Understanding Grief...The Cycle

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. As we move forward this month DAS honors, remembers and celebrates the thousands of lives lost as a result of breast cancer and the un-timely passing of babies during pregnancy and infancy. Our hearts go out to the families across the world coping with the loss of a loved one from these two issues. As we reflect upon breast cancer and pregnancy and infant loss, we thought it appropriate to address the topic of grief. Grief is a normal human reaction to a loss or change. The timing of the loss whether sudden or expected, does not negate the emotions and feelings associated with grief.

The feelings and emotions associated with grief have been found to be uniform throughout the human race. Although we are all uniquely made, there are 5 apparent stages of grief that we all go through as we work towards healing after suffering a loss. These stages were identified by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, a Swedish doctor, who created what we now know to be the Grief Cycle.

The stages of the grief cycle are, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. No two people will go through this cycle the same, yet in order for full healing to occur it is suggested that people allow themselves TIME to enter and completely deal with life in each phase before attempting to move on to the next one. Each stage of the grief cycle holds certain characteristics and behaviors associated with it.

Each week this month we will focus on a different stage of grief and explore ways of working towards healing and recovery. Grief is something that we all must face in life. We cannot always control or counter-act the loss that will occur, we can however, control the way we live afterwards.

Choose life today and remember
"Your Healing Is Just A Journey Away!!"