Question

The five stages of the Kubler-Ross grief cycle can be applied to essentially any given situation that a person may be going through, in this case, death and dying. The stages are as follows: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance (Gregory, 2018). Denial ~ Denial is the stage that can initially help you survive the loss. You might think life makes no sense, has no meaning, and is too overwhelming. You start to deny the news and, in effect, go numb (Gregory, 2018). Anger ~ Once you start to live in ‘actual’ reality again and not in ‘preferable’ reality, anger might start to set in. This is a common stage to think “why me?” and “life’s not fair!” You might look to blame others for the cause of your grief and also may redirect your anger to close friends and family (Gregory, 2018). Bargaining ~ When something bad happens, have you ever caught yourself making a deal with God? “Please God, if you heal my husband, I will strive to be the best wife I can ever be – and never complain again.” This is bargaining. In a way, this stage is false hope (Gregory, 2018). Depression ~ In this stage, you might withdraw from life, feel numb, live in a fog, and not want to get out of bed. The world might seem too much and too overwhelming for you to face. You don’t want to be around others, don’t feel like talking, and experience feelings of hopelessness. You might even experience suicidal thoughts – thinking “what’s the point of going on?” It represents the emptiness we feel when we are living in reality and realize the person or situation is gone or over (Gregory, 2018). Acceptance ~ The last stage of grief identified by Kübler-Ross is acceptance. Not in the sense that “it’s okay my husband died” rather, “my husband died, but I’m going to be okay.” In this stage, your emotions may begin to stabilize. You re-enter reality. You come to terms with the fact that the “new” reality is that your partner is never coming back – or that you are going to succumb to your illness and die soon – and you’re okay with that (Gregory, 2018). When it comes to helping anyone that is through the stages of grief prescription of medication and engagement in counseling are the most commonly used treatment. Counseling is a more solid approach toward grief. Support groups, bereavement groups, or individual counseling can help you work through unresolved grief. This is a beneficial treatment alternative when you find the grief event is creating obstacles in your everyday life. Personally I would try to be as empathetic as I can, with a client, patient, and family members going through this. If they do not wish to seek medical help you cannot force it, but you can choose to offer your support, and comfort them on your own. Talking, listening, just being with them through this tough time.

WHAT DO YOU AGREE ON THIS PAGE OR HOW WOULD COMMENT?

Answer 1

I agree that counselling as a method of treatment would help in facing the grief- causing situation. This is because:

1) Counselling would help the person vent out the bottled feelings and emotions. Often at times of grief people develop many irrational thoughts, which if bottled up for a longer time might lead to severe conditions such as PTSD or other psychological disorders. The cathartic effect of counselling would be helpful.

2) Counselling, like the text said, is a more solid approach than medication. This is because medications may have harmful side effects in the long run.

3) Also, during times of grief people seek for a company to share their sadness. A counsellor can be that person who would not only listen to the issues but also support in finding suitable ways of dealing with the issues.