Eventually loss is a thing we all face, whether it is losing a friendship, a loved one, or a relationship. Loss is something we will all feel in different ways, both negative and positive.

There are five stages of loss that can be felt from a break-up to the death of a pet. Denial is the first stage of grief, when the person in grief starts to question why this loss could have happened to oneself. The second stage, anger, is the hardest not only for the person suffering from loss, but for those around them. Anger can come out in fits and even in solitude, but anger is the stage when others notice when something is wrong. Bargaining is a stage of grief that is most commonly seen in a break-up. The bargaining stage is when the person who’s grieving begs for what they once had for something in return.

The second to last phase is depression, when the person in grief starts to lose interest in things that they used to enjoy. This stage is when others take action, then communicate with and comfort those who are grieving. Finally the cycle ends with the Peace stage. The person suffering from a loss starts to fully recollect what has happened to them and comes to accept their loss.

Different people will react in different ways both negative and positive to the losses they face. When we face loss it is best to seek out help whether it’s from a religious leader, family, friends, or even school staff. Whenever you notice someone going through these stages take time to help them out a simple, “I’m there for you,” will make all the difference.