How Long Does It Take to Forget a Tragedy?
How Long Does It Take to Forget a Tragedy? Why “moving on” isn’t the same as healing Framing the Question We often hear people ask, “Shouldn’t you be over that by now?” when talking about grief or trauma. But forgetting a tragedy isn’t a linear process—it’s a layered, deeply personal journey that defies society’s neat timelines. If you’ve ever wondered how long it takes to forget a tragedy , the answer reveals something profound about human resilience and the nature of healing itself. This question taps into the psychology of memory, emotional recovery, and our cultural impatience with pain. The Dangerous Myth of Grief Timelines Society craves predictability, especially around suffering. We create artificial deadlines: “You should feel better in six months,” or “The second year is easier.” These well-meaning platitudes reflect our collective discomfort with prolonged pain, but they ignore how emotional processing actually works. Grief symptoms often lessen after 6-12 months...