The five stages of dying according to Kubler-Ross include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. With denial comes avoidance, confusion, shock and fear. Anger then brings frustration, irritation, and anxiety. Bargaining begins, you struggle to find meaning. People often reach out to others that have already gone through this to hear advice or their stories. Eventually depression takes over. You become overwhelmed, helpless and hostile. People often are close to giving up at this stage. Then comes acceptance – exploring options, new plan and moving on.
I believe someone who were to lose a family member would experience one if not all of these phases of emotions, as well as a close friend. In my opinion it affects people differently of different ages. A young child wouldn’t necessarily understand how to process all of these emotions. A teenager would emphasize the anger and add resentment, also not yet knowing how to process all of these emotions.
