Kubler Ross’s stages of grief

There are different models used to explain how people deal with grief. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross identifies five stages of grief, and recognises that grief is a flexible process and that there are individual patterns of grieving.

Stage 1: In denial, a person may refuse to ‘hear’ the reality of the situation. The carer may not want to hear that the person they care for has a mental illness.

Stage 2: Anger is often directed at oneself and/or those who try to help

Stage 3: Bargaining is an attempt to postpone the loss. An example of this could be seeking endless second opinions.

Stage 4: Depression is the stage when the person who is grieving actually faces the loss

 Stage 5: Acceptance comes when the person returns to normal life with regular sleep, renewed friendships, and interests.