The Stages of Grief After Discovering Infidelity

The Moment That Splits Your Life

There's Before.

And there's After.

Before: You thought you knew your partner. You thought you knew your life.

After: You discovered they cheated.

Everything you thought was real—wasn't.

And now you're drowning in emotions you can't name, cycles you can't control, pain that feels endless.

Welcome to grief.

Not the grief of death. But the grief of betrayal.

Here's what to expect as you process the impossible.

Why Betrayal Causes Grief

Infidelity is a death.

Not of a person. But of:

The relationship you thought you had
The person you thought your partner was
Your sense of safety
Your trust in your own judgment
Your vision of the future

All of that died the moment you found out.

And like any death, you have to grieve it.

The 7 Stages of Grief After Infidelity

Traditional grief has 5 stages (Kübler-Ross model).

Betrayal trauma has 7:

Shock and Disbelief
Obsessive Rumination
Rage
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
Rebuilding (or Letting Go)

Important:

These stages aren't linear.

You'll cycle through them. Revisit them. Experience multiple at once.

That's normal.

Stage 1: Shock and Disbelief

What it feels like:

"This can't be real."

Numbness
Dissociation (feeling outside your body)
Inability to process
Physical symptoms (can't eat, can't sleep)
Repeating "this can't be happening"

How long it lasts:

Hours to days (sometimes weeks if discovery was particularly traumatic)

What's happening in your brain:

Your mind is protecting you.

The information is too overwhelming to process all at once.

Shock is a psychological buffer.

What you need:

✅ Immediate support (friend, family, crisis hotline)

✅ Basic self-care (eat something, sleep if possible)

✅ Safety (physical and emotional)

✅ Time to let reality sink in

What NOT to do:

❌ Make permanent decisions (don't leave/stay yet)

❌ Confront while in shock (wait until you can think clearly)

❌ Isolate completely

Stage 2: Obsessive Rumination

What it feels like:

You can't stop thinking about it.

Constant replaying of events
Obsessive detective work
Can't focus on anything else
Checking phone records, messages, locations
Asking the same questions repeatedly
Mental movies of them together
Hypervigilance

How long it lasts:

Weeks to months

(This is often the longest and most consuming stage)

What's happening in your brain:

Your mind is trying to make sense of the incomprehensible.

You're searching for:

How did this happen?
When did it start?
What did I miss?
Can I trust anything?

The brain needs to create a coherent narrative.

What you need:

✅ Answers (if your partner will give them honestly)

✅ Validation that rumination is normal

✅ Distraction techniques (when you need breaks from the thoughts)

✅ Therapy (specialized in betrayal trauma)

What NOT to do:

❌ Shame yourself for "not being able to move on"

❌ Social media stalk the affair partner obsessively

❌ Let rumination prevent basic functioning indefinitely

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Rumination:

Healthy (early stages):

Seeking information
Processing what happened
Understanding timeline

Unhealthy (if prolonged beyond months):

Preventing you from eating/sleeping long-term
Destroying your ability to function
Obsessive stalking behaviors
Refusing to engage with healing work

If rumination becomes debilitating beyond 2-3 months, you need professional help.

Stage 3: Rage

What it feels like:

Burning, all-consuming anger.

Hatred toward cheater
Hatred toward affair partner
Fantasies of revenge
Physical rage (want to throw things, scream)
Anger at yourself (for not knowing)
Anger at the world (for being unfair)

How long it lasts:

Weeks to months

(Can resurface periodically even after subsiding)

What's happening emotionally:

Anger is protective.

It shields you from the deeper pain underneath (sadness, grief, humiliation).

Anger says: "This is WRONG. I didn't deserve this."

It's healthy—to a point.

What you need:

✅ Safe outlets for anger (therapy, journaling, physical exercise)

✅ Validation that anger is justified

✅ Boundaries to protect yourself

✅ Space to feel it without acting destructively

What NOT to do:

❌ Act on revenge fantasies (you'll regret it)

❌ Lash out at children or innocent third parties

❌ Channel anger into self-destruction (substance abuse, reckless behavior)

❌ Let rage consume you indefinitely (therapy needed if it doesn't eventually ease)

Healthy Anger Expression:

✅ Screaming in your car

✅ Hitting a punching bag

✅ Writing letters you never send

✅ Raging to your therapist

✅ Telling them exactly how much they hurt you (once, clearly)

Unhealthy Anger Expression:

❌ Destroying their property

❌ Harassing the affair partner

❌ Involving children in your rage

❌ Violence

Stage 4: Bargaining

What it feels like:

"Maybe if I..."

