How long do you grieve?

I am sorry for your loss. The grieving process is different for everyone. I lost my grandmother 18 years ago. I still am not over it. I think of her daily. I named my daughter for her.

My step dad died about 9 years ago, it will be 9 years in August. I still greive for him when you love someone and they die you will always greive the sadness never really goes away. It may get easier over time it has for me but I will always feel sad.
Everyone is different in how they deal with death, just give yourself some time and it will get easier when you think about your friend.

Sorry to hear that.
I feel for you.

I think it is different from person to person.

It always helps me to know that life does not end here.
There is more after this life, weather you call it heaven, reincarnation, another galaxy life, Universal Energy...
I just know there has to be a life after.
Otherwise we would be here for nothing, we are here to learn.
Everything has a reason.

My opinion.

What I am trying to say is: Your friend is happy where ever he is, he has a new start.
He does not want you to be unhappy. He wants you to remember good times, and live your life further. He wants what you would have wanted, had you gone first.

I know it does not take away the fact that you miss your friend, that will get less in time, but it never really goes away. But, the hurt will stop.

I hope this helps a little.
Take care.

It can be a lifetime, sometimes. Other times, it fades after awhile.

I lost a friend in HS, about 13 years ago. He had commited suicide, and it had been a few months before then since I had seen him. I was crushed when I found out. We were not lovers, but we were really close friends. In fact, he was the only male friend I ever had that did not make efforts to go further then that, which I took for granted when I was a teen. For a few months, it was contstant grief, and no one I was close to really knew him that well, so I was alone in it. After awhile, I had gotten to the point where I would cry often in secret, even years afterward. Now, it makes me a little sad to say, but I go months without thinking of him. A couple of years ago, when my partner and I started actually having time apart because of work and such, I thought about him more and how wonderful it would of been to have him in our lives, so much that I even sought out a friend from HS who shared the same name as he and some personality traits. That friendship did not go far as I started to realize this new friend only had carnal interests in mind, and now avoids me often unlike the true friend I was seeking would do.

My deceased friend had an impact on my life, and always will. I sometimes wonder if somehow he was able to give me the strength to let him go and continue on with my life.

Don't force yourself out of grief, it happens naturally enough.

I am sorry for you loss. I can empathise, it does get better.

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss! I agree with others when they say it's different for everyone. I lost my grandfather twenty years ago, and I still miss him terribly. I lost my grandmother in 2003, and I still miss her terribly. We lost a friend to cancer yesterday, and I'm sure that is going to stay with me for a long time also.

There is no set timeline for grief. I have had several losses at different points in my life. The most recent being my sister about 5 years ago. What I came to realize is that when you loose someone it leaves a hole in part of your life, an open wound. The wound will close and heal, but it will always leave a scar. Just like an actual scar, even when time passes you still feel a twinge from time to time. You will always wish they were still around, and you will always miss them.

What I have also found, as time passes, it becomes easier to remember them and feel some of the happiness from the memories. In the months after my sister dies, I was consumed with the grief and loss. Now, though I still miss her, remebering the fun times and the funny moments, I can feel good. Those memories are starting to come and bring a smile to my face.

Good luck to you, and remember to take your time with this.

i'm so sorry about what happened to your bestfriend.
i know how you feel and what you are dealing right now, losing a friend, mother, father, brother, sister, grandparents or anyone who'm you love so much is devastating.
i lost my woman, my girlfriend and soon to be wife just a month ago. tomorrow January 27 will be the 40th day when she left me hanging. it's just so recent and i am still grieving for my lost. since the day she passed way, i felt that as if half of my being had died together with her. every time i remember the perfect smile plastered on her lips, her face, the warmth of her presence, the words she keeps on telling me, the memories of us together. i can't help myself but to cry, i've never cried like this before in my entire life, it was painfully hard to accept a fact like this. i always wish that this is just dream cause how on earth could i be able to live my life knowing she don't exist anymore, my happiness was taken away from me the second time around but this time, it's for the worst. it's much better if she broke up with me and yet knowing that she still alive for i know that there will still be a chance that i will see the smile on her face once again even and see her laughing out loud again.
almost all of those who know what happened to me and to my fiancee said that "TIME WILL TELL", time will tell, on when i can get over with her. i don't know frankly when or how it'll happen. it'll take years i believe cause it's not easy.

I don't know yet bro. 7 months is still early. I understand if you're still grieving. Sometimes it would take forever depending on the impact of the loss of a loved one or a friend like in your case. I'm curious though as to why you friend passed away?

I am a newbie to My Lot, but unfortunately I am not new to grieving. Since November of 2004 I have lost both of my brothers and both parents. My youngest bro and both parents in a 16 month period and my oldest bro the day after last Christmas. For me, grief comes and goes. Simple things seem to bring back those feelings of loss. I have a few items that belonged to each of them, things that are not worth anything, but were items that remind me of them. I have never tried to suppress my feelings or emotions. I think what gets me through is that I do not second guess. I don't think "what if?" or "what if I had done this or that?" because there is no going back and changing anything. I also speak of them often, but I speak of them in past tense. This is my way of accepting they are gone, but realizing it is ok to remember them and keep them with me. Often there are times(mostly at work) when I pass on to others my Dad's wisdom. I'll tell folkes that "can't never did do nothing for nobody" or "you gotta be smarter than what your working with". These are the things that get me past the grief and to the good memories. I remember the person the I knew and loved, not the death. I hope that this may have been of some help.

I am a newbie to My Lot, but unfortunately not to grieving. Starting in November of 2004, I lost my youngest brother and both parents over a 16 month period. My oldest brother just passed away the day after last Christmas. For me, grief comes and goes. It seems as though simple things bring back the memories. I have kept a few items,from each of my family members. Nothing of value, just things that remind me of them. I never try to suppress my feelings. I speak of them openly with others, but I speak of them in past tense. This is my way of accepting they are gone. I often pass on some of my Dad's wisdom(mostly at work). Thing's like "can't never did do nothing for nobody" and "you gotta be smarter than what you're working with". These little sayings help me and remind me of the person not their death. What has probably helped me the most is that I do not second guess. I don't think "what if?" or "what if I had done this or that?". There is no changing what has already happened. By remembering the person, I can accept and move on. I hope this helps at least a little.