How Long Does Grief Last?

How long will you be grieving after a cremation service in Fulton, IL?  

Unfortunately, there is no set time frame for when you will feel better, move through a stage, or come to accept the loss of your loved one as each person, each relationship, and even each death is different. However, knowing what others have gone through and understanding that their experiences are similar to your own can help you feel normal, which is soothing. Plus, being aware of grief models can help you understand the emotions you may be feeling. To provide comfort, here is a general grief timeline.  

For some, grief begins before death. Anticipatory grief is a feeling of loss you may experience before your loved one dies. For example, you might begin to think about their loss and feel the pain of that loss when you find out a loved one has a terminal illness. After death, many people experience shock immediately which lasts for hours or even days. Everyone experiences shock differently. Some people may cry or laugh while others might feel completely numb. Every reaction is normal.  

A funeral or memorial service is often when you say goodbye in a formal, final manner. This can be a very important part of the healing process, and reactions can vary from one extreme to the other. You might cry throughout the service or sit stoically. Some people say that grief is often harder after the service. This makes sense. Once the service is over, friends go home and return to their lives, leaving you alone with your feelings and your new reality. This is the time to self-reflect and allow yourself to feel your emotions. You can work on your to-do list, but be gentle with yourself.  

What b about months or years down the line? Your grief will lessen over time. The exact amount of time depends on the person, as no two people will grieve the same. But you will start to feel better. Months after the loss, many people begin to question the death as they’ve processed it more. This is common. You will never be “finished” grieving the loss of a loved one. Even years down the line, there will still be moments when the pang of loss hits you like it did in the early days. However, these moments will become few and far between as the years pass. Your grief might be like a shadow, always there but not fully visible or tangible. Despite the popular saying, time doesn’t “heal” the wound. But it does soften the blow. As the years go by, the sharpness of your grief will ease, and you’ll be able to think back to happy memories with a bittersweet smile.  

Being familiar with a common grief timeline can help comfort you in your time of loss. Do you want to learn more about grief after Fulton, IL cremation services? We are happy to do whatever we can for you in your time of loss. Call or visit us today.