Anger
When the individual recognizes that denial cannot continue, they become frustrated, especially at proximate individuals. Certain psychological responses of a person undergoing this phase would be: "Why me? It's not fair!"; "How can this happen to me?"; "Who is to blame?"; "Why would this happen?".
Examples of the Anger Stage
Children grieving in divorce
- Children feel the need to blame someone for their sadness and loss. Example: "I hate Mom for leaving us."
Grieving a lost serious relationship
- The partner left behind may blame the departing partner, or him/herself.
Grieving in substance abuse
- The anger stage of abusers relates to how they get upset because they have an addiction or are angry that they can no longer use drugs. Some of these examples include "I don't want to have this addiction anymore." "This isn't fair, I'm too young to have this problem."
The 5 stages of grief and loss are: