In the traditional five stages of grief, which stage directly follows Depression?

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

Answer: (B)

Understanding the sequence of the five stages of grief helps explain why the stage after Depression is Acceptance. Depression involves deep sadness and a dawning realization of the loss. The next stage, Acceptance, is where the person begins to acknowledge the reality of the situation and starts to adjust to life going forward. This doesn't mean happiness or resolution, but a shift toward planning, coping, and moving ahead with support.

The earlier stages—Denial, Anger, and Bargaining—occur before Depression as ways people try to avoid or delay facing the loss, so they wouldn’t come after it. Remember that people don’t always move through these stages in a strict order or linearly, but traditionally Acceptance follows Depression.