I've been waiting all summer in desperate anticipation for the season premier of Grey's Anatomy. Last season's closer left Izzy Stevens and George both in the cusp between life and death. Despite all the rumors of who was leaving the show and who wasn't, I wanted to see for myself who lived and who died. (Don't worry, that's all I'll say just in case you haven't seen it yet. No spoilers here!)
The season premier followed the staff of Seattle Grace through their grief, using the DABDA theory of dealing with death to explain how they were coping. The DABDA theory, made popular by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross in the 1960's, was originally thought to apply to a dying persons process of grief as they prepare for impending death and has evolved to include anyone grieving a loss of any kind.
Despite modern critics who say the DABDA theory is too concrete and linear to apply to everyone, the theory is very much still relevant. Kubler-Ross herself has said that the DABDA theory was never meant to be linear nor concrete; people will move through the grieving process touching on one or more of the five stages but not necessarily all of them nor in precise order. It's important for palliative care patients, caregivers, and loved ones to understand the five stages of grief so they can recognize each stage as it comes and support each other through them.
