Grief And Loss

Written by Crystal Yeager

Tears shed, hope left shaken, and numerous questions all asking the same thing, why? The loss of a friend or loved one can be unnerving and leave a person feeling lost and in need of solace and support. It is crucial to have a robust support system and an outlier person to speak to or seek comfort from, even if the comfort is in the form of talking to process the feelings of grief and loss. It is also essential to recognize the stages of grief to begin the healing process after a loss.

“Grief is universal. People often describe grief as passing through 5 or 7 stages. The 5 stages are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. The 7 stages elaborate on these and aim to address the complexities of grief more effectively. They include feelings of guilt and working through all of these emotions” (Holland, 2023).

Kübler-Ross’s five stages were initially devised for people who were ill but have been adapted for coping with grief.

Her theory of grief became known as the Kübler-Ross model. While it was initially devised for people who were ill, these stages of grief have been adapted for other experiences with loss, too.

According to Kübler-Ross, the five stages of grief are:

• Denial

• Anger

• Bargaining

• Depression

• Acceptance

It is a common misconception that a person will naturally pass through the stages of grief, this is not true. A person needs support and to process these feelings. Therapy and self-care are both critical to helping individuals process their feelings.

Reference:

Holland, K. (May, 2023). The stages of grief: How to understand your feelings. Healthline.