Grief is a natural part of life and a perfectly normal response to the death of a loved one. It is an adjustment process which allows you to gradually accept your loss. People express grief in their own ways and at their own pace. Normal grief is healthy and should lead to recovery as well as to growth and healthy change.
Experts suggest it generally takes 18-24 months to stabilize after the death of a family member, and much longer if the death was a violent one. For many, the worst period can come 4-7 months after the event, a time when most people often expect you to be “over” your loss. Understanding the grieving process enables people to gain control over their grief, rather than being controlled, or even destroyed, by it.