Denial -As the reality of loss is hard to face, one of the first reactions to follow the loss is Denial. What this means is that the person is trying to shut out the reality or magnitude of his/her situation, and begins to develop a false, preferable reality.
Anger -“Why me? It’s not fair!”; “How can this happen to me?”; “Who is to blame?” Once in the second stage, the individual recognizes that denial cannot continue. Because of anger, the person is very difficult to care for due to misplaced feels of rage and envy.
Bargaining -“I’ll do anything for a few more years”; “I will give my life savings if…” The third stage involves the hope that the individual can somehow undo or avoid a cause of grief.
Depression -“I’m sad, why bother with anything?”; “I’m going to die soon so what’s the point?; “I missed my loved one, why go on?” During the fourth stage, the grieving person begins to understand the certainty of death. Much like the existential concept of The Void, the idea of living becomes pointless.
Acceptance -“It’s going to be okay”; “I can’t fight it, I may as well prepare for it” In this last stage, individuals begin to come to terms with their mortality or inevitable future, or that a loved one, or other tragic event. This stage varies according to the person’s situation.
Kubler-Ross model Wikipedia
