Experience of grief

There are three stages to grief:

• stage I (lasting hours to days):
  • the immediate effects of bereavement are characterised by disbelief and numbness
    
    
• stage II (lasting weeks to 6 months):
  • the acute stage of grief with positive symptoms such as crying out, searching and agitation
  • the intermediate stage of grief characterised by negative symptoms such as depression, despair and apathy
    
    
• stage III (lasting weeks to months):
  • characterised by resolution of the grief and reinvestment of emotional energies