What Are The Five Stages Of Grief?
If you think that you are alone in your grief, let me tell you that millions walk through the five stages of loss.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
Grief can come from anything. Loss of a loved one, a harsh heartbreak, not getting your dream job, or even the betrayal of a friend.
It is more than ‘sadness’. It is a sense of loss that doesn’t leave you alone. Understanding the five stages can be helpful for many, though grief is experienced differently by everyone.
In this article, we will discuss the five stages of grief and explore what each entails.
The Psychology of Grief
Grief is the emotional state that follows the loss of something or someone. It is a combination of anger, numbness, sadness, and guilt. It brings a lot of confusion to your life and also affects your cognitive capabilities. Primarily, it is manifested in your behaviour when you want to cry for many hours and don’t want someone to console you. From withdrawal from social gatherings to being unable to sleep peacefully, grief surely has the capacity to overpower you.
What Are The Five Common Stages Of Grief?
Psychologists divide grief into five stages, including denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Let’s talk about them in detail.
1. Denial
As the name explains, this is the stage where a person refuses to accept reality. They act numb and have a strong disbelief about what has just happened. In fact, it is a way the mind tries to protect the human being from the hurt that comes from bad news, hence it delays its acceptance. This also allows the individual time to absorb the news more gradually and begin to process it slowly.
2. Anger
Next to the denial comes the feeling of resentment, also known as anger. It fills the individual with bitterness and rage. It involves the question ‘WHY ME?’. For instance, when a person goes through a breakup, the denial turns into anger, and this rage can even make one feel negatively about their self-worth.
3. Bargaining
The third stage of grief, also known as bargaining, is a sense of regret. This is when the affected person thinks things would have been different if they had done something else. This stage is also when the feeling of vulnerability and helplessness is at its peak, with the ‘if only’ phrase roaming in the head constantly.
4. Depression
The fourth stage is when depression seeps in! It is the quiet stage of grief. A sense of emptiness characterises it. The individual feels perpetually sad and exhausted. Over time, there may also be a decline in interest in hobbies and a tendency towards social withdrawal.
5. Acceptance
The last and final stage of grief is acceptance. This is when the individual acknowledges reality and decides to move forward. During the acceptance stage, it’s all about embracing the loss and working through this sense of deprivation.
However, one thing that is worth mentioning here is that these stages of grief are not linear. This means they are not necessarily in the order that is discussed above. Instead, a person can move back and forth between these stages and can even skip a few stages.
Also, the five stages of grief can repeat. Some people go through ongoing grief where these stages keep repeating owing to a traumatic or sudden loss.
Connecting With Saalvio for Grief and Loss Therapy
Sometimes, grief can become particularly challenging and complex. Processing its various stages becomes tough for an individual, and it further delays healing. In such situations, Saalvio comes to the rescue. Its grief and loss therapy offers help to the individual with empathy and practical tools.
Final Thoughts
Grief can arise from many sources, whether it’s the loss of a loved one, a sudden breakup, losing a job, or even facing personal setbacks. Understanding the five stages is a helpful step, but true healing often requires a deeper perspective. For a more complete understanding, explore our Guide on Grief and Loss, where we cover its causes, effects and practical ways to cope with it.