Grieving Process

Grief can be best explained as a human experiencing the death of a loved one.  There are many stages of dealing with grief.  The stages are denial, anger, depression and acceptance, which are referred to as the "grief cycle".  The first stage of the grief cycle is denial, which can occur when a loved one passes suddenly or is a victim of a crime.   A common example of denial is a statement such as, “I can’t believe they're gone”.  When grieving some people react by expressing themselves or acting out.  Others, who grieve are quiet and withdrawn.

The second stage of the grieving process is anger.  The person who has suffered the loss of a loved one can become angry and bitter towards other loved ones.   When a person who is grieving, is a victim of a crime, they can act out and have irrational behavior by wanting revenge or justice.  It is recommended to get the grieving person to some kind of professional counseling or group therapy.  

The next stage of grieving is depression.  The depression is felt when you think of all the things that you shared together that are no long there. The daily routine has changed, since the loved one has passed.  The feeling of emptiness and being alone can also cause depression during the grieving period.   Now that you have overcome the hardest part of grieving, there is hope and the acceptance stage begins.  You accept the loss of a loved one and start living again.  You then begin by starting new things and remembering the good times.