6 stages of denial
Accepting Death: Working Through The 6 Stages Of Grief
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Death is a difficult concept to process, and it can be especially hard when someone we love dies. Grief is the natural reaction to loss, and it can take time to work through all of the different stages. There’s no right or wrong way to grieve, but accepting death is an important part of healing.
In this blog post, we will discuss the 6 stages of grief and how to work through them. We will also provide tips for coping with loss. Keep in mind that everyone experiences grief differently, so don’t be afraid to seek out professional help if you need it.
There is no wrong or right way to grieve, just do what works best for you. With time and patience, you will be able to overcome your grief and begin moving forward again.
Is Accepting Death Even Possible?
“Time heals all wounds. ”
“It was their time to go.”
“They’re in a better place now.”
Do any of these sound familiar? These phrases may be well-intentioned, but they often do more harm than good. They minimize the pain of loss and can make it difficult to move on.
Accepting death is not the same thing as being okay with it. Accepting death means that you are able to acknowledge what happened without feeling guilty, angry or resentful about it. Acceptance is not easy and often takes time.
Research on grief and loss is still relatively new, but there are some things that psychologists have agreed on. Accepting death comes with time, patience, and understanding the feelings you’re experiencing aren’t permanent. It also involves accepting the fact that things won’t be exactly as they were before your loved one died; it’s okay to adapt and move forward.
One of the most important parts of grieving is allowing yourself to feel whatever you’re feeling. Accepting death doesn’t mean suppressing your emotions and “putting on a happy face” all day long; it’s okay to cry, be angry, or simply sit quietly and reflect for a while.
So, the answer to the question, “is accepting death even possible?” is yes, it is possible.
Accepting death is a process that takes time and patience, but with the right support, you will be able to move through the different stages of grief and eventually learn how to accept death in your own way.
Now that we’ve covered some background information about accepting death, let’s talk about the 6 stages of grief!
The 6 Stages of Grief
The 6 stages of grief are described as denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance, and hope.
In 1969 Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross first proposed 5 stages of grief after interviewing patients who were dying of cancer. The theory has been expanded and revised over the years, but the original 5 stages are still commonly used.
In 1992, Dr. Kenneth J. Doka added hope to the stages of grief, recognizing that many people find it helpful to have something to look forward to after a loved one dies.
Each stage can be accompanied by a variety of emotions, and people often move back and forth between different stages.
But, it’s important to remember that these are simply guidelines, and everyone experiences grief differently.
Denial
What happens in the denial phase of grief?
Denial is an important part of the grieving process because it allows you to accept that your loved one has died. Accepting death isn’t about forgetting or pretending like someone didn’t die; instead, it’s understanding that their physical presence isn’t coming back and learning how to live without them.
In this stage, there are a lot of common symptoms such as disbelief, numbness, and shock. You may feel like you’re living in a dream or that this can’t be happening to you. Denial helps cushion the blow of the loss and allows you time to process what’s happened.
How long does denial last?
Denial is usually strongest in the early days after someone dies. It may last for a few days or even weeks, but it will usually fade as you continue to accept the loss and face reality.
What happens in the anger phase of grief?
Feeling angry is a normal and healthy response to loss. You may be angry with yourself, your loved one for dying, or even God. Many people report feeling abandoned in the anger phase; you might feel like your loved one died too soon and that there were things left unsaid between you two.
You’re not alone if you feel anger toward your loved one for dying; this is normal. Accepting that you’re angry isn’t easy, but it’s essential to the healing process.
How long does the anger phase of grief last?
This stage can be very intense and may even resurface throughout other stages of grief as well. The length varies from person to person – some people are angry for just a few days while others may remain in the anger phase for months.
Bargaining
What happens during the bargaining stage of grief?
In this stage, you might start to feel like there’s something you could have done differently – maybe you wish that you had spent more time with your loved one or tried harder to save them from dying.
