The stage of denial is the stage in which someone denies the fact that the person died. This stage is personified by an individual speaking of the deceased as if he is still alive or refusing to admit that the loved one has actually died. Kubler-Ross states that denial is a temporary defense for someone who does not want to admit that a loved one has passed. This feeling is also often paired with an awareness of the possessions and people left behind now that the person is dead.
The stage of anger can be anger towards either the deceased or the reason that person died. The anger stage is largely reliant on an individual blaming someone for the death. Anger occurs once the individual has realized that denial is no longer possible. Anger towards the deceased is also common, especially if the death of that person was self-inflicted in some way. Anger is the most common stage of acceptance.
Bargaining occurs usually when an individual has only recently died or is on his death bed. After death, bargaining usually occurs when an individual attempts to negotiate with a higher power that the deceased be alive in exchange for a changed or reformed lifestyle that the bargainer promises. This is an important stage of acceptance because it helps the individual realize that the death cannot be reversed and that he must move on.
Once the individual has come to the realization that the death cannot be reversed, depression often occurs where the person begins to understand the certainty of his own death as well as the death of his other loved ones. Because of this realization, the individual might become anti-social, change drastically in personality and spend much time grieving or lamenting.
The final stage is the acceptance of the death. Once the individual finally gets out of his depression, he begins to accept the reality of what has happened and begins to accept it as something that cannot be changed, only adapted to. This stage is the most difficult to attain, especially if you are particularly close to the deceased. However, this stage is the ultimate goal of getting through the death of a loved one.