Boss & Carnes, 2012); however, a combination of methods is often adopted in the closure process, depending on the situation and individual preferences. 

Firstly, establish healthy boundaries (Kim, 2020; Assisi Hospice, n.d.). This can include temporarily or permanently distancing yourself from the other person when a relationship ends. As for experiencing the death of someone close, this can be communicating the need for privacy and not feeling obligated to engage in family or other social activities (What’s your grief?, n.d.). 

Secondly, acknowledge your feelings and practice radical acceptance (Kim, 2020; Kim, 2024). Although denial is often the first step most of us may take, such as thinking “this cannot be real”, it is crucial to prevent emotion suppression from taking over. Emotion suppression is associated with psychopathological symptoms and aggression (Rogier et al., 2017). By successfully identifying your feelings, one can then attempt to accept the situation without resistance; this can mean increasing one’s tolerance for ambiguity and recognising that you may not get any answers or apologies (Kim, 2024). 

Thirdly, redirect the focus onto yourself. This can include engaging in hobbies, surrounding yourself with supportive friends, learning something new, and a whole variety of other possible approaches; it is important to remember that there is no one way to deal with closure and the grief that typically comes with it (Kim, 2024).

Written by: Adalee Loh

01/2026

References

American Psychology Association. (n.d.). APA dictionary of Psychology. https://dictionary.apa.org/closure 

Assisi Hospice. (n.d.). My grief compass: Navigating the journey of grief. https://www.assisihospice.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/My-Grief-Compass-1.pdf 

Barkley, S. (2024, January 22). What does it mean to get closure in a relationship? Psych Central. https://psychcentral.com/relationships/finding-closure 

Boss, P., & Carnes, D. (2012). The myth of closure. Family process, 51(4), 456-469. https://news.cehd.umn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/TheMythofClosure-Boss.pdf 

Kim, J. (2020, March 17). How to get closure. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/blog/the-angry-therapist/202003/how-to-get-closure 

Kim, J. (2024, October 24). How to create your own closure. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/blog/the-angry-therapist/202410/creating-your-own-closure-let-go-of-relationship-residue 

Rogier, G., Garofalo, C., & Velotti, P. (2017, June5). Is emotional suppression always bad? A matter of flexibility and gender differences. Current Psychology, 38, 411-420. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-017-9623-7 

What’s your grief? (n.d.). Setting your grief boundaries. https://whatsyourgrief.com/setting-boundaries-grief-boundaries/ 

Zimbardo, P. G., (n.d.). Need for closure: Psychology definition, history, and examples. Zimbardo. https://www.zimbardo.com/need-for-closure-psychology-definition-history-examples/