Grief Is Not Just A 5-Step Process

One of the most commonly known concepts is that grief occurs in a five-step process. These steps are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Unfortunately, grief is not that simple and is not just a five-step process. When you lose someone you love, you may find that you fit all of the stages of the grieving process, or you may meet all of them but one. You could race through the grieving process, or you could repeat stages of it. But, the actual process of grief is a lot less like stages and more like a roller coaster of emotions.

Denial is Natural
Saying that being in denial is healthy may seem a little odd since it has been long considered inherently harmful. However, research shows that that is not the case. It has been found that being in denial is the brain’s way of “dosing” itself. Just like how medicine is good for us, facing the reality that we have lost a loved one has passed is ultimately beneficial for us. Too much medicine too quickly can cause unpleasant side effects, just like confronting difficult grief-related emotions all at once can be painful.

Grief Can Shake Your Faith
We have faith in a lot of things. Whether it be ourselves, others, or the future, when someone passes away our faith in these things can be disturbed. It could seem like our world will never be the same again, or, we may wonder if we'll ever be the same again. Unfortunately, life is not always fair, and people don’t always get what they deserve. Losing someone you love challenges your beliefs and as a result, people often find themselves feeling guilty. It’s natural to question the fairness of losing someone you love. However, death is neither fair nor is death unfair, it is just an unfortunate reality.

Grief Leads to Acceptance
It is important not to rush your grieving process. One person may take weeks, while someone else can take months to a number of years. Grief is personal, and we are all entitled to our own schedule. It is not a race to the finish line or a contest to see who is finished grieving first. However long your grieving process may be, it will help lead to acceptance.

Whether you have recently lost a loved one or are still experiencing the grieving process from someone you lost years back, know that grief is not a simple five-step process. Your grieving process takes time and you need to allow your mind and body to heal when it is ready.

Forest Lawn Funeral Home serves the Mobile, Alabama area with funeral and cremation services, grief support, pre-planning, and more. Visit us online at forestlawnfh.com! Call us anytime at (251) 675-0824  or connect with Forest Lawn Funeral Home on Facebook and Twitter!

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