7 Stages of Grief: Understanding & Coping
It has been said that the grief we feel when someone we love dies is the sad price paid for the gift of their presence in our lives. However, is there such a thing as “over-grieving” or being unable to resurface after months or years of the grief process? For some, entering a stage of healing and being able to create a new life for themselves after a loss feels impossible because they have a grief disorder.
The Meadowglade explores the 7 stages of grief and options for getting professional help for those stuck in a grief cycle.
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What is Grief?
When someone enters the 7 stages of grief, it is because they have lost someone they love dearly. The loss is usually the death of a person, but can include losing pets, or feeling the loss of someone due to divorce or the end of another personal relationship. While many people move through the stages of grief and are able to move forward, some get stuck in the grief cycle and can’t find their way out.
There are different types of grief disorders that include:
- Absent or Delayed
- Anticipatory
- Chronic or Prolonged
- Complicated
- Disenfranchised
- Distorted
- Secondary Loss
- Traumatic
Someone entering treatment for grief disorders will be assessed to determine which kind they have and how best to treat it.
Stage 1: Shock or Disbelief
Upon hearing the news of the death of a loved one, the person feels in shock and unable to believe what has happened. Some people feel too shocked to process the news for what can be a short time or for longer. Others may try to help the person realize there is no way to avoid the fact that they have experienced a tragic loss.
Stage 2: Denial
This stage causes a person to deny what has happened, even after they have proof. The individual may remain in denial for some time, leaving their family and close friends at a loss for how to convince the person of the reality of what happened.
Stage 3: Anger
The next stage is characterized by feeling excessively angry about the loss. Feelings of how the situation is unfair fill a person’s thoughts and emotions. This can especially be true if the person who died committed suicide. People in stage 3 of grief may act out in angry ways because they are consumed by this emotion.
Stage 4: Bargaining
Desperation sets in at this stage, with the person willing to make any bargain possible to get their loved one back. The individual tries to make a deal with their chosen religious figure, the universe, or anything else they can think of to bring back the person who died. They hold out desperate hope that they can bargain their way into having their loved one back.
Stage 5: Guilt
When someone loses a person they love, they often manifest feelings of guilt, even if they did not have anything to do with how they died. The person may feel survivor’s guilt or think if they had made a different decision or predicted something, then the person they love would still be alive.
Stage 6: Depression
At this point, people with grief disorder have already been through a lot and finally end up depressed. They typically feel lethargic, cry a lot, feel hopeless, and have changes in appetite and sleep patterns. While this is a painful stage, it also means the person is close to moving on. However, if the person cannot move out of this stage, they should investigate getting treatment.
Stage 7: Acceptance
The last step in the stages of grief is the one that sets the person free. They have moved through the other stages and have finally come to accept their loss as real and irreversible. The person feels moments of peace and an ability to move on from their loss while still honoring the person and the impact they caused in their life.
Is There Treatment for Grief?
Someone stuck in the 7 stages of grief often does well when they attend a licensed treatment program that treats grief disorder. The admissions team will get to know the person to allow them to create a menu of therapies to attend. These include individual, group, and holistic therapies.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
- Individual Therapy
- Group Therapy
- EMDR
- Psychological Diagnosis
- Equine Therapy
- Family Therapy
- Holistic Therapy
- Stress Reduction Therapy
- Psychiatry + Medication Management
- Education & Career Counseling
Many people do well when they use prescription medications to help treat symptoms like anxiety, depression, difficulty sleeping, moodiness, and more.
Begin Treatment for Grief Disorder at The Meadowglade
Do you recognize yourself as being lost in the 7 stages of grief and unable to move on from losing someone you care deeply about? If so, The Meadowglade can provide a safety net that teaches you how to move forward. We offer both residential and outpatient levels of care to meet your specific needs. Our therapists help people navigate a path of remembering their loved one with love and reverence while also learning how to put their own lives back together and move on in peace.
Contact us today, and let’s talk about how we can assist you in moving through the stages of grief and coming out the other side. Ask about our free insurance verifications to help determine what your plan covers.