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The Stages of Grief that have been accepted recognized by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’s famous five stages — denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. These five stages have been primarily recognized as the stages people go through during the grief process.
She conducted a study on her own and although no other study has confirmed these as the exact stages it is widely recognized as the model through which people handle grief. There are other mitigating factors though, for the differences in the grief process, as each person is very unique.
Cultural differences in a person’s grief process have to betaken into account. Although there has been seven grief stages that have been recognized, the five stage model still holds true today. Grief itself is the attachment of stages people go through.
Grief is an overwhelming sense of sadness. Whether the loss of a loved, a beloved pet, a world tragedy, or being diagnosed with a terminal illness people seem to have stages they go through in order to grieve. These include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
These stages of grief seem to be the core representation of the grieving process a person can move in and out of stages and be in different stages at one time. Usually Denial is the first stage people go through, it is recognized by the inability to take in the reality of the loss.
Denial is powerful in that it leads you through the first stage of grief where the feeling of loss is profound. It helps to buffer the shock of the event that causes overwhelming emotions.
Anger in the Kübler-Ross model seems to be the next stage of grief. It seems to come when the first initial shock of the loss has worn off a person can no longer deny the reality of the emotions a person feels during recovery.
It is actually such a vulnerable stage that our psyche deflects the vulnerability and turns it into anger. Anger can be directed at anyone and anything that is close to the one feeling the bereavement.
Bargaining seems to be next in the line-up of psychological defenses. This is a stage where a person will beg God that they will do this or that to bring the loved one back.
Depression comes next and there seems to be two different types which a grieving person can move into sadness and regret is usually the forerunner, due to dealing with the practical matters of the loss.
The second kind of depression that has been noted is a more subtle, private kind of depression in which we separate, and say our goodbyes to our loved one.
Acceptance is the last stage of grief that a person pushes through. Although this state brings on a withdrawal and calmness it is not to be mistaken for depression.
Although these are the likely stages a person will go through it does not indicate the order or even guarantee a person can eventually move out of each state.
Photo by Ben White