You may feel a sense of guilt for things you did or didn’t say during their life, and these feelings can become overwhelming very quickly if they’re ignored.
You might start to bargain with yourself or even God – “I’ll do anything if only this doesn’t happen” or “I’ll do (blank) if God gives me another chance.” The bargaining stage is all about making deals and trying to find a way out of the pain you’re feeling.
How long does the bargaining stage of grief last?
Bargaining can be an intense experience, but it usually doesn’t last very long – somewhere between a few hours or a few days. You might not even realize that you’re in the bargaining stage until it’s over and done with, so don’t worry if you can’t pinpoint when exactly this happened to you.
Depression
What happens during the depression phase of grief?
The depression phase is often characterized by intense feelings of sadness and emptiness. You might feel a sense of loneliness without your loved one, or you may even be angry with yourself for still wanting them to come back after they’ve died.
The symptoms in the depression phase are similar to those experienced during denial; it’s common to experience disbelief, numbness, and shock once again as you realize your loved one isn’t coming back.
How long does the depression phase of grief last?
This stage can often last for a prolonged period of time, especially if it’s left untreated or ignored. Accepting that you’re feeling a sense of loss is important in moving on from this phase – some people remain in this stage for months or even years.
Acceptance
What happens during the acceptance stage of grief?
The acceptance stage is often seen as the “final” stage of grief, and it’s characterized by a newfound understanding that your loved one has died. You might find yourself talking about them more openly or feeling like you can finally start to move on with your life.
You’ll start to accept the reality of your loved one’s death and realize that you can’t change what happened. This doesn’t mean that you’ll stop feeling sad or miss them, but it does mean that you’re beginning to cope with their loss.
How long does the acceptance stage last?
This stage usually lasts for a few months or even years, but it’s important to note that some people never reach this stage of grief. Accepting death is different for everyone and you might even find yourself experiencing all 6 stages of grief again if there are additional losses in your life.
What happens during the hope stage of grief?
The hope stage is a time when you start to see the future in a new light. You might begin to plan for the future or think about ways to honor your loved one’s memory.
You’ll start to feel like life is still worth living and that there are things left to look forward to. This doesn’t mean that you’ll be in denial about your loss anymore, but it does mean that you’re able to find a sense of happiness again.
How long does the hope stage last?
This stage can either be very short or very long – depending on how much time has passed since your loved one’s death and what else is happening in your life right now.
Tips For Coping With Loss And Grief
- Talk about how you feel with a friend or family member
Don’t be afraid to seek professional help if you feel overwhelmed by your grief – there’s no shame in asking for assistance! - Accepting death is different for everyone, so don’t compare yourself with others. Your feelings are valid and they’re not wrong just because someone else seems to handle their loss differently.
- Accepting death can be challenging, even for those who work through the 6 stages of grief. If you feel like your grief is getting worse over time rather than improving, please reach out to a counselor at Makin Wellness – we’re here to help!
- Accepting death doesn’t mean that all hope is lost or that you’ll never be happy again. There is life after death, and it can be just as beautiful as the life your loved one experienced.
- Give yourself time to heal – don’t expect to bounce back from grief overnight. Grieving takes time, patience, and a lot of self-care.
Need Someone to Talk to About Loss or Grief?
Even after learning about the 6 stages of grief, accepting death may not feel like a reality. Many people find themselves stuck in the earlier stages, unable to move on or cope with their loss because they can’t accept what’s happened.
If you need someone to come alongside you and help you process your feelings from a loss, we’re here to listen and support you. Accepting death may not be easy – but it’s the first step in learning how to live again after losing a loved one or someone close to you.
If you’re ready to get started on your healing journey, contact our team at Makin Wellness, today.
Sara Makin MSEd, LPC, NCC
All articles are written in conjunction with the Makin Wellness Research Team.
