Kübler-Ross and the 5 Stages of Grief
This week, we’ll be getting into some of the psychological aspects of death and dying. Navigating the psychological maze of dying can often seem like a complex, even enigmatic, task. While everyone’s emotional journey is unique, the Five Stages of Grief, introduced by Swiss-American psychiatrist Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, provide a blueprint that helps many understand the psychological complexities tied to dying, grief, and loss.
Elizabeth Kübler-Ross: A Pioneering Psychiatrist
Elizabeth Kübler-Ross was born in Switzerland in 1926 and later immigrated to the United States. She began her groundbreaking work in the late 1960s, at a time when the subject of death was mostly taboo in medical and academic circles. Her seminal book, “On Death and Dying,” published in 1969, opened a dialogue about the end-of-life experience and changed the way the medical community, and society at large, approached dying and bereavement. She was working in a period of societal flux, amid the civil rights movement, and women’s liberation, but her work managed to cut through the noise, earning her numerous awards and honorary degrees.
The Five Stages of Grief
1. Denial
In this stage, individuals often have difficulty grasping the reality of the situation. They may feel numb and question whether what’s happening is real.
2. Anger
Anger can manifest in different ways: towards oneself, loved ones, medical staff, or even the person who has passed away. It’s an emotional expression of the frustration tied to the loss.
3. Bargaining
Individuals may engage in a mental negotiation, often with a higher power, in an attempt to reverse or lessen the loss. This stage is rife with “what if” and “if only” statements.
4. Depression
Unlike clinical depression, this is a situational depression that stems from the grief process. Individuals may feel intense sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of motivation.
5. Acceptance
This is not a stage of joy, but rather one of acknowledgment and coming to terms with the reality of the loss.
Practice Offering:
Consider engaging in reflective journaling. Write down your feelings as you go through each stage. You don’t have to share this journal; it’s a safe space for your emotions. Revisit it at different intervals to gauge your progress through the grief stages.
