People’s thoughts regarding death are influenced by their cultural, religious, and ethnic beliefs. People die differently and have different reactions to death based on their cultural background (Ohr et al. 2). In most cultures, death is regarded as a communal affair of enormous significance for the entire community, while in others, it is seen as a private event. Other cultures rejoice when an individual passes away, assuming that they have passed on to a higher realm. Some weep for long periods and live together with the body of their dead relatives (Zand). Religion and spirituality are likewise essential factors in the patient’s and family’s reactions to grief and loss.
In particular, death frequently prompts individuals to explore serious concerns such as the purpose of life, the reality of the soul, and the likelihood of a resurrection. According to Fredman et al. (23), spiritual beliefs can assist people in coping with sickness and accepting mortality. Thus, when confronted with mortality dying patients frequently engage their inner belief patterns to enable them to deal with stress and fear. Assistance can consist of empathic care and tolerance of unique views for persons whose religiosity does not incorporate convictions established in organized religion. Many studies have demonstrated that religious and spiritual convictions can impact individuals’ medical choices, interfere with therapeutic strategies, and determine treatment adherence (Rego et al. 10; Peteet et al. 3). The existence of rites can offer support and comfort to persons whose faith includes an embodiment of a particular religious activity. Overall, most religions have unique rules concerning death and traditions to commemorate the loss of a loved one.
Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross defined several stages that an individual may undergo to cope with imminent death. Kübler-Ross’ conventional phases, once known as the stages of death and dying, are now more generally connected with the stages of grief and loss (Portland State University). This is because sorrow, bereavement, and dying have been classified as independent subjects with comparable stages of human behavior. Everyone experiences grief; yet, not everyone experiences grief in the same manner. Caregivers should understand that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to grieving or no proper or improper way to express the agony of death. Caregivers should also be mindful that dealing with the psychological and physical anguish associated with death and dying can be therapeutic and strengthening for individuals who are experiencing it.
Grief is a loss that does not always have to entail death. Loss may be defined as any form of emotional distress, like the loss of one’s health, the end of a partnership, or the termination of one’s job. The understanding that one’s objectives may not be realized is also a form of loss. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the stages of existence, and possible losses are discussed (Pentaris 25). Grief and loss are likewise linked to chronic illnesses like depression, unending suffering, or conditions like Alzheimer’s. A terminal condition is when a person is diagnosed with a clinical situation that will result in death in a short period (Pentaris 9). People with terminal illnesses go through some of these stages.
However, some stages may be skipped, especially in circumstances where death is immediate or the individual cannot reconcile conflicts. Moreover, existential and physically troubling symptoms may go unnoticed and neglected (Fay and OBoyle 7). The family might undergo the same foundational steps to complete the mourning period. These phases can intersect, and an individual might go from any to the next at any time. People who are connected to the deceased are likely to go through the Kübler-Ross phases of grief and loss. These stages have since been recognized and applied to different life circumstances.
The initial phase of denial transpires when an individual does not think the assessment is accurate. Individuals may react with statements such as “this cannot possibly be occurring to me.” In the denial stage, one may solicit counsel from multiple physicians in the hopes of receiving a favorable diagnosis. Since the person maintains optimism, they are vulnerable to unconventional, unlawful, or hazardous ways of dealing with a prognosis.
The person is furious and might act out or rampage during the anger stage. They could wonder, “What did I do wrong to d
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