Matt
If you have already lost a loved one, you probably know the 7 stages of grief. They were developed by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross in her book “On Death and Dying”. While everyone goes through them at their own pace, they are part of a necessary process to come to terms with loss and make peace with one’s emotions.
These stages are as follows:
- Shock and denial: We can’t believe what’s happening.
- Anger: We’re angry at the whole world.
- Bargaining: We wonder how we can go back.
- Depression: This period of extreme sadness can last a long time and have dramatic consequences.
- Acceptance: It’s the first step in facing the loss.
- Reconstruction: We think about how to move on and fill the void.
- Reconciliation: We continue to move forward in life, without forgetting but accepting what happened.
Grief can affect different areas of life. One can grieve following the death of a loved one, the loss of a body part (for example, after an amputation), or even the death of a pet.
Indeed, a dog or cat is often considered a family member, a close friend, a companion for everyday life.
This is particularly significant for single people who have a hard time dealing with this grief.
Time and the same stages are necessary to learn how to live without one’s pet.
Moreover, one often feels guilty, as if they were responsible for the loss.