With yourself: "Maybe I caused this by being [not pretty enough / too busy / too needy]"
With them: "Maybe if I'm perfect now, they'll stay"
With the universe: "Please let this be a nightmare I wake up from"

Thoughts that come up:

"If only I had been more attentive..." "Maybe if I lose weight / have more sex / be less demanding..." "What if I can become the person they won't cheat on?"

How long it lasts:

Weeks (can linger if you're trying to reconcile)

What's happening emotionally:

You're trying to regain control.

If you can find something YOU did wrong, then:

The situation makes sense
You can fix it
You have power

But you didn't cause them to cheat.

They chose that.

What you need:

✅ Reality check (friends/therapist reminding you this wasn't your fault)

✅ Self-compassion (you didn't deserve this)

✅ Boundaries (don't twist yourself into knots to "keep" someone who betrayed you)

What NOT to do:

❌ Take all the blame

❌ Change who you are to "affair-proof" the relationship

❌ Become someone else to keep them

Stage 5: Depression

What it feels like:

Crushing sadness.

Deep grief
Exhaustion
Hopelessness
"I'll never trust again"
"I wasted years on them"
Loss of interest in life
Crying constantly
Feeling broken

How long it lasts:

Weeks to months

What's happening emotionally:

You're finally feeling the full weight of the loss.

The protective emotions (shock, rage) have subsided.

Now you're left with the raw grief.

This is actually PROGRESS (even though it doesn't feel like it).

What you need:

✅ Therapy (this is when professional help is most critical)

✅ Support system (friends/family who will sit with you in the pain)

✅ Medication evaluation (if depression is severe/prolonged, talk to a doctor)

✅ Self-compassion

What NOT to do:

❌ Isolate completely

❌ Self-harm

❌ Substance abuse to numb the pain

❌ Tell yourself you'll never heal (you will, even though it doesn't feel possible)

When to seek immediate help:

🚨 Suicidal thoughts

🚨 Can't function for weeks

🚨 Losing significant weight / not eating

🚨 Self-harm urges

Call:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
Therapist immediately

Stage 6: Acceptance

What it feels like:

Not happiness. Not "being over it." But:

"This happened. It's real. I have to move forward."

Less consumed by the affair
Able to function again
Clarity about what you want (stay or go)
Peace with what happened (doesn't mean you forgive yet)
Energy returning
Future feels possible again

How long it lasts:

This is the beginning of the "new normal"

Typically: 6-18+ months after discovery

What acceptance is NOT:

❌ "It's fine"

❌ "I'm over it"

❌ "I forgive them"

❌ "It didn't hurt me"

Acceptance is:

✅ "It happened"

✅ "I can't change the past"

✅ "I have agency over what happens next"

✅ "I'm ready to make a decision about my future"

What you need:

✅ Decision-making clarity (stay or go)

✅ Boundaries (what you will/won't accept going forward)

✅ Self-reflection (who am I after this? what do I want?)

Stage 7: Rebuilding or Letting Go

What it feels like:

Moving forward—with or without them.

If staying (rebuilding):

Trust slowly returning
Building a new relationship
Forgiveness developing over time
Triggers less frequent
Choosing them again, consciously

If leaving (letting go):

Grieving the relationship
Rebuilding life separately
Rediscovering yourself
Moving toward new future
Trusting yourself again

How long it lasts:

This is the rest of your life.

You don't "finish" this stage.

You integrate the experience and move forward.

What you need:

✅ Commitment to your choice (rebuild OR let go—but commit)

✅ Continued therapy (healing is ongoing)

✅ Self-compassion (you did the best you could)

✅ Patience (healing isn't linear)

Why Grief Isn't Linear

You'll cycle through stages.

Examples:

Month 1: Shock → Rumination → Rage
Month 3: Depression → Bargaining → Rumination again
Month 6: Acceptance → Trigger → Rage resurges → Back to acceptance
Year 1: Rebuilding → Trigger → Depression day → Back to rebuilding

This is normal.

One bad day doesn't mean you're back at square one.

Healing isn't linear. It's a spiral.

