The 5 Stages of Grief and How to Overcome Them

4 minutes

The stages of grief are something that everyone has experienced at some point in their lives, and there are healthy ways to overcome them

The 5 Stages of Grief and How to Overcome Them

Written by Yamila Papa Pintor

Last update: 26 May, 2022

Many situations in life can lead to pain, depression, or sadness. At some point in your life you will experience grief. It could be due to a breakup or a death in the family. Whatever the cause, we recommend you read the following article where we offer some tips for overcoming the 5 stages of grief.

The 5 stages of grief

When you go through something that’s very difficult or painful you probably go through the following stages:

1-Denial

You can’t believe this is happening to you. You think it’s all a bad dream and that you just need to wake up to realize that everything is ok. Disbelief and denial go hand in hand in this stage.

2-Searching for someone who is responsible

During this stage, you experience feelings of guilt or anger toward who or whatever is “responsible” for the situation. If you don’t get through this stage you can spend years building up your resentment and hate, which can be very harmful to your health. In addition, your emotional wounds might never recover.

3-Depression

In this stage of grief you experience very strong feelings. This is when you recognize the magnitude of your loss. Crying, feelings of loneliness, insomnia, and changes in diet are common signs of depression.

Learn: 6 remedies for depression

4-Anger

Once you understand that you can’t do anything to recover what you have lost or fix your relationship, you can experience anger and frustration. You might also become annoyed with other people who aren’t even directly related to the situation.

5-Acceptance

This is the stage of grief that you should try to reach as soon as possible for your health and well being. Facing the reality of your loss and adjusting to the new situation while healing old emotional wounds is a process that is easier for some people than others.

Keys for overcoming the stages of grief

The situations that cause people the most pain are typically death and separation. Grief results when you experience the loss of something that was very important to you.

Despite the fact that the new absence is painful, you have to get up and move on with your life for yourself and for other people. Otherwise, your grief will become pathological and difficult to defeat.

Intense pain, not wanting to do anything, having suicidal thoughts, or exaggerated emotions are symptoms that should be treated by a professional through therapy.

If you are confronted with the loss of a loved one, don’t forget to consider the following recommendations:

1-Cry as much as you need to

It’s true that since we were little, we’ve been told that “crying is for the weak.” However, when it comes to grief crying is an excellent way to reduce deep sadness and vent frustration. In the end, your body’s physical, mental, and emotional health will thank you.

This doesn’t mean you should be crying all the time, but rather that your tears will help cleanse your soul. It’s essential for you to allow yourself to feel pain and not be ashamed of crying. In short, crying can be a big help for overcoming grief.

2-Give yourself time and space

The stages of grief can last for days, weeks, months, or even years. It all depends on a variety of factors, including your personality, the relationship you had with what you lost, how you respond to problems in your life, and how you can overcome the situation.

Aside from that, don’t be too hard on yourself. Remember that yes, you have to heal, but you shouldn’t push yourself to do so too quickly. It’s not a race.

3-Ask for help

If you’ve gone through a breakup, find a shoulder to cry on, whether it’s a friend, a sibling, or your parents. If a family member has passed away, you can rely on your partner or your children. The important thing is that you find someone to listen and offer good advice, or simply to be by your side as you mourn.

You can even start seeing a therapist or attend a support group. Most likely, you’ll be amazed by the number of people who have gone through similar situations as you. Often, just talking about your emotions with a complete stranger can be more effective than with someone you’ve known a long time.

4-Express your emotions

In addition to finding a person (or a few people) who make you feel loved and protected, it’s important to talk about what has happened to you. Even if it’s just you talking to a mirror or writing a daily journal about your emotions, every little bit counts.

After you express how you feel you’ll have a sense of release, of “less weight” on your back and with a more clear idea about your next steps. Don’t keep your emotions bottled up inside – they could turn against you.

5-Take care of yourself

When you grieve it’s common to not pay attention to your daily chores, even your personal appearance. Nevertheless, you have to stay hydrated, fed, rested and clean. Otherwise, you won’t be able to heal emotionally and spiritually.

First things first, take care of your body. Take a shower, comb your hair, change your clothes, put on a little makeup. Get out of the house and breathe in the fresh air, drink a tea or have some soup during this phase of grieving.

Finally, you must do what you can to continue living your life. Although it might be difficult, although you’re feeling broken inside, and while nothing seems to have meaning… move forward. Slowly, your wounds will heal.