On Death and Dying, by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
The information in this book is very familiar. Much of what Elisabeth Kubler-Ross said in this book has become part of common knowledge, taught in the schools as the stages of grief and loss.
She developed her model through work with patients and through discussions in an interdisciplinary seminar. Her observations and experiences led her to conclude that dying patients pass through five distinct stages during their dying process.
Denial. In the first stage, the patient's immediate reaction is a refusal to believe in the diagnosis, particularly if it is terminal. Patients deny that it is true, deny the seriousness of their disease or condition, and deny the possibility of their death. Patients return to this position throughout the dying process, sometimes denying that things are as bad as they are and proceeding to get worse.
Anger. In the second stage of the process, patients recognize that they have a terminal illness, but they become mad about it. They are mad at the doctors, their families, and God. They are resentful, blaming, and envious, and tend to be stuck in a refusal to accept their situation.
Bargaining. This refusal leads them to try to bargain their way out of the situation, often with God, although sometimes with the doctors. They might say something like, "God, if you heal me, I'll never smoke again" or something to that effect.
Depression. When their bargaining proves to be ineffective, and patients recognize that they are stuck with dying, they tend to become depressed. They feel hopeless and helpless and lose all motivation.
Acceptance. In many instances, fortunately, patients enter a final stage which Kubler-Ross termed the acceptance stage. Essentially, in this stage the patient has come to terms with the situation and, if not ready to die, has made peace with the fact that he or she is dying. As Kubler-Ross noted, accept
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