What's "Normal" After Infidelity Discovery

Physical symptoms:

✅ Can't eat / overeating

✅ Insomnia / sleeping too much

✅ Weight loss/gain

✅ Nausea

✅ Racing heart

✅ Exhaustion

Emotional symptoms:

✅ Crying randomly

✅ Rage outbursts

✅ Numbness

✅ Panic attacks

✅ Hypervigilance

✅ Obsessive thoughts

Behavioral symptoms:

✅ Checking phone/social media obsessively

✅ Can't focus at work

✅ Withdrawing from friends

✅ Needing constant reassurance

Cognitive symptoms:

✅ Memory problems

✅ Can't concentrate

✅ Intrusive thoughts

✅ Difficulty making decisions

All of this is NORMAL betrayal trauma.

If symptoms persist severely beyond 6 months, seek professional help.

The Timeline (What to Expect)

Week 1-4:

Shock, disbelief
Beginning of rumination
Acute crisis

Month 1-3:

Intense rumination
Rage peaks
Can't function normally

Month 3-6:

Depression deepens
Bargaining thoughts
Slowly stabilizing

Month 6-12:

Moving toward acceptance
Decision-making clarity
Good days start to outnumber bad days

Year 1-2:

Rebuilding or letting go phase
Triggers less frequent
Healing solidifying

Year 2+:

New normal established
Affair is part of history, not current pain

Everyone's timeline is different. This is average.

The 4Angles Framework: Where Am I in the Process?

When trying to understand your healing, 4Angles helps analyze:

SIGNAL (What Stage Am I In?)

What am I feeling most?

Shock? Rumination? Rage? Depression?
Identifying the stage helps you understand it's normal
Shows progress even when it doesn't feel like progress

OPPORTUNITY (What Do I Need?)

What would help right now?

Different stages need different support
Rage needs outlets; depression needs connection
Identifying needs helps you advocate for yourself

RISK (Is My Grief Stuck?)

Am I moving through stages or trapped?

Months in the same stage = might need help
Unhealthy coping emerging?
Professional intervention needed?

AFFECT (How Am I Really Doing?)

Beneath the stage, how am I?

Am I functioning?
Do I have support?
Is healing happening, even slowly?

Understanding the process helps you trust it.

The Bottom Line

Discovering infidelity causes grief—real, deep, devastating grief.

The stages:

Shock - "This can't be real"
Rumination - "I can't stop thinking about it"
Rage - "I hate them"
Bargaining - "Maybe if I..."
Depression - "I'm broken"
Acceptance - "This happened. Now what?"
Rebuilding/Letting Go - "I'm moving forward"

These stages:

Aren't linear
Will cycle and repeat
Are all normal
Take months to years
Require support

What you're feeling is normal.

What you're going through is survivable.

And you will heal—even though it doesn't feel possible right now.

Try It Now: Understand Your Grief Stage

Input what you're feeling and experiencing into 4Angles to see:

What stage you're in
If your reactions are normal
What you need right now
If you're progressing or stuck

Analyze your healing stage free here →

The Final Word

Infidelity trauma is real trauma.

The stages of grief you're experiencing are:

Normal
Valid
Survivable

You're not crazy for:

Obsessing about it
Raging about it
Crying about it
Struggling to function

This is what betrayal does.

Give yourself time.

Get support.

Trust the process.

You will survive this.

And eventually, you'll even thrive again.

About 4Angles: We help you understand and normalize the grief process after infidelity so you know what you're feeling is valid and expected. Because healing requires understanding where you are in the journey. Built for people navigating the impossible stages of betrayal recovery.

Last updated: October 31, 2025

Crisis Resources:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233

If you're in crisis, reach out immediately. You are not alone.

The Moment That Splits Your Life

There's Before.

And there's After.

Before: You thought you knew your partner. You thought you knew your life.

After: You discovered they cheated.

Everything you thought was real—wasn't.

And now you're drowning in emotions you can't name, cycles you can't control, pain that feels endless.

Welcome to grief.

Not the grief of death. But the grief of betrayal.

Here's what to expect as you process the impossible.

Why Betrayal Causes Grief

Infidelity is a death.

Not of a person. But of:

The relationship you thought you had
The person you thought your partner was
Your sense of safety
Your trust in your own judgment
Your vision of the future

All of that died the moment you found out.

And like any death, you have to grieve it.

The 7 Stages of Grief After Infidelity

Traditional grief has 5 stages (Kübler-Ross model).

Betrayal trauma has 7:

Shock and Disbelief
Obsessive Rumination
Rage
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
Rebuilding (or Letting Go)

Important:

These stages aren't linear.

