General Article What are the 7 stages of grief?

Topic Selected: Bereavement Book Volume: 407

Sadly, every one of us will experience the pain of grief at some point in our lives. Losing a loved one or saying goodbye to a pet can be exquisitely painful, changing our world forever and throwing us into a tailspin. 

You’ve probably heard of the different stages of grief, but you might not know how they work, or which one you’re experiencing at any given time. Everyone grieves in their own way. However, knowing this and actually experiencing it are two very different things. It’s very natural to feel alone in your grief or worry that you’re not grieving ‘normally.’ 

Are there five or seven stages of grief?

The ‘Seven Stages of Grief’ model is based on the ‘Five Stages of Grief’, initially theorised in 1969 by Swiss psychologist Elizabeth Kübler-Ross. She attempted to classify the different emotions and thoughts that people experience after losing someone they love. Her original stages are listed with two more added in recent years to strengthen the model. 

It’s not always perfect...

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