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The SIX Stages Of Grief And Finding Meaning – KKJ Forensic & Psychological Services
The recent passing of my grandmother (at the age of 106!) has been a time of reflection for me. I’m very lucky that I’m not overly devastated by the loss, and I’m quickly moving through the stages of grief. However, it got me thinking that an overview of the original five stages of grief (as defined by Elizabeth Kubler Ross), and then an introduction to the sixth stage (as introduced by her academic partner David Kessler), would make for a helpful article.
In this post I'll give an overview of the stages of grief and then talk about some keys to help in the process. And, as always, if you're feeling stuck or in need of any support, please reach out.
Denial
Denial, the first stage of grief, is necessary to help you survive a loss. You're in a state of shock because the world as you knew it no longer exists. You might start to deny the news (maybe your loved one was misidentified for example). In this stage, you're clinging to a "preferred" reality, instead of the true reality of the situation.
This type of denial actually serves an important role. It helps you cope with and survive the initial event. It's a natural defense mechanism. It's nature's way of saying there is only so much a person can handle at one time.
Anger
The next stage of grief, anger, is a very necessary part of the process.
First, it's a transition from the denial stage. In other words, you're starting to move from the "preferred" reality of denial to the "actual" reality that now exists in your life. Second, anger can give you a temporary structure. Your life has been shattered and it might feel like you have no grounding. The direction of anger, even if it's "unfair" in hindsight, can begin to bind you back to a sense of connection with others. It's something to grasp onto.
Anger might present itself in feelings of "why me" or "life isn't fair". It might present as blame toward others that the loss occurred or as a redirection of perceived slights. People of religious faith will often find they're angry with God for letting this happen to them.
While anger is generally frowned upon in our society, it's very important to allow the anger in. Even though it may seem endless, it's important to feel it. The more anger you allow yourself to feel, the quicker it will dissipate. Of course, there are many emotions under the surface of anger, and there is a lot of pain, but there will be time to deal with those underlying emotions down the road a bit.
Bargaining
Bargaining is a form of false hope. It's a form of "negotiation" with yourself or with a higher power that serves as a way to try to avoid the grief. It's a willingness to make a major change in your life to bring things back to the way they used to be. For example, prior to a death you might bargain that "if you'll just cure this disease, I'll dedicate my life to helping others." Or "if you heal my child, I promise I'll be a better mom and never complain about them again."
After death, bargaining often takes the form of guilt, or "what if" statements. What if you had found the disease sooner? What if you had just delayed your loved one by 30 seconds?
Depression
Depression follows bargaining. It's the phase where you accept that your attempts at avoidance and bargaining are futile. Reality begins to set in, and grief tends to enter your reality in a major way. The grief is often much deeper and persistent than you could have imagined and often feels like it's never-ending. It could manifest in feelings of wanting to withdraw from life, feelings like nobody could possibly understand what you're going through or help you feel better, and feelings of pure sadness.
It's important to know that this depression is normal and appropriate for a major loss. It's at this stage that you realize the true magnitude of your loss and that it's not something you should try to "will" yourself out of. Of course, you want to learn to "live again", but that's only possible after giving grief it's time.
Acceptance
Acceptance should not be confused with everything suddenly being "all right." In fact, most people never again feel "all right" after a major loss. The acceptance stage is simply about coming to terms with the fact that your loved one is no longer physically with you and realizing that it's a permanent reality.
It's not about learning to like the new reality. It's about learning to live with this new norm. It's about learning to readjust to life by taking on new roles or assigning them to others. It's not about replacing the loved one, but instead about making new connections and relationships. It's about beginning the process of learning, exploring, and evolving into a new day-to-day reality.
Finding Meaning
As mentioned above, David Kessler has recently documented a sixth stage, which is finding meaning. Many people talk about finding "closure" after a loss, but Kessler talks about learning to remember those who have died with more love than pain and learning to move forward in a way that honors our loved ones.
During times of grief, in order to get to the 6th stage, it’s important to surround yourself with your loved ones, faith, take time off from regular responsibilities, and have good self-care. If you are already moving towards acceptance and finding meaning, it can be a good time to reevaluate your values and priorities as well.
