The Stages of Grief
The Stages of Grief
According to Kubler-Ross, a researcher who interviewed terminally-ill patients, there are five stages of dying, which could also be equated to five stages in a grief reaction: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance.
Denial is said to be a defense mechanism to assist one in coping with bad news and grief, often displayed through questioning a diagnosis or of the situation that has occurred.
Anger typically occurs once an individual has conceded to the reality of the situation, whether it be the death of a loved one or a terminal diagnosis.
The purpose of the stage of bargaining is for the individual to feel a sense of control over the situation, and a sense of hope, which can manifest in cooperation or in negotiating circumstances or behaviour for a better outcome. This negotiating can be directed at different sources, for example at their physicians, at their religious guider, with themselves.
Depression occurs with the realization that the situation has occurred, and can present along with fatigue, low energy and low mood, and a loss of interest in usually pleasurable activities. This would be the stage in which many individuals seek counseling for the support in their grief reaction.
Acceptance was described by Kubler-Ross as the final stage, in which individuals fully accept the situation that has occurred and no longer resist or fight against it’s reality.
Criticism of these stages has emerged in recent years by highlighting the belief that the stages are not linear, meaning individuals do not necessarily move through each stage successively, but may move back and forth fluidly through the stages, or experience a combination of emotions of each stage at one time.
Kubler-Ross’s qualitative research was comprised of interviewing over 200 terminally ill patients and interpreting and categorzing their viewpoints and experiences, and a book was written by Kubler-Ross in a 1969 book on Death and Dying. While this was many years ago now, these stages of death have been studied to date, and continue to be discussed, despite new research and ideas of grief. The five stages were a sort of “pioneer” in leading to further attention and care of the grief process people face in their lifetime. Research of grief reactions and processes lead to an understanding that can better equip therapists and counsellors in providing meaningful support and help to those experiencing grief.
