Acceptance
"It's going to be okay."; "I can't fight it; I may as well prepare for it." In this last stage, individuals embrace mortality or inevitable future, or that of a loved one, or other tragic event. People dying may precede the survivors in this state, which typically comes with a calm, retrospective view for the individual, and a stable condition of emotions.
Examples of the Depression Stage
Children grieving in divorce
- This does not necessarily mean that the child will be completely happy again. The acceptance is just moving past the depression and starting to accept the divorce. The sooner the parents start to move on from the situation, the sooner the children can begin to accept the reality of it.
Grieving a lost serious relationship
- Lastly, the partner abandons all efforts toward renewal of the relationship.
Grieving in substance abuse
- With substance abusers, admitting the existence of a problem is different from accepting the problem. When a substance abuser admits that he/she has a problem, this is more likely to occur in the bargaining stage. Accepting that he/she has a problem is when you realise that you have a problem and start the process to resolve the issue.
The 5 stages of grief and loss are:
- Denial and isolation;
- Anger;
- Bargaining;
- Depression;
- Acceptance.