You'll cycle through them. Revisit them. Experience multiple at once.

That's normal.

Stage 1: Shock and Disbelief

What it feels like:

"This can't be real."

Numbness
Dissociation (feeling outside your body)
Inability to process
Physical symptoms (can't eat, can't sleep)
Repeating "this can't be happening"

How long it lasts:

Hours to days (sometimes weeks if discovery was particularly traumatic)

What's happening in your brain:

Your mind is protecting you.

The information is too overwhelming to process all at once.

Shock is a psychological buffer.

What you need:

✅ Immediate support (friend, family, crisis hotline)

✅ Basic self-care (eat something, sleep if possible)

✅ Safety (physical and emotional)

✅ Time to let reality sink in

What NOT to do:

❌ Make permanent decisions (don't leave/stay yet)

❌ Confront while in shock (wait until you can think clearly)

❌ Isolate completely

Stage 2: Obsessive Rumination

What it feels like:

You can't stop thinking about it.

Constant replaying of events
Obsessive detective work
Can't focus on anything else
Checking phone records, messages, locations
Asking the same questions repeatedly
Mental movies of them together
Hypervigilance

How long it lasts:

Weeks to months

(This is often the longest and most consuming stage)

What's happening in your brain:

Your mind is trying to make sense of the incomprehensible.

You're searching for:

How did this happen?
When did it start?
What did I miss?
Can I trust anything?

The brain needs to create a coherent narrative.

What you need:

✅ Answers (if your partner will give them honestly)

✅ Validation that rumination is normal

✅ Distraction techniques (when you need breaks from the thoughts)

✅ Therapy (specialized in betrayal trauma)

What NOT to do:

❌ Shame yourself for "not being able to move on"

❌ Social media stalk the affair partner obsessively

❌ Let rumination prevent basic functioning indefinitely

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Rumination:

Healthy (early stages):

Seeking information
Processing what happened
Understanding timeline

Unhealthy (if prolonged beyond months):

Preventing you from eating/sleeping long-term
Destroying your ability to function
Obsessive stalking behaviors
Refusing to engage with healing work

If rumination becomes debilitating beyond 2-3 months, you need professional help.

Stage 3: Rage

What it feels like:

Burning, all-consuming anger.

Hatred toward cheater
Hatred toward affair partner
Fantasies of revenge
Physical rage (want to throw things, scream)
Anger at yourself (for not knowing)
Anger at the world (for being unfair)

How long it lasts:

Weeks to months

(Can resurface periodically even after subsiding)

What's happening emotionally:

Anger is protective.

It shields you from the deeper pain underneath (sadness, grief, humiliation).

Anger says: "This is WRONG. I didn't deserve this."

It's healthy—to a point.

What you need:

✅ Safe outlets for anger (therapy, journaling, physical exercise)

✅ Validation that anger is justified

✅ Boundaries to protect yourself

✅ Space to feel it without acting destructively

What NOT to do:

❌ Act on revenge fantasies (you'll regret it)

❌ Lash out at children or innocent third parties

❌ Channel anger into self-destruction (substance abuse, reckless behavior)

❌ Let rage consume you indefinitely (therapy needed if it doesn't eventually ease)

Healthy Anger Expression:

✅ Screaming in your car

✅ Hitting a punching bag

✅ Writing letters you never send

✅ Raging to your therapist

✅ Telling them exactly how much they hurt you (once, clearly)

Unhealthy Anger Expression:

❌ Destroying their property

❌ Harassing the affair partner

❌ Involving children in your rage

❌ Violence

Stage 4: Bargaining

What it feels like:

"Maybe if I..."

With yourself: "Maybe I caused this by being [not pretty enough / too busy / too needy]"
With them: "Maybe if I'm perfect now, they'll stay"
With the universe: "Please let this be a nightmare I wake up from"

Thoughts that come up:

"If only I had been more attentive..." "Maybe if I lose weight / have more sex / be less demanding..." "What if I can become the person they won't cheat on?"

How long it lasts:

Weeks (can linger if you're trying to reconcile)

What's happening emotionally:

You're trying to regain control.

If you can find something YOU did wrong, then:

The situation makes sense
You can fix it
You have power

But you didn't cause them to cheat.

They chose that.

What you need:

✅ Reality check (friends/therapist reminding you this wasn't your fault)

✅ Self-compassion (you didn't deserve this)

✅ Boundaries (don't twist yourself into knots to "keep" someone who betrayed you)

What NOT to do:

❌ Take all the blame

❌ Change who you are to "affair-proof" the relationship

❌ Become someone else to keep them

Stage 5: Depression

What it feels like:

Crushing sadness.

