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Explain the Five Stages of the Grieving Process

The five stages of grief were originally conceptualized by Swiss psychiatrist Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in her book, "On Death and Dying." Although these stages were originally focused on grief that occurs after a death, they can also occur in response to other types of loss. You can experience the stages in any order. The stages are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. There is no set length of time for each stage. You may progress through the stages when you are ready to move on.

  1. Denial

    • Denial is the first stage in the grieving process. This stage occurs typically in reaction to hearing the shock of bad news. For example, if you have recently been diagnosed with a serious illness or have learned that a family member has died, you may deny it or go about your day as though nothing has happened. You may think, "I can't believe this is happening," and life may take on a surreal feeling.

    Anger

    • Anger occurs when you realize that you can't continue to deny the reality of what has happened or will happen. You feel frustrated and furious that this is happening to you, and you feel angry because you cannot control the situation. You feel like it's not fair, and you may feel singled out, having thoughts such as, "Why did this happen to me? What did I ever do to deserve this?"

    Bargaining

    • In this stage, you attempt to make deals with God, the universe or any type of external power you may believe in. You try to bargain with this power by saying, "I'll do anything if only this wouldn't happen." You negotiate by offering to be a better person or change your lifestyle. You may develop a newly discovered sense of spirituality or adopt a new religion.

    Depression

    • Depression usually sets in after the anger fades and you realize that your attempts to make a deal have failed. You may feel like there's no point in going on. You may feel like crying all the time and avoiding social contact with friends, family members and other loved ones.

    Acceptance

    • Acceptance is the final stage of the grieving process. In this stage, you've come to terms with what has happened. You accept that you cannot change things, and you feel at peace. You may tell yourself that everything is going to be okay as it is or that things are as they should be.

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