Thanatophobia is the fear of death. Although many people are afraid of leaving this world, this fear usually does not interfere with their daily functioning, it may even make them live more consciously. Sometimes, however, the fear of death becomes thanatophobia - it becomes too intense and requires help.

Contents:

  1. Thanatophobia: causes
  2. Thanatophobia: symptoms
  3. Tanantophobia: treatment

Tantophobiais a word that was created by combining two Greek words - "thanatos", meaning death, and "phobis", meaning fear. Many people of all cultures fear fear of death. After all, although some people have different religions, it is not really known what happens to a person who has died. It's hard to understand that one day someone can watch their favorite series, eat dinner, go to sleep, and disappear the next day. "Someone was here and was / and then suddenly disappeared / and he is stubbornly gone", as Wisława Szymborska wrote.

We live in a world where, paradoxically, fear of death often takes the form of avoiding this topic. "Don't tell me anything about diseases", "I don't want to think about it, don't spoil my mood," some say. And although such an attitude means giving up thinking about an inherent part of life, it does not have to be alarming. Otherwise, when constantly thinking about death becomes an obstacle in everyday functioning.

Freud believed that thanatophobia arises as a result of fears, a feeling of insecurity that a person experienced in childhood.

Thanatophobia: causes

Thanatophobiacan be caused by a variety of reasons. It is worth adding that each of the factors listed below may actually apply to everyone at some stage in life, but only when it becomes too intense, should it worry.

1. Fear of the unknown

The fear of changes, of what we do not know, accompanies a person throughout his life, but one of the greatest unknowns is death. What's more, you never know when it will happen and there is no way of knowing its secret before leaving this world, no one will report the story as it was.

2. Fear of eternal life

This cause of thanatophobia concerns believers. On oneOn the other hand, the thought of eternal life may be a hope for them that, after all, human existence does not end after death, but on the other - what will it look like? Fear of sin, undeserving of salvation, can lead to a lack of joy in earthly life.

Paradoxically, it is atheists who can derive more joy from life, believing that there is only one thing to do.

Mourning for loved ones: 4 phases of despair

What happens to the corpse in the hospital?

Cancer Symptoms Before Death: How Do You Die from Cancer?

3. Fear of suffering

Sometimes fear is associated not only with the very moment of death, but also with the possible suffering that preceded it and finding oneself in a hopeless situation - when the only "way out" of this suffering is death, nothing else can be counted on. Fear of dangerous diseases even has a separate name - nosophobia.

4. Fear of parting with loved ones

The inevitable consequence of death is that you leave your loved ones behind. Very orderly people in particular may fear how they will cope without their daily help. The source of thanatophobia may also be the fear of leaving behind unresolved issues, debts that may cause trouble for loved ones. Such fear is especially common among young parents - e.g. a seriously ill person is afraid of how the later life of her little child will go, who will have to be brought up without mum / dad.

5. Fear of the child's death

You can fear how the family will cope with our departure, but also the death of relatives, especially children, associated with innocence and defenselessness. A happy young parent may fear that his child will die, he or she will not be able to enjoy life.

Worth knowing

Fear of death is common in children aged 6-7 years old. However, he is free from the accompanying adult fears related to beliefs, a possible posthumous punishment for sins. The child is afraid of an unimaginable state of nothingness and is unable to fully understand what may cause it.

Even smaller children - up to about 14 months of age - cannot understand that if their primary caregiver leaves for a while, they will come back. For them, this departure is tantamount to the death of mom and dad, leaving them forever. This is called separation anxiety.

Thanatophobia: symptoms

When does the fear of death begin to take the form of thanatophobia? When the view of the funeral parlor site, hearse, candles, wreaths, the need to attend a funeral, a visit to the cemetery, or even accidentally seenon television, a program about, for example, embalming a corpse or the work of a forensic pathologist, causes such reactions as:

  • shortness of breath;
  • palpitations;
  • hyperhidrosis;
  • rapid breathing;
  • difficult to pack, panic.

Thanatophobia also manifests itself:

  • avoiding the above-mentioned places at all costs;
  • hiding your fears from the environment;
  • constant thinking about death, even without contact with the above-mentioned factors and the resulting difficulties in everyday functioning;
  • instantly linking information about the illness of a loved one or other acquaintances with the inevitable, in the opinion of a phobic person, death.

Thanatophobia: treatment

People who fear death usually avoid talking to other people about it, but if they want to regain the joy of life, it is worth seeking help on their own. A visit to a psychiatrist or psychotherapist will be helpful. The psychiatrist diagnoses the problem, and the psychotherapist then conducts the therapy. There is no need to be afraid of visiting and telling about your problem - after all, before the death that causes fear occurs, it is worth trying to enjoy life.

Category:

Psychology