The Five Stages Of Grief

591 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Kublers Ross stages of dying

"You will have bad times, but they will wake you up to the stuff you weren't paying attention to."- Robin Williams Everyone knows the gnawing feeling in your stomach when it feels as if life has taken a turn for the worst. It seems as if all hope is lost and you have hit *gasp* rock bottom. It is important that hope is kept throughout this mindset, however, because it is during those trying times that the most personal growth and development can occur. Once rock bottom is hit, the only place to go is up. In the end, those internal conflicts can allow you to see within yourself and heal relationships with others. Even though we live in a society where it can at times be difficult to express feelings needed for personal growth, it is important Through hurt and shock, the human brain can have difficulty processing why you may be hurting. That is when the body exhibits what is known as the "Stages of Grief". Elisabeth Kübler-Ross studied human behavior and is the founder of "The 5 Stages." Melinda Smith and Jeanne Segal state in their article "Coping with Grief and Loss: Understanding the Grieving Process and Learning to Heal" say that each stage is unique and different to the individual. The stages are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. However, "You probably won't experience them in a neat, sequential order, so don't worry about what you 'should' be feeling or which stage you are supposed to be in."(Smith and Segal 2017). All these emotions are typical expressions of grief and are very normal and healthy. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's "5 Stages" are very common, but there are many who do not necessarily go through the stages. That is very common as well. Everyone has their own natural grieving process, and it is important that each individual is allowed to properly carry it For others, the healing process can be much more complicated. Loss affects each individual differently and for some, the hurt stays for a long time. Grief can develop into something known to psychiatrists as Complicated Grief. Complicated Grief is when after a certain span of time, the one mourning has still yet to accept what has happened to them. They are stuck in the same state of mourning as they were the day their event happened. When grief becomes complicated, it develops into clinical depression. “Remember, grief can be a roller coaster. It involves a wide variety of emotions and a mix of good and bad days. Even when you are in the middle of the grieving process, you will still have moments of pleasure or happiness. With depression, on the other hand, the feelings of emptiness and despair are constant.” (Smith and Segal 2017). Someone with clinical depression has trouble moving on past their heartbreak, and they dwell on it every day of their life. Someone with clinical depression or complicated grief also might have trouble communicating their feelings. Those with depression often have trouble distinguishing what exactly it is about their event that hurts them so much. It is important for those around the one hurting are sympathetic and ready to comfort and listen to their hurting loved

Show More
Related

  • Comparing The Five Stages Of Grief In Drums, Girls And Dangerous Pie

    1061 Words  | 3 Pages

    Grief is a various response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone that has died. People have a bond or affection formed over time making it hard to lose someone. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, a Swiss-born psychiatrist, presented a theory of the five stages of grief that is recognized by society. In the book, Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick, the main character Steven Alper lives a normal life. He plays drums and hates his little brother, Jeffrey. Steven is constantly being annoyed by him which, bugs Steven. When Jeffrey is diagnosed with Leukemia, Steven’s life is flipped right upside down. He is hit hard with the five stages of grief. The five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Throughout the story, Sonnenblick explains the five stages of grief very well with Steven Alper.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of J. William Worden's Four Tasks Of Mourninging

    1110 Words  | 3 Pages

    It is common for those experiencing grief to deny the death altogether. Many people do this by avoiding situations and places that remind them of the deceased (Leming & Dickinson, 2016). However, by simply avoiding the topic of death and pain, the mourner only achieves temporary relief while in turn creating more permanent lasting agony (Rich, 2005). In this stage, mourners will begin to feel the full weight of the circumstance. Whether the death of a loved one was sudden or long-term, survivors will feel a full range of emotions, such as sadness, guilt, anger, frustration, hopelessness, or grief. While many of these emotions can cause serious suffering, it is important for the survivor to feel whatever emotions come up and deal with those feelings, rather than trying to suppress any

