There are seven stages of grief.
According to the Anger Management Resource, grief occurs naturally when someone or something you love is lost. Generally, the greater the love, the more the loss hurts. There are seven stages to the grieving process. Although some seek a grief counselor to cope with losses, many people deal with these stages personally in an attempt to achieve closure and move on with their lives.
Shock/Denial
According to Recover-From-Grief.com, people start the grieving process in a state of numbed disbelief. Denial may also occur in an attempt to hide the pain of the loss. This stage has been known to last for several weeks, depending on the particular person.
Denial
The stage of shock is followed by denial. The second stage of the grieving process is the mind's natural attempt to protect a person from the tragedy of the loss. According to the Anger Management Resource, a short period of denial is normal, but prolonged periods can prevent the person from achieving closure.
Anger
Anger is the third stage in the grieving process, following denial. According to the Anger Management Resource, anger may consist of anger "with the person for leaving you, with yourself for what you did not do to save them, or with God." Recover-From-Grief.com says bargaining with God may also occur during this stage in an effort to bring the person back.
Guilt/Sadness
The Anger Management Resource says that the fourth stage of grief is a period of guilt or sadness, a time people may tend to blame themselves for what happened. During this period, people may truly understand the magnitude of the loss and how much it really hurts.
Sorrow/Readjustment
The period of guilt/sadness is followed by a period of sorrow/readjustment. Recover-From-Grief.com states that during this stage, the depression of a loss begins to subside and life becomes more organized.
Reconstruction and Resolution
Eventually, a sense of acceptance regarding the reality of the loss will come to the person grieving. This is accompanied by a sense of "letting go," according to the Anger Management Resource. In this step, the person learns to reconstruct his life without his loved one in it anymore.
Return to the Willingness to Love/Acceptance
The final stage in the grieving process occurs when the person becomes herself again. According to the Anger Management Resource, the person has been healed and is able to laugh and love life again. This stage is more of a spiritual one than the other six stages. If the person successfully completes the seven stages of grief, she has learned to accept the loss and move on.
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