The stages of grief

Grief affects everyone. During life, a person will usually have at least one experience of grief, whether it is a loved one’s death, loss of a job, the end of a relationship, or other changes that alter life as you know it.

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Grief is also very personal, and does not follow a neat pattern, schedule or timetable. You may cry, feel angry, withdraw and feel empty. There is nothing unusual or wrong. Everyone mourns differently, but there are some similarities in the stages and the order of feelings experienced during grief.

Five stages of grief are:

denial

anger

bargaining

depression

acceptance

Not everyone will experience all five, but the first two stages are usually:

Stage 1: Denial

Grief is a powerful emotion and it is not unusual to respond to the intensity of the feeling with rejection. Denying it gives you time to gradually absorb the news and begin to process it. It is a natural defence mechanism that is well known in the body and helps to protect you from the intensity of extreme scenarios. Finding a funeral director who understands will help. For Funeral Directors Essex, visit a site like T Cribb, leading Funeral Directors Essex.

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Stage 2: Anger

Where rejection can be considered as a coping mechanism, anger acts as a mask. Anger is hiding a lot of the emotion and pain you carry. Anger can be directed at others, such as those who died, a former partner, or your employer. You may even take out rage on inanimate objects. Your rational mind understands that the object of anger is not to blame, but your emotions at that moment are too strong to rationalize.