The 5 Stages of Grieving
If you’ve lost a loved one, whether it be a person or a pet, there are 5 stages of grieving that most people will go through to deal with the loss. Those are:
Denial. In this stage people may lack any feelings at all and think they are fine. They may be in a stage of disbelief. This stage can be spotted by sayings like “I am fine” or ” this can’t be happening”. This stage is only temporary and will soon be replaced with another grieving stage.
Anger: People will feel anger and wonder why this has happened, and they may want someone to pay or someone to blame. The grieving person is difficult to console because of their feelings of rage, anger, or need for revenge.
Bargaining: Grievers in this stage try to make deals with God or some other higher power, promising to change their ways in exchange for what they have lost.
Depression: People in this stage may not want to be around other people, do anything, or go anywhere. Much time may be spend crying. Do not try to cheer up someone during the grieving process.
Acceptance: In this grieving stage the person begins to accept their loss. They may start feeling happier and become more outgoing again.
Not everyone will go through all five stages but everyone will go through at least two of them. If you are going through the grieving process please get help dealing with your grief from friends, family, books and/or support groups.
To read more about the 5 stages of grieving, see my article here. Or to find quotes on grieving and art projects to help you deal with grieving in a creative way, see the Self Help Healing Arts Journal.
