Which stage is described as the healing process and involves feeling your anger?

• A. Denial
• B. Anger
• C. Bargaining
• D. Depression

Answer: (B)

Understanding grief stages helps explain why patients experience strong emotions as they cope with loss. The anger stage is when emotions surface and a person begins to confront the reality of the loss. Anger isn’t a sign of failure or stubborn resistance; it’s a normal, temporary part of healing that helps release the energy tied to the pain. A patient may direct this anger at the situation, others, or themselves, and recognizing it as a natural step allows healing to progress toward acceptance. In practice, acknowledge and listen to the anger without judgment, provide a safe space for the emotion, and guide the patient toward healthy coping strategies. Denial involves disbelief or avoidance, bargaining is hopeful negotiation to reverse the outcome, and depression reflects deep sadness and withdrawal; each plays a role, but the anger phase specifically marks the processing and movement that lead toward healing.