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Learn About Grief
Prolonged grief disorder is a mental health condition that’s included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

Grief is the feeling you have when you lose someone or something important to you. Many people first feel grief when a loved one dies, a big relationship ends, or they go through a big life change, like finding out they have a serious illness. Everyone experiences grief in their own way, but it often includes feelings like anger, sadness, and loneliness. These feelings are a normal part of coping with a big loss.

Click on the tabs and links below for additional information and resources related to grief.

Looking for support? Find a Provider or explore Wellness Strategies to boost your mental well-being.

Grief — Tabbed Content

Symptoms include:

  • Bitterness
  • Inability to enjoy life or positive emotions
  • Intense sorrow
  • Lack of trust
  • Reduced focus on matters other than loss
  • Problems accepting loss

Risk factors include:

  • Major loss
  • Social isolation or loss of support systems
  • History of depression
  • Traumatic experiences
  • Financial hardships

Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross introduced the stages of grief to help explain the different emotions people may feel when dealing with a loss. People may fit the stages exactly, skip stages, or repeat or add stages. The grief process can feel more like a roller coaster of emotions than a set of stages. Learning about them can help us understand and cope with grief.

1
Denial

It's normal to refuse to believe what happened at first or avoid talking about it. Denial can help someone handle the initial shock of a loss by thinking the loss isn't real or avoiding conversations about it.

2
Anger

Feeling angry is a natural part of grieving. This anger might be directed at oneself, other people, or even a higher power. Sometimes, people might blame others for what happened.

3
Bargaining

During this stage, a person might think about "what if" or "if only" and try to make mental deals or promises to feel less upset about the loss.

4
Depression

Feelings of sadness or hopelessness often appear when the first shock wears off. Visit 1N5's Depression page to learn more.

5
Acceptance

This stage is about understanding and accepting what happened. It allows someone to focus on positive memories and plans for moving forward.

Click on an image to see more and download:

About Grief
About Grief
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Further Reading

The mission of 1N5 is to prevent suicide by erasing the stigma of mental illness and promoting optimal mental wellness.

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