| Pattern | Waves or pangs of grief associated with thoughts or reminders of the deceased that are likely to spread further apart over time | Negative emotions experienced continually over time |
| Predominant affect | Emptiness and loss accompanied by occasional pleasant emotions | Pervasive depressed mood and the inability to anticipate happiness or pleasure |
| Self-esteem | Typically preserved, but if self-derogatory thoughts are present they usually involve perceived failings in relationship to the deceased (e.g., not visiting the deceased more often, failing to communicate their love enough to the deceased) | Critical toward self, feelings of worthlessness, and self-loathing |
| Sociability | Maintains connections with family and friends who have ability to console | Withdraws from others physically and emotionally and has difficulty being consoled |
| Thoughts | Preoccupation with thoughts and memories of the deceased; tends to be hopeful | Self-critical or pessimistic thoughts; tends to be hopeless |
| Thoughts of death or suicide | Thoughts of death and dying focused on the deceased and perhaps reuniting with the deceased | Explicit suicidal thoughts related to feelings of worthlessness, a belief that one is undeserving of life, or a sense that one is no longer able to cope with the pain of depression |
| Triggers | Depressed mood triggered by thoughts or reminders of the deceased | Depressed mood not tied to specific thoughts or preoccupations |
