How long does grief usually last?

Recovery time is different for each person. For most people, grief symptoms lessen between 6 months and 2 years after a loss.

In normal grief, symptoms come less often and feel less severe as time passes. Along the way, many people have grief bursts. These are short periods of very intense distress, about 20 to 30 minutes long. They are often set off by reminders of the person, such as holidays, the anniversary of the death, or giving away belongings. Sometimes they come for no clear reason.

Many people share similar responses, but there is no single typical grief response. Everyone grieves in their own way, shaped by personality, culture, coping skills, and the support they have.

Most people work through grief and recover on their own, so normal grief may not need treatment. But grief reactions can be serious, or they may not improve for a long time. Then treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy can help. Reach out to your care team, a counselor, or a bereavement program if grief feels like more than you can carry.