If you’re feeling stuck, please reach out for professional help. We would be honored to help you.
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You may also likeFive stages of grief. The Rise and Fall of Kübler-Ross
- Lucy Burns
- BBC
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Denial. Anger. Finding a compromise. Despair. Adoption. Many people know the theory according to which grief, when receiving unbearable information for a person, goes through these steps. The scope of its application is wide: from hospices to boards of directors of companies. nine0018
A recent interview with a psychologist in English on the Internet proves that the perception of the current quarantine is subject to the same rules. But do we all experience the same?
When Swiss psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross began working in American hospitals in 1958, she was struck by the lack of methods of psychological care for dying patients.
- A method that can predict your death
"Everything was impersonal, the attention was paid exclusively to the technical side of things," she told the BBC at 1983 year. “Terminally ill patients were left to their own devices, no one talked to them.”
She started a workshop with Colorado State University medical students based on her conversations with cancer patients about what they thought and felt.
Author photo, LIFE/Getty Images
Photo caption,Elisabeth Kübler-Ross talks to a woman with leukemia in Chicago, 1969. Seminar participants observe through a special mirror glass
Despite the misunderstanding and resistance of a number of colleagues, soon there was nowhere for an apple to fall at the Kübler-Ross seminars.
In 1969 she published a book, On Death and Dying, in which she quoted typical statements from her patients and then moved on to discuss how to help doomed people pass from life as free of fear and pain as possible.
Kübler-Ross described in detail the five emotional states that a person goes through after being diagnosed with a terminal diagnosis:
- Denial: "No, that can't be true"
- Anger: "Why me? Why? It's not fair!!!"
- Bargaining: "There must be a way to save myself, or at least improve my situation! I'll think of something, I'll behave properly and do whatever is necessary!"
- Depression: "There is no way out, everything is indifferent"
- Acceptance: "Well, we must somehow live with this and prepare for the last journey"
difficult situation. nine0011
A separate chapter of the book is devoted to each of the stages. In addition to the five main ones, the author identified intermediate states - the first shock, preliminary grief, hope - from 10 to 13 types in total.
Image copyright Getty Images
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross died in 2004. Her son, Ken Ross, says she never insisted that every person must go through these five stages in sequence.
"It was a flexible framework, not a panacea for dealing with grief. If people wanted to use other theories and models, the mother did not object. She wanted to start a discussion of the topic first," he says. nine0011
- Last will: how did the photo of a dying American touch the world?
- "You hear everything, Fernando." How was the evening in honor of the terminally ill football player
The book "On Death and Dying" became a bestseller, and Elisabeth Kübler-Ross was soon inundated with letters from patients and doctors from all over the world.
"The phone kept ringing, and the postman started visiting us twice a day," recalls Ken Ross.
The notorious five steps took on a life of their own. Following the doctors, patients and their relatives learned about them. They were mentioned by the characters of the series "Star Trek" and "Sesame Street". They were parodied in cartoons, they gave food for creativity to the mass of musicians and artists and gave rise to many successful memes. nine0011
Literally thousands of scientific papers have been written that have applied the theory of the five steps to a wide variety of people and situations, from athletes suffering career-incompatible injuries to Apple fans' worries about the release of the 5th iPhone.
Image copyright, Getty Images
Skip the Podcast and continue reading.
Podcast
What was that?
We quickly, simply and clearly explain what happened, why it's important and what's next. nine0011
episodes
The End of History Podcast
Kübler-Ross's legacy has found its way into corporate governance: Big companies from Boeing to IBM (including the BBC) have used her "change curve" to help employees at times of great business change.
And during the coronavirus pandemic, it applies, says psychologist David Kessler.
