The fear of death is one of the most deeply rooted concerns in the human condition. It is considered normal to experience some level of anxiety or concern regarding it when we are in situations or places that confront us with our impermanence or mortality, for example, hospitals, hospices, funerals, or burials.
However, this healthy fear can easily be blown out of proportion if we experience traumatic events. Therefore, it is important to learn to identify when this fear begins to interfere with our lives and to constantly alert ourselves.
What is the fear of death?
The fear of death, in psychological terms, can be understood as the anguish associated with the finitude of existence. It is a defense mechanism against the unknown, which is sometimes beneficial because it motivates us to prolong health (and, therefore, life), by taking care of our health and avoiding harmful or dangerous situations.
However, in some cases, the fear of death is experienced as an absolute, almost irrational terror. This is due to situations such as the sudden death of a loved one, unresolved grief, or an accident or illness that put us very close to the end of life.
This sensation is known as thanatophobia, and, like any other phobia, it manifests itself through particular symptoms, such as palpitations, difficulty breathing, nausea, or dizziness. It is often related to other types of anxiety, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, or stress due to an illness.
What social and cultural factors impact the fear of death?
In addition to personal experiences, there are cultural, religious, and social elements that influence the perception and management of fear of death, particularly in Hispanic communities.
Religion: For some, the Catholic faith has caused fear of death because of its teachings on the final judgment. There, we will be judged for our words, actions, and thoughts and taken to paradise or hell. For others, it has helped reduce their anxiety levels and combat uncertainty, as it ensures an existence after death.
Family: the understanding and acceptance of death, or, on the contrary, its fear, depends on how the family approaches it from an early age. It can be open and frank, or it can be taboo. On the other hand, excessive dependence on the family (particularly financially) can also generate greater emotional vulnerability.
Struggle experience: Traumatic events, such as wars, famine, epidemics, and forced separation from family, create post-traumatic stress or panic disorders that can lead to fear of death.
Tools for coping with the fear of death
To confront the fear of death, it is essential to identify and understand the emotions associated with this fear. There may be fear of sudden or prolonged death (in the case of the terminally ill), a painful or very aggressive death (such as an accident), the unknown, or deep-rooted fears from past experiences.
For any of these reasons, therapeutic interventions are essential to manage this fear in a healthy way. Even so, we share other tools and information that can help you face the fear of death.
- The elderly have low anxiety around the topic of death, but a greater fear of the dying process. Medical or religious preparation and support—for example, with palliative care if an illness is involved—are effective in reducing the fear of death.
- Perform readings on death from a philosophical, spiritual, and psychological perspective. Some titles are Death: A Dawn by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, The Art of Dying by S. N. Goenka, and The Tibetan Book of Life and Death by Sogyal Rinpoche.
- Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, can help reduce anxiety and promote emotional well-being. The same is true if we release emotions through art, writing, or music.
- Practicing mindfulness and meditation can help develop greater acceptance of the present and the impermanence of the body. Some variants of yoga work on these types of experiences, based on concepts such as ignorance, ego, repulsion and instinctive attachment to life.
- The Epic of Gilgamesh (2000 BC) is considered the first written narrative that mentions the fear of death and the continuous search for immortality.
Understanding and addressing the fear of death in a comprehensive way is essential to promote psychological well-being: relieving uncertainty, compulsive thoughts and reconciling with our own finitude based on the ability to enjoy life. Given this natural process of humanity, at Del Pueblo Funeral Home we are close to you to make difficult moments easier.
