Denial & Isolation. The first reaction to learning about the terminal illness, loss, or death of a cherished loved one is to deny the reality of the situation. ... Anger. ... Bargaining. ... Depression. ... Acceptance.
I don't know who makes up theise lists like they are some kind of plan set in stone. Those stages may apply to some people, but that is not how I have experienced the death of a loved one, including my husband. No denial, isolation, no anger, no bargaining, no depression. Total acceptance as I understand that life on this earth has an end. I was very well prepared, especially with the help from Hospice when my husband died in Jan of 2013.
Sometimes this list is applied to leaving Mormonism. Again. Not my process at all.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/19/2017 02:38PM by SusieQ#1.
"On Death and Dying." There's lots and lots of interpretations and variations, poke around the internet.
I think there's a consensus that this is a useful model and should be employed with flexibility. Not everybody goes through every stage, or in that order, and many of the stages of grief overlap, even come back at a later time and snap at you.
Also worth mentioning is that this model has usefulness not only with the death of a loved one, but also the departure of one or the break-up of a strong, bonding relationship. People going through an unwanted divorce might find some wisdom here.
and he is one of the most brilliant men I know. In the beginning, he would get it out so he could show me where I was. He said you take 10 steps forward and 8 steps back. It took me a while to get through the list. I had a lot of issues to work through, the biggest being the end of my gay/straight marriage and the REALITIES of the situation.