Kessler worked with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and co-authored her latest book, Grief and How We Grieve. His interview with the Harvard Business Review at the start of the pandemic garnered a lot of attention online as people everywhere searched for solutions to their emotional problems. nine0011
"And here, first comes denial: the virus is not terrible, nothing will happen to me. Then anger: who dares to deprive me of my usual life and force me to stay at home?! Then an attempt to find a compromise: okay, if after two weeks of social distancing it gets better, then why not? Followed by sadness: no one knows when it will end. And, finally, acceptance: the world is now like this, you have to somehow live with it, "describes David Kessler.
"As you can see, strength comes with acceptance. It gives you control: I can wash my hands, I can keep a safe distance, I can work from home," he says. nine0011
"It's a roadmap," says George Bonanno, professor of clinical psychology and head of the Loss, Trauma, and Emotion Laboratory at Columbia University. "When people are in pain, they want to know: how long will it last? What will happen to me? something to grab on to. And the five-step model gives them that opportunity."
"This scheme is seductive," notes Charles Corr, social psychologist and author of Death and Dying, Life and Being. "It offers an easy solution: sort everyone, and it takes no more than the fingers of one hand to label each one." . nine0011
George Bonanno sees this as a possible harm.
"People who don't fit exactly into these stages - and I've seen the majority of them - may decide they're grieving the wrong way, so to speak," he explains.
According to him, over the years he has seen many cases when people themselves inspired that they must certainly experience this and that, or they were convinced of this by friends and relatives, but they did not feel it and decided, that they need a doctor.
Experimental evidence of the existence of the five stages of grief is not enough. The longest and most extensive bereavement interview was conducted in 2007.
According to him, the most common state at any time is acceptance, only a few go through the stage of denial, and the second most common emotion is longing.
However, according to David Kessler, while scientists debate the nuances and terms, people who experience grief continue to find meaning in the Kübler-Ross scheme. nine0011
"I meet people who tell me, 'I don't know what's wrong with me. Now I'm angry, and a minute later I'm sad. I must be crazy.” And I say, “It has names. These are called the stages of grief. ” The person says, “Oh, so there is a special stage called 'anger'? It's about me!" And feels more normal."
Image copyright, Getty Images
"People need catchy statements. If Kübler-Ross hadn't called it stages and stated that there are exactly five of them, then she probably would have been closer to the truth. But then she would not have attracted to attention," says Charles Corr. nine0011
He believes that talking about the five stages distracts from the main scientific legacy of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross.
"She wanted to take on the topic of death and dying in the broadest sense: how to help terminally ill people come to terms with their diagnosis, how to help those who care for them, support these patients and cope with their own emotions, how to help everyone live a full life, realizing that we are not eternal,” says Charles Corr.
"The terminally ill can teach us everything: not only how to die, but also how to live," said Elisabeth Kübler-Ross at 1983 year.
During the 1970s and 1980s, she traveled the world, giving lectures and giving workshops to thousands of people. She was a passionate supporter of the hospice idea pioneered by British nurse Cecily Saunders.
Kübler-Ross has established hospices in many countries, the first in the Netherlands in 1999. Time magazine named her one of the 100 most important thinkers of the 20th century.
Professor Kübler-Ross' scientific reputation was shaken after she became fascinated with theories about the afterlife and began to experiment with mediums. nine0011
One of them, a certain Jay Barham, practiced non-standard religious-erotic therapy, in particular, he persuaded women to have sex, assuring that he was possessed by a person close to them from the afterlife. In 1979, because of this, a loud scandal arose.
In the late 1980s, she tried to set up a hospice for children with AIDS in rural Virginia, but faced strong local opposition to the idea.
In 1995, her house caught fire under suspicious circumstances. The next day Kübler-Ross had her first stroke. nine0011
She spent the last nine years of her life with her son in Arizona, moving around in a wheelchair.
In her last interview with the famous TV presenter Oprah Winfrey, she said that at the thought of her own death she feels only anger.
