As a Nurse Life Care Planner, I often work with individuals who have suffered an amputation. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross is responsible for outlining what we know today as the grieving process. This grief cycle is not only associated with those who have lost loved ones, but other types of loss including limb loss. Initially, there were five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Later, her theory took on two additional stages: shock and testing.
The only thing constant in the grieving process is the presence of stability when a loss occurs. An individual can forwards and backwards throughout the process, usually as a result of an individual’s ability to complete one stage before moving on to another stage. The old adage that a person “will grieve in their own time and in their own way” remains true. In some instances, it is perfectly normal to go back and forward as a way to work through each stage. For example, when an individual loses a leg, or is diagnosed with cancer, he or she may try to bargain with God, or other spiritual entity, in an attempt to correct the challenge. When this does not work, anger is likely to re-establish itself in the cycle. There is no set formula or time frame for an individual to move from stage to the next. In fact, silently or prolifically, pushing an individual through the grieving cycle could lead to other psychological changes, like depression.
Soon I will post some examples of positive and negative coping mechanisms one can use to work through the grieving process. If you are open to it, please take a moment to share your thoughts on Kubler-Ross’ grieving process or perhaps a suggestion that has worked for you in dealing with grief.
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As a Nurse Life Care Planner, I often work with individuals who have suffered an amputation. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross is responsible for outlining what we know today as the grieving process. This grief cycle is not only associated with those who have lost loved ones, but other types of loss including limb loss. Initially, there were five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Later, her theory took on two additional stages: shock and testing.
The only thing constant in the grieving process is the presence of stability when a loss occurs. An individual can forwards and backwards throughout the process, usually as a result of an individual’s ability to complete one stage before moving on to another stage. The old adage that a person “will grieve in their own time and in their own way” remains true. In some instances, it is perfectly normal to go back and forward as a way to work through each stage. For example, when an individual loses a leg, or is diagnosed with cancer, he or she may try to bargain with God, or other spiritual entity, in an attempt to correct the challenge. When this does not work, anger is likely to re-establish itself in the cycle. There is no set formula or time frame for an individual to move from stage to the next. In fact, silently or prolifically, pushing an individual through the grieving cycle could lead to other psychological changes, like depression.
Soon I will post some examples of positive and negative coping mechanisms one can use to work through the grieving process. If you are open to it, please take a moment to share your thoughts on Kubler-Ross’ grieving process or perhaps a suggestion that has worked for you in dealing with grief.
Related articles by Zemanta