https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XWl2MMc94c
Video Source: London Real
Gregg Braden discusses the 5 stages of grief that the world is experiencing due to COVID-19 based on the Kübler-Ross Grief Cycle. Below is a partial transcript starting at about 2:22 into the video:
Our entire planet for the very first time (I don't think we've ever had this in recorded human history), for the first time we are simultaneously going through a process of grief. We are all in grief, knowingly or unknowingly, consciously or subconsciously. And whether we acknowledge it or not, we are all in grief. And the question is what are we grieving? And the answer to that surprises a lot of people. We are grieving the loss of a way of life.
The way that we were living our lives three weeks ago or four weeks ago, we've lost that. It's been taken from us. We're social beings and we are no longer able to gather together the way that we have in the past: conferences, social gatherings, meals and restaurants, athletic events, concerts, all of the movies, all of those kinds of things. And that loss to us is like any other loss. And in the process of grief and I can't do a better job than Elisabeth Kubler-Ross talking about the grief cycle.
The grief cycle, often we hear about in terms of death: when someone dies the 5 stages of accepting that death. Death is a form of loss. We are experiencing another kind of loss, but the 5 stages still apply. Very quickly, those 5 stages are:
- Denial
- Anger
- Depression
- Bargaining
- Acceptance
The characteristics of denial are fear (so many people are in fear), shock, confusion, avoidance.
The characteristics of anger are: anxiety (we're having a lot of people saying that they're dealing with anxiety, anxiety issues, problems sleeping), frustration, they're irritable.
The characteristics of depression are: feeling overwhelmed, helpless, wanting to just run away.
So, we are, as a planet, we're dealing with this. And I think it is important to acknowledge this, Brian, so that we can move through [the 5 stages]. It gives us structure. First of all, by acknowledging these stages of grief. It gives us the structure within which to view what is happening to us right now…