"The public wanted the famed expert on death and dying to be some kind of angelic personality and quickly get to the stage of acceptance," says Ken Ross. "But we all deal with grief and loss as best we can."
The theory of the five stages of grief is not widely taught in medical schools these days. It is more popular at corporate trainings under the name "Curve of Change". nine0011
Since then, there have been many theories about how to deal with your grief.
David Kessler, with the consent of Kübler-Ross's family, added a sixth stage to the five: the understanding that everything that is done makes sense.
"Understanding can come in a million different ways. Let's say I've become a better person after losing a loved one. Maybe my loved one passed away in a different way than it should have happened, and I can try to make the world a better place to this has not happened to others," says David Kessler. nine0011
Charles Corr recommends the "double process model". It was developed by Dutch researchers Margaret Stroebe and Nenk Schut and suggests that a person in grief is simultaneously experiencing a loss and preparing himself for new things and life challenges.
George Bonanno talks about four trajectories of grief. Some people have great stamina and do not fall into depression, or it is weakly expressed in them, others remain morally broken for many years, others recover relatively close, but then a second wave of grief rolls over them, and finally, the fourth becomes stronger from the loss. nine0011
Over time, one way or another, the vast majority of people get better.
But Professor Bonanno admits that his approach is less clear-cut than the five-stage theory.
"I can say to a person: 'Time heals.' But that doesn't sound so convincing," he says.
Grief is difficult to control and hard to endure. The thought that there is some kind of road map that suggests a way out is comforting, even if it is an illusion.
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, in her latest book, Grief and How We Grieve, wrote that she did not expect to sort out the tangled human emotions. nine0011
Everyone experiences grief in their own way, even if some patterns can sometimes be deduced. Everyone goes their own way.
Stages of accepting the inevitable: what you need to know HR
A person's life consists not only of joyful events and success, sometimes we face problems or situations that we cannot influence in any way. Confirmation is the COVID-19 pandemic and the global crisis, due to which many people lost their jobs, the owners were forced to close both projects and organizations completely. During these drastic and unpleasant changes, we go through the five stages of accepting the inevitable: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. nine0011
Since HR is a person whose job is to interact with people, we decided that it would be useful for you to understand both how you feel in difficult situations, when nothing depends on you, and the feelings of employees. Today we'll discuss Elisabeth Kübler-Ross' model for accepting the inevitable and break down each of the five stages.
A bit of history: the Kubler-Ross model
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross is an American doctor and psychiatrist who was the first to reveal and describe all five stages of accepting the inevitable in her book On Death and Dying. Initially, the practice of the five stages was used only to help people come to terms with the loss of a loved one due to a terminal illness. nine0011
After the release of Elizabeth's book, this model began to be actively used in psychology to help people who are in a state of stress or crisis. Today, this technique is known all over the world. It helps a person to look at the situation from a different perspective, rethink the problem, accept it and move on.
How long each of the stages will last depends on the person's environment, his status in society, and the characteristics of the generation to which he belongs. For example, people of generation Y, when inevitable and unpleasant situations arise, can radically change their lives: move to another city or withdraw into themselves. Thus, they want to start from scratch and escape from problems. nine0011
Stage #1. Denial
The first stage in which a person tries in every possible way to deny reality, ignoring both external events and the internal state. At the stage of denial, we feel stupor, shock, pretend that nothing has changed.
The danger of this state is that a person accumulates a lot of negativity and negative energy, because of which this stage can last a very long time. But on the other hand, such detachment and stupor gives a person time to realize everything in proportion and accept difficult information in stages, and not en masse. nine0011
How to help a person go through the stage of denial?
It is very important to maintain contact with a person and carefully help him to return to reality. Try asking him questions he's afraid to answer. For example, what happened, how does he feel about it, what would he like to change, etc. The answers to these questions will help a person to see the problem from different angles. It is difficult to do this on your own, because the subconscious mind understands that after that it will be very painful. nine0011
A person can go through this stage both in a few minutes, and in a few weeks, months or even years. In most cases, the duration of this stage takes about two months. It is important to remember that denial is a normal and inherent reaction of the body to a difficult situation and it is impossible to avoid it.
