system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why is it that, when we learn about the death of a loved one, that it takes awhile for it to truly sink in and become real?
gpt
The first step of the five stages of grief is denial. Most people when faced with an emotional trauma will deny that the trauma occurred to protect themselves. Of course that doesn't work forever and that's why there are 4 more stages.