Normal grief how long

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Give yourself time to experience your loss in your own way. At the same time, remember to take care of yourself. There is no set timetable for grief. You may start to feel better in 6 to 8 weeks, but the whole process can last anywhere from 6 months to 4 years. You may start to feel better in small ways. During this time, it may feel like you go through a series of ups and downs.

You may feel better one day, but worse the next. This is normal. Sometimes the feelings last longer, or you may have trouble dealing with your emotions.

When this happens, grief can turn into depression. The symptoms of grief and depression are similar. Signs that you could be depressed include:. Your family doctor can help you treat your depression so you can start to feel better.

He or she can also help you figure out what other kind of support you need. This could include a support group, individual therapy, or medicine. Last Updated: December 2, This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone. Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject. It's important to recognise that people who are close to you can provide unique support; they know you well and can also raise the alarm if they feel you may need grief therapy.

Sometimes, even your close relatives cannot help entirely. Speaking to a grief counsellor might help put words on the complex turmoil of emotions that arise after a loss - although making that step often feels difficult. There can also be shame attached to them not feeling better sooner, as others often underestimate the effects of a severe bereavement.

However, people who are bereaved should come forward; they should not be shy to seek treatment," Herbert explains. In the UK, GPs can refer patients to counselling services, although you also have the option of contacting a grief counsellor on your own.

Contacting a local support group or charity, and speaking to people who have gone through a loss as well can allow people to get out of the isolation that they often find themselves in after someone close dies. When Erin Hope Thompson started the Loss Foundation after the death of her father, she was trying to fill a gap for her stepmother, who had expressed a need to speak to other bereaved people who had lost the love of their lives.

Grief is still a taboo topic in our societies and can be isolating as people do not speak about it. Groups allow them to open up," Hope Thompson says. Organisations like the Loss Foundation or Cruse Bereavement Care are found throughout the UK and offer very good support groups and resources for individuals to join. Charities dedicated to specific losses, such as Child Bereavement UK , for parents who have lost their children and for bereaved children, can also provide help that can be more adapted to people's circumstances.

Don't hesitate to try different therapies or to join different support groups - and this goes for everyone, not just for people suffering from complicated grief. Something that might not work for you early on in the bereavement process may help you down the line, so don't be shy to try different kinds of support, at different points after the loss," Hope Thompson says. Back in May this year I was on a long walk with my other half, after 40 minutes I started getting palpitations, around this time we were planning our wedding and I was under a great deal of But the truth is there are no set stages or time limits to grief.

In the early stages after a bereavement, you might feel numb or nothing at all. You might carry on as if nothing happened or find yourself focusing on administrative tasks such as cancelling bills or organising the funeral. Later on, after the initial shock, you might find that reality sets in. Some people feel a strong range of emotions from the start , while for others these feelings may take a while to develop.