HELP TOPIC
FEAR OF DEATH
The survival instinct, arising from the need to preserve the species, is the driving force behind every living being. People and animals are equipped with a “fight or flight” mechanism, activated in life-threatening situations. However, in addition to fear in the face of danger, human beings also experience an existential fear of death. Awareness of one’s mortality emerged with higher mental functions, including the ability to think abstractly. This phenomenon is called thanatophobia. When fear of death becomes constant and disrupts daily functioning, proper diagnosis and treatment are necessary. Morbid fear of death affects approximately 4% of the population. People suffering from thanatophobia tend to constantly seek reassurance that they are not dying. They study beyond what is normal, search the internet for symptoms of illnesses, and follow a restrictive, rigid diet. Fear of death is also accompanied by the belief that the affected person will not be able to cope with a possible illness, that their death will be painful and prolonged, and that the children closest to them will suffer.
Causes
Fear of death can be caused by different fears. One of them may be fear of the unknown. After all, we do not really know what death will be like or where we will die. We also have no idea when this will happen or under what circumstances. None of us has had the chance to know this mystery beforehand. For believers, fear may also relate to the issue of eternal life. On the one hand, it gives them a certain hope; on the other hand, there is uncertainty about what it will be like. There may be fear of the consequences of sins, whether a person will be saved or not, and it is this fear of the consequences of sins that disturbs the joy of mortal life. Intense fear may also arise from the prospect of suffering that precedes death, for example as a result of illness or injuries sustained in an accident. Death is also associated with leaving loved ones behind. Here too, there may be a pathological fear that a person will not be able to finish important matters or repay debts, and that their loved ones will therefore face problems. In this sense, fear is also about how others will manage in life without them. This problem can be especially severe for seriously ill people—for example, young parents who fear for their child’s future when they are no longer there as a father or mother.
Symptoms
Thanatophobia causes the person suffering from it to begin avoiding places, topics, and events associated with death: cemeteries, funeral homes, funerals, programs related to embalming bodies, or the work of a forensic pathologist. Such reactions may then be accompanied by, for example:
- heart palpitations,
- shortness of breath,
- excessive sweating,
- paralysis,
- headaches and dizziness.
In addition, a person suffering from thanatophobia may constantly think about death even without any reason to do so, or may immediately interpret any information about the illness of a loved one or friend as a sign of impending death.
Fear of death can lead to depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, various phobias, intrusive thoughts, or nightmares.
Treatment
When treating excessive fear of death, a visit to a psychiatrist or psychotherapist is recommended. The first specialist is responsible for making the correct diagnosis, and the second—for further treatment. It is difficult to talk about this with others when you are panic-stricken by fear of the end of your life. In this case, psychotherapy can help patients with thanatophobia regain the joy of life—to be present here and now, rather than seeing only dark scenarios in everything they encounter.
SCOPE OF ACTIVITIES