Stage #2. Anger
After realizing the situation or after unpleasant changes, the stage of anger begins, which is considered one of the most difficult. At this stage, a person experiences bursts of aggression, thinks that no one understands him and is looking for an object with which he will be angry. It can be bosses, neighbors, friends and even the person himself. nine0011
The danger of this stage is that a person may try to restrain the negative energy inside, because of which it will not be possible to get out of this state painlessly. There are many ways to release negativity. For example, go in for sports: exercise, jog, fitness, or join the art: draw, write poetry, etc. Sublimating negative energy into some kind of activity will help balance the hormonal background, which will mitigate anger, aggression and tension. nine0011
In addition, another danger of the anger stage is that in this state we can lash out at others. Because of this, relationships with people can deteriorate, you can lose friends or even work.
How to help a person to pass the stage of anger?
Help to find a way to splash energy into some activity and do not take its negative emissions to heart. Remember that this stage proceeds faster than the others and is delayed only in rare cases. nine0011
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Stage #3. Bargaining
When a person understands that the situation or changes are inevitable and there is no point in looking for the guilty, the third stage begins - bargaining. At this stage, we want to postpone the inevitable, correct the situation by starting to bargain. Psychologists call the trading stage “What if?”. It is in this phrase that the very trades are hidden. A person asks himself questions, what if I change, find another job, behave differently, then maybe everything will change. In this way we bargain with ourselves or even with those around us. nine0011
The danger of this stage lies in the loss of authority and reputation when bargaining with subordinates, employees, partners in order to pity them. In addition, at the trading stage, a person feeds himself with the illusion that the problem is about to be solved and everything will be as before. Bidding lasts for several weeks, but in individual cases, it can be delayed for an indefinite period.
How to help a person pass the bargaining stage?
At this stage, little depends on others. All that is needed is time, after which the person himself realizes that attempts to find solutions do not bring the desired result. Then he will move on to one of the most difficult stages - depression. nine0011
Stage #4. Depression
The stage of depression is considered one of the most difficult and protracted, and it sets in abruptly, literally in one second. Depressed people behave differently, some can withdraw into themselves, not go out and not take care of themselves, while others, on the contrary, actively communicate with people, work, but suffer at the same time.
The danger of depression is that because of it a person looks negatively at the whole world around him. He can be financially secure, constantly travel, have many friends, but perceive everything in a negative way and not receive positive emotions. According to WHO data for 2018, about 264 million people worldwide suffer from depression. nine0011
Another danger of depression is the activation of all addictions. A person begins to smoke, drink alcohol, seize grief, constantly play games. Thus, he is looking for an activity that will help him to forget at least for a while. In addition, during depression, people often experience complete emotional and professional burnout.
The stage of depression is often noticeable in the working environment. Employees who experience depression are extremely demotivated and often absent: they take sick leave, vacations. nine0011
How to help a person go through depression?
At the stage of depression, a psychologist is the best help, since this is already a psychological problem. As an HR specialist, you can spend 1:1 with an employee, talk to his manager, perhaps offer a vacation or pay a psychologist. Remember that a depressed person needs the support of a team and loved ones.
Stage #5. Acceptance
At this stage, a person begins to think rationally and accept the situation. He recognizes that the problem does not allow him to live normally and understands that he needs to step over it and move on. After the acceptance stage, we begin a “new life” with new circumstances. A person begins to see new opportunities and think positively. nine0011
The acceptance stage is the time to assess new perspectives and find solutions. If, for example, a person was grieving because of the loss of a job, at the stage of acceptance, he thanks the company for the experience gained, but understands that he needs to move on. He is open to new career opportunities, new people around him and new work.
Why HR needs to understand and know these stages
How happy employees are depends on their productivity and business success.