How to Recover from the Loss of a Loved One

Everyone at some point in their life has to deal with the death of someone they know. The loss of a loved one is a difficult thing to go through. When you lose someone close to you, you go through a series of different feelings, which we call the grieving process. A grieving person usually goes through five distinct stages during this process.

The first stage is denial. Most people find themselves in a state of disbelief when they hear of someone's death. They can't believe the person they once knew is dead, that they will never see that person again in this world.

The second stage is anger. Along with feeling angry at the situation in general, a grieving person often feels angry with the person who died. It is common to ask questions like, "Why did you leave me?" "How can you die?"

The third stage is guilt. The grieving person feels guilty for thinking badly about the loved one who died. Sometimes the grieving person even feels responsible for the person's death. If I had only called...if I had only been there...if I had only______...then maybe I could have stopped them from dying. Such thoughts are obviously irrational, but they are clear signs that the grieving person is in the guilt stage.

The fourth stage is depression. The grieving person experiences a feeling of deep emptiness for the loss in his or her life. This stage is what most people expect during the grieving process, though expecting it doesn't make it easier to endure. It is difficult to miss a loved one and try to envision a life without them.

The fifth stage is acceptance. The grieving person finally comes to terms with the fact that his or her loved one is dead and that life must continue.

A person may not go through these stages in the exact order I have listed them. For example, you may go from depression back up to anger and then depression again before moving into acceptance. The order and endurance of the stages varies depending on the person.

Here are some suggestions of things that you can do to help yourself get through the grieving process: