The Stages of Grief and Loss
When it comes to grief, everyone is different. Everyone experiences loss and pain in their own ways. There isn’t a set right or wrong way to grieve and there is no magic button to make it fade away. In today’s blog at Bohlender Funeral Chapelin Fort Collins, we talk a little about what grief is and the common stages of grief that are experienced from sudden loss.
If you or someone you know has experienced a sudden loss, we can help. Bohlender Funeral Chapelhas been providing meaningful funeral services in Fort Collins for years. We can help you make arrangements, send flowers and gifts to a hurting loved one, and much more. Don’t hesitate to contact us for resources, funeral services, thoughtful flowers, and more.
Grief Defined
In short, grief is a natural response to sudden loss. Grief doesn’t necessarily have to be tied to death. It is a strong emotional response to losing something you valued. Often, that is in the form of a death in the family, but grief can be in response to a number of other events such as:
- Divorce
- Loss of Friendship
- Losing a Job
- Having a Life-Long Dream End
- And More
Coping with grief is difficult, but you do not have to do it alone. Be sure to reach out to friends and family during this trying time when you are ready.
The Stages
Everyone grieves and handles loss differently. These stages of grief may be different for everyone but they often expressed in one way or another throughout the process.
Denial
Denial is where the person grieving is having a hard time facing the reality of the situation. People often fail to believe that the loss actually occurred or state that they are completely fine and unaffected. This can sometimes give the grieving person the time and room they need to organize their thoughts and protect themselves from the overwhelming emotions.
Anger
Once the feelings of pain and reality begin to set in, the next phase of grief is anger. People may be angry with the deceased for abandoning them, angry at the situation that caused the loss, angry at the unfairness of it all. This is completely natural and normal.
Bargaining
During this stage, people can be heard using “if only” sort of language. “If only I had done this, if only someone had done that, if only this would have happened instead.” This stage for many people has guilt feelings that go along with it because they believe if they had done something better or differently that the outcome wouldn’t have been the same. They may even try to bargain with their higher power.
Depression
The depression stage of grieving incorporates extreme sadness, but it is a very important stage nonetheless. It is important to allow yourself to feel these feelings and work through them the best you can. People often say or think “Well, what’s the point? There’s nothing I can do.”
Acceptance
Acceptance is the final stage of grieving. This is the stage where it still hurts, but the person has accepted the loss and is more effectively able to cope with it. It’s important to understand that someone may accept what has happened and still feel pain and upset at the loss event — and that is okay.
Bohlender Funeral Chapelin Fort Collins
Dealing with loss and grief is never easy. Bohlender Funeral Chapels in Fort Collins aims to help in any way we can and make your experience a little easier. If you need assistance planning funeral services for the sudden loss of a loved one, want to send flowers or a thoughtful gift to someone grieving, or are looking for helpful resources, please reach out to us.
More Resources & Support
