The Five Stages Of Grief And How To Overcome Them

There are plenty of situations in life that can lead to pain, depression or sadness. Everyone will experience sadness at some point in their life. This grief can be caused, for example, by a breakup or the loss of a loved one. Whatever the cause, we recommend that you read the following article where we provide some tips for overcoming the five stages of grief.

The five stages of grief

If you are going through something that is very difficult or painful, you are likely going through the following five stages of grief:

1. Denial

You can’t believe this is happening to you. You think it’s all a bad dream and you just need to wake up to realize that everything is okay. Disbelief and denial go hand in hand at this stage.

2. Search for someone who is responsible

During this phase you experience guilt or anger towards the person or what is ‘responsible’ for your situation. If you don’t go through this stage, you could waste years of your life building up resentment and hatred, which can be very damaging to your health. Plus, your emotional wounds will never heal that way.

3. Depression

At this stage of mourning, you experience very strong feelings. This is when you finally recognize the magnitude of your loss. Crying, feelings of loneliness, insomnia and changes in your eating habits are common symptoms of depression.

4. Anger

Once you understand that there is nothing you can do to regain what you have lost or restore your relationship, you may experience anger and frustration. You might also become annoyed with other people who aren’t even directly involved in the situation.

5. Acceptance

For your own health and well-being, it would be best to get to this stage in the grieving process as soon as possible. Facing reality and adjusting to your new situation while trying to heal old emotional wounds is a process that is easier for some people than others.

Tips to overcome the five stages of grief

The situations that cause people the most pain usually have to do with death or divorce.  We usually experience grief when we lose something that was very important to us.

However, despite the fact that the new absence is painful, you need to find a way to get back on your feet and move on with your life. Not only for yourself, but also for the people around you. Otherwise, your grief will become pathological and difficult to beat.

Feeling intense pain, not feeling like it, having suicidal thoughts or experiencing exaggerated emotions are symptoms that should be treated by a professional through therapy.

If you have recently faced the loss of a loved one, don’t forget to consider the following recommendations:

1. Cry as much as you need

Indeed, many of us have been told from childhood that “crying is for the weak.” When it comes to grief, however, crying is an excellent way to counteract deep sadness and frustration. Ultimately, your physical, mental, and emotional health will thank you for it.

This doesn’t mean you have to cry all the time. But that your tears can help you to cleanse your soul. It is essential that you allow yourself to feel pain and that you are not ashamed to cry. In short, crying can be extremely helpful in overcoming grief.

2. Give yourself time and space

The five stages of grief can last for days, weeks, months, or even years. It all depends on several factors, including your personality, the relationship you had with the person or what you lost, how you react to problems in your life, and how you can overcome the situation.

Apart from these factors, it is important not to be too hard on yourself. Remember that it is indeed important to recover, but you should not force yourself to do it in a rush. It’s not a race.

3. Ask for help

If you’ve just broken up, find a shoulder to cry on, whether it’s a friend, a sibling, or (one of) your parents. If you have recently lost a loved one, you can always rely on your spouse or your children, or other members of your family. Most importantly, find someone to listen and give good advice, or just to be by your side while you grieve.

You can even see a therapist or visit a support group. Most likely, you will be amazed at how many people have gone through a similar situation to you. It can often be more effective to talk about your emotions with a complete stranger than with someone you’ve known for a long time.

4. Express your emotions

In addition to finding a person (or a few people) with whom you feel loved and protected, it is important to talk about what happened to you. Even if you’re just talking to a mirror or writing down your emotions in a journal. Every little bit counts.

After you express how you feel, you will experience a sense of freedom. The burden on your shoulders will have eased and you will have a clearer picture of the steps you need to take. Don’t bottle up your emotions – they can turn against you.

5. Take care of yourself

When we are sad, we often neglect our daily tasks. Even our appearance can suffer. Still, it’s important to stay well hydrated, nourished, rested and clean. Otherwise you cannot heal emotionally and spiritually.

First of all, you need to take good care of your body. Don’t skip that shower, comb your hair, put on clean clothes, put on a little makeup. Get out of the house and breathe in the fresh air, drink a cup of tea or eat a bowl of soup. This will help you get through those five stages of grief better.

Finally, you should do what you can to continue living your normal life. Although it can be difficult, although you feel defeated inside and although nothing seems to make sense… you have to keep moving forward. Slowly your wounds will heal.