    Read More

  • Death And Grieving By Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

    1953 Words  | 4 Pages

    In 1969 Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, a psychiatrist, published the Pioneering book On Death and Dying. The work acquainted the world with the grieving process, called the five stages of grief. Kübler-Ross gathered her research from studying individuals with terminal cancer (Johnson, 2007). The first stage of the grieving process is denial. In this stage the person refuses to believe that their loved one is deceased, a common thought during this period is, “This can’t be happening to me” (Johnson, 2007).The second stage of the grieving process is anger. In this level the person becomes frustrated with their circumstances, a customary complaint is “Why is this happening to me?” (Johnson, 2007). The third stage of the grieving process is bargaining. At this point the individual hopes that they can prevent their grief, this typically involves bartering with a higher power, and an ordinary observance during this time is “I will do anything to have them back” (Johnson, 2007). The fourth and most identifiable stage of grief is depression. This phase is habitually the lengthiest as...

    Read More

  • Ordinary People Grief And Grief

    954 Words  | 2 Pages

    Individually, everyone has their own methods of dealing with situations and emotions regardless of any positive or negative connotation affixed to them. One prime example of this comes with grief. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross in her 1969 book “On Death and Dying” suggests that there are five stages of mourning and grief that are universal and, at one point or another, experienced by people from all walks of life. These stages, in no particular order, are as follows: Denial and Isolation, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and finally Acceptance. Each individual person works through these stages in different orders for varying levels of time and intensity, but most if not all are necessary to “move on.” In order for positive change to occur following a loss, one must come to terms with not only the event but also themselves.

    Read More

  • Hamlet Literary Analysis - Stages of Grief

    1300 Words  | 3 Pages

    Elizabeth Kubler-Ross developed a theory based on what she perceived to be the stages of acceptance of death. Her theory has been taken further by psychologists and therapists to explain the stages of grief in general. Kubler-Ross identified five stages: denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, as happening in that order. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet exhibits all five stages of grief, we can assume in relation to the recent death of his father, but not necessarily in this order, and in fact the five seem to overlap in many parts of the play.

    Read More

  • Hamlet's Journey Through the Grieving Process in Shakespeare's Hamlet

    1241 Words  | 3 Pages

    Grief is a painful emotion that people experience through troubling times in life, such as losing a loved one. Swiss psychiatrist, Elisabeth Kubler Ross, introduced the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, in the year of 1969. She explains that there is no correct way or time to grieve; the stages are used to familiarize people with the aspects of grief and grieving. Grief can over take someone’s life and lead to a negative downfall, such as Hamlet experiences in Hamlet, written by Williams Shakespeare. He undergoes a variety of barriers throughout the novel, such as his father is murdered, which leads to his downfall-death.

    Read More

  • Bereavement Essay

    724 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...e can develop mental and physical issues. Adjustment and acceptance can sometimes take months or years depending on the severity of their grief. Research indicates that bereavement therapy contains four stages of grieving for the survivor’s the first is adjustment to life without the deceased, accepting reality of loss, experiencing pain and grief, and the final stage is relocating the deceased emotionally, which is the most challenging. Psychotherapists use goal-setting tools as a therapeutic strategy to assist bereaved survivors with the grief process and their desires to regain some normalcy. The survivors evaluate important goals that were achieved to regain their emotional and functional balance. A survivor’s main goal is to recognize that by accepting the loss can help put the loss of a loved one into perspective and allows them to discover a meaningful life.

    Read More

  • Theories Of Grieving

    823 Words  | 2 Pages

    This set of stages is commonly associated by many as the set of emotions they should experience when a loved one dies. Dr. Kubler-Ross did her best to explain that not all patients would experience these stages while

    Read More

  • Death And Dying Essay

    1240 Words  | 3 Pages

    The stages of death are known to be a process of mourning that is experienced by individuals from all phases of life. This mourning ensues from an individual’s own death or the death of a loved one. Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross dedicated much of her career to studying this dying process and in turn created the five stages of death. The five stages are; denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. These stages may not occur in sequence and sometimes may intersect with one another (Axelrod, 2006). The reality of death many times causes a feeling of denial; this is known as the first stage. In this stage, people have many emotions and have a tendency to hide from reality. This reaction is momentary, but should not be rushed. The patient or loved one needs time to adjust to the awaiting death. This adjustment helps bring them through to the next stage; anger. Anger is a common feeling and many times routes from a feeling of not being ready. This emotion may be directed toward God, strangers, friends, family or even healthcare professionals (Purcell, 2006). In some cases, it can be targeted...