Deep grief
Exhaustion
Hopelessness
"I'll never trust again"
"I wasted years on them"
Loss of interest in life
Crying constantly
Feeling broken

How long it lasts:

Weeks to months

What's happening emotionally:

You're finally feeling the full weight of the loss.

The protective emotions (shock, rage) have subsided.

Now you're left with the raw grief.

This is actually PROGRESS (even though it doesn't feel like it).

What you need:

✅ Therapy (this is when professional help is most critical)

✅ Support system (friends/family who will sit with you in the pain)

✅ Medication evaluation (if depression is severe/prolonged, talk to a doctor)

✅ Self-compassion

What NOT to do:

❌ Isolate completely

❌ Self-harm

❌ Substance abuse to numb the pain

❌ Tell yourself you'll never heal (you will, even though it doesn't feel possible)

When to seek immediate help:

🚨 Suicidal thoughts

🚨 Can't function for weeks

🚨 Losing significant weight / not eating

🚨 Self-harm urges

Call:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
Therapist immediately

Stage 6: Acceptance

What it feels like:

Not happiness. Not "being over it." But:

"This happened. It's real. I have to move forward."

Less consumed by the affair
Able to function again
Clarity about what you want (stay or go)
Peace with what happened (doesn't mean you forgive yet)
Energy returning
Future feels possible again

How long it lasts:

This is the beginning of the "new normal"

Typically: 6-18+ months after discovery

What acceptance is NOT:

❌ "It's fine"

❌ "I'm over it"

❌ "I forgive them"

❌ "It didn't hurt me"

Acceptance is:

✅ "It happened"

✅ "I can't change the past"

✅ "I have agency over what happens next"

✅ "I'm ready to make a decision about my future"

What you need:

✅ Decision-making clarity (stay or go)

✅ Boundaries (what you will/won't accept going forward)

✅ Self-reflection (who am I after this? what do I want?)

Stage 7: Rebuilding or Letting Go

What it feels like:

Moving forward—with or without them.

If staying (rebuilding):

Trust slowly returning
Building a new relationship
Forgiveness developing over time
Triggers less frequent
Choosing them again, consciously

If leaving (letting go):

Grieving the relationship
Rebuilding life separately
Rediscovering yourself
Moving toward new future
Trusting yourself again

How long it lasts:

This is the rest of your life.

You don't "finish" this stage.

You integrate the experience and move forward.

What you need:

✅ Commitment to your choice (rebuild OR let go—but commit)

✅ Continued therapy (healing is ongoing)

✅ Self-compassion (you did the best you could)

✅ Patience (healing isn't linear)

Why Grief Isn't Linear

You'll cycle through stages.

Examples:

Month 1: Shock → Rumination → Rage
Month 3: Depression → Bargaining → Rumination again
Month 6: Acceptance → Trigger → Rage resurges → Back to acceptance
Year 1: Rebuilding → Trigger → Depression day → Back to rebuilding

This is normal.

One bad day doesn't mean you're back at square one.

Healing isn't linear. It's a spiral.

What's "Normal" After Infidelity Discovery

Physical symptoms:

✅ Can't eat / overeating

✅ Insomnia / sleeping too much

✅ Weight loss/gain

✅ Nausea

✅ Racing heart

✅ Exhaustion

Emotional symptoms:

✅ Crying randomly

✅ Rage outbursts

✅ Numbness

✅ Panic attacks

✅ Hypervigilance

✅ Obsessive thoughts

Behavioral symptoms:

✅ Checking phone/social media obsessively

✅ Can't focus at work

✅ Withdrawing from friends

✅ Needing constant reassurance

Cognitive symptoms:

✅ Memory problems

✅ Can't concentrate

✅ Intrusive thoughts

✅ Difficulty making decisions

All of this is NORMAL betrayal trauma.

If symptoms persist severely beyond 6 months, seek professional help.

The Timeline (What to Expect)

Week 1-4:

Shock, disbelief
Beginning of rumination
Acute crisis

Month 1-3:

Intense rumination
Rage peaks
Can't function normally

Month 3-6:

Depression deepens
Bargaining thoughts
Slowly stabilizing

Month 6-12:

Moving toward acceptance
Decision-making clarity
Good days start to outnumber bad days

Year 1-2:

Rebuilding or letting go phase
Triggers less frequent
Healing solidifying

Year 2+:

New normal established
Affair is part of history, not current pain

Everyone's timeline is different. This is average.

