Many people who have suffered a loss may feel grief. Grief includes intense feelings of sadness, tearfulness and hopelessness after the loss of a loved one or in the face of tragic news. In her 1969 book, "On Death and Dying," Elisabeth Kubler-Ross proposed that there are five stages of grief that individuals typically go through in response to a significant loss.
Denial and Isolation
In the face of overwhelmingly painful information, some people might refuse to believe it. Denial is known as a defense mechanism, a method by which people protect themselves when they feel unable to cope. For example, if a woman is told that her husband has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, she may deny this reality and carry on with her life as if it were not true.
Anger
The second phase of grief is the anger stage. During this stage, the numbness of denial has decreased and anger emerges. This anger may be directed toward yourself, the person you have lost, physicians or even objects, to name a few.
Bargaining
In this stage, individuals move from anger to attempting to bargain. A common example of bargaining is a person attempting to make a deal with God: "I will go to church every week if I survive this illness."
Hopelessness
The fourth stage involves feelings of sadness surrounding the loss or impending loss. Also, feelings of fatigue, hopelessness, appetite loss and sleep disturbance may be a part of this stage.
Acceptance
Over time, a person may move into a calmer and more accepting emotional state about his loss. This does not mean that this is a time of happiness or joy, but it is a freedom from the grief and shift to a sense of peace.
References
- "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders -- Fourth Edition -- Text Revision"; American Psychiatric Association; 2000
- Helpguide: Coping with Grief and Loss
- "On Death and Dying"; Elisabeth Kubler-Ross; 1969
- Psychcentral: The 5 Stages of Loss and Grief