    Read More

  • Mourning And Grieving And The ABC Model Of Crisis Intervention Models

    1072 Words  | 3 Pages

    It is not easy to cope after a loved one dies. There will be lots of mourning and grieving. Mourning is the natural process you go through to accept a major loss. Mourning may include religious traditions honoring the dead or gathering with friends and family to share your loss. (Mallon, 2008) Mourning is personal and may last months or years.

    Read More

  • Kahlil Gibran's On Death And Dying

    1076 Words  | 3 Pages

    Everyone has or will experience a loss of a loved one sometime in their lives. It is all a part of the cycle of life and death. The ways each person copes with this loss may differ, but according to Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’s novel On Death and Dying, a person experiences several stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and, finally, acceptance. There is no set time for a person to go through each stage because everyone experiences and copes with grief differently. However, everyone goes through the same general feelings of grief and loss. There are also sections in Kahlil Gibran’s “The Prophet” that connect to the process of grieving: “On Pain,” “On Joy and Sorrow,” and “On Talking.” Kahlil Gibran’s “The Prophet” reflects on Kübler-Ross’s model of the different stages of grief and loss.

    Read More

  • coping with death

    475 Words  | 1 Pages

    People cope with the loss of a loved one in many ways. For some, the experience may lead to personal growth, even though it is a difficult and trying time. There is no right way of coping with death. The way a person grieves depends on the personality of that person and the relationship with the person who has died. How a person copes with grief is affected by the person's cultural and religious background, coping skills, mental history, support systems, and the person's social and financial status.

    Read More

  • Five Stages Of Bereavement

    1653 Words  | 4 Pages

    Individuals assuming the bereavement role may experience this role several instances throughout their lifetime, each instance of bereavement being exclusive to the circumstance and varying in its own way (Cutcliffe, 2002). A novice nurse will face the task of bringing the bereaved individuals difficult news and updates about their loved one. It will take an immense amount of courage and patience to allow the individual whether it is the patient, family, or another nurse to grasp the loss (Leming, 2016). The stages of bereavement are thought to have 5 steps, each with its own length of time and intensity that varies from person to person (Cutcliffe, 2002). Initially the bereavement role begins with denial and isolation, which may then lead to anger followed by a form of bargaining that can in many cases result in a dark hole of depression but with the hope that the final stage will be that of acceptance (Cutcliffe, 2002). During these stages, the bereaved individual receives a hall pass for completion of any routine social obligations (Leming, 2016). In addition, it is acceptable for them to become reliant on others for all levels of support, which may include activities of daily living such as cooking meals (Leming, 2016). For the bereaved individual to cope effectively, each step in the stages of bereavement must be is accomplished to reach a level of normal social functioning which is the unspoken goal. While the bereavement role varies in length of time per the individual and the circumstance, there is a practical time allotted, as bereavement should not be long-lived, but rather transitory (Leming,

    Read More

  • New Year Baby by Socheata Poeuv

    1217 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... loss manifest differently in different people. Some will mourn and after some time will find consolation and peace. They will forgive and forget and move on with their lives not putting fault on themselves. Others will have a more difficult time expressing their sadness and become melancholics. These people will not get over loss and will constantly blame and hate themselves for it. It is possible that the events melancholics have faced may be to hard to deal with and this will keep them from forgiving and forgetting.

    Read More

  • The Death Of My Grandmother's Death

    540 Words  | 2 Pages

    Now I can say with confidence that I had never figured out when people suffer from the unacceptable loss of a person dear to them. For my part it used to be sympathy, solicitude. When this happened to me, when my grandmother died, I started to realize the anguish people felt when their loved ones pass away. This unbearable pain which rips you apart, it feels like a heavy stone in your heart and makes you weep each time you recall a deceased family member. Time is unlikely to soothe this pain, no matter what others say.

    Read More

More about The Five Stages Of Grief

Open Document