The 4Angles Framework: Where Am I in the Process?

When trying to understand your healing, 4Angles helps analyze:

SIGNAL (What Stage Am I In?)

What am I feeling most?

Shock? Rumination? Rage? Depression?
Identifying the stage helps you understand it's normal
Shows progress even when it doesn't feel like progress

OPPORTUNITY (What Do I Need?)

What would help right now?

Different stages need different support
Rage needs outlets; depression needs connection
Identifying needs helps you advocate for yourself

RISK (Is My Grief Stuck?)

Am I moving through stages or trapped?

Months in the same stage = might need help
Unhealthy coping emerging?
Professional intervention needed?

AFFECT (How Am I Really Doing?)

Beneath the stage, how am I?

Am I functioning?
Do I have support?
Is healing happening, even slowly?

Understanding the process helps you trust it.

The Bottom Line

Discovering infidelity causes grief—real, deep, devastating grief.

The stages:

Shock - "This can't be real"
Rumination - "I can't stop thinking about it"
Rage - "I hate them"
Bargaining - "Maybe if I..."
Depression - "I'm broken"
Acceptance - "This happened. Now what?"
Rebuilding/Letting Go - "I'm moving forward"

These stages:

Aren't linear
Will cycle and repeat
Are all normal
Take months to years
Require support

What you're feeling is normal.

What you're going through is survivable.

And you will heal—even though it doesn't feel possible right now.

Try It Now: Understand Your Grief Stage

Input what you're feeling and experiencing into 4Angles to see:

What stage you're in
If your reactions are normal
What you need right now
If you're progressing or stuck

Analyze your healing stage free here →

The Final Word

Infidelity trauma is real trauma.

The stages of grief you're experiencing are:

Normal
Valid
Survivable

You're not crazy for:

Obsessing about it
Raging about it
Crying about it
Struggling to function

This is what betrayal does.

Give yourself time.

Get support.

Trust the process.

You will survive this.

And eventually, you'll even thrive again.

Last updated: October 31, 2025

Crisis Resources:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233

If you're in crisis, reach out immediately. You are not alone.

The Stages of Grief After Discovering Infidelity

The Moment That Splits Your Life

Why Betrayal Causes Grief

The 7 Stages of Grief After Infidelity

Stage 1: Shock and Disbelief

What it feels like:

How long it lasts:

What's happening in your brain:

What you need:

What NOT to do:

Stage 2: Obsessive Rumination

What it feels like:

How long it lasts:

What's happening in your brain:

What you need:

What NOT to do:

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Rumination:

Stage 3: Rage

What it feels like:

How long it lasts:

What's happening emotionally:

What you need:

What NOT to do:

Healthy Anger Expression:

Unhealthy Anger Expression:

Stage 4: Bargaining

What it feels like:

Thoughts that come up:

How long it lasts:

What's happening emotionally:

What you need:

What NOT to do:

Stage 5: Depression

What it feels like:

How long it lasts:

What's happening emotionally:

What you need:

What NOT to do:

When to seek immediate help:

Stage 6: Acceptance

What it feels like:

How long it lasts:

What acceptance is NOT:

What you need:

Stage 7: Rebuilding or Letting Go

What it feels like:

How long it lasts:

What you need:

Why Grief Isn't Linear

What's "Normal" After Infidelity Discovery

Physical symptoms:

Emotional symptoms:

Behavioral symptoms:

Cognitive symptoms:

The Timeline (What to Expect)

The 4Angles Framework: Where Am I in the Process?

SIGNAL (What Stage Am I In?)

OPPORTUNITY (What Do I Need?)

RISK (Is My Grief Stuck?)

AFFECT (How Am I Really Doing?)

The Bottom Line

Try It Now: Understand Your Grief Stage

Related Reading

The Final Word

Ready to Analyze Your Message?

The Stages of Grief After Discovering Infidelity

The Moment That Splits Your Life

Why Betrayal Causes Grief

The 7 Stages of Grief After Infidelity

Stage 1: Shock and Disbelief

What it feels like:

How long it lasts:

What's happening in your brain:

What you need:

What NOT to do:

Stage 2: Obsessive Rumination

What it feels like:

How long it lasts:

What's happening in your brain:

What you need: