The 5 Stages of Grief were first proposed by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. In her book, On Death and Dying,
she describes her experience with patients diagnosed with a terminal
disease. She organizes her observations into five stages of dying that
begin when a patient learns he or she has a terminal illness.
In her final book, On Grief and Grieving, Kübler-Ross substituted the term “five stages of loss” and “five stages of grief” for her previous “stages of dying.”
The 5 stages of grief:
Denial. “This can’t be happening to me.” When the news first
comes that a loved one has died, those left behind often feel a sense of
shock or difficulty taking in the news. This is especially true if one
was not present at the time of death. An unexpected death, such as by
an accident, can be especially difficult to comprehend. Some grievers
admit to entertaining the thought in their minds that their deceased
spouse or loved one is “on a business trip” in order to get through the
responsibilities of the day.Denial can also refer to the holding back of feelings surrounding grief.
Anger is not a universal
experience for those going through a loss. In Kübler-Ross’ final work
there is evidence to suggest that she carried a great deal of anger
throughout her life that she did not deal with until her later years.
Many people are sad about the loss of their loved one and never angry
Bargaining may be a common characteristic of
those who discover they have a terminal disease. They bargain with
promises to God in exchange for, hopefully, more time on earth. However,
this does not apply to those grieving a loss of a loved one. Those
left behind know that there is nothing they can offer that will bring
back their loved one from the grave.
Depression is an
interesting label. Many of the symptoms common to depression occur for
those who are grieving a loss. There may be difficulty concentrating, a
lack of energy or motivation, change in eating or sleeping habits and
sadness. However, when the symptoms are due to the normal human reaction
to loss, they should not be labeled as depression. The exception would
be someone who is clinically depressed before the loss occurs, will
likely to be clinically depressed and need profession treatment after
the loss. Grief is the normal reaction to the loss of a relationship or
Acceptance. While there are
issues of acceptance that must be addressed for the bereaved to heal
their heart and move into peace, joy and happiness in their life, this
is not a stage that all those who grieve will automatically pass
through. Acceptance involves a choice to take a realistic look at the
good and bad of the relationship and address the emotions that are
involved in these memories.
idea of 5 stages of grief suggests that if one is in one of these
stages there is nothing they can do but wait until they pass into the
next stage. This is a damaging myth.
grief is troubling you, there is something you can do about it. You do
not need to wait it out. You can enjoy peace, love and happiness again.