As the absolute apex of the unknown, death is, for sure, the reason for the fear of some people. Even though it is a natural process of life, many individuals become hostages of it, being afraid of everything related to death. In order to bring relief and more information about the theme, our team has gathered 6 Psychology tips for you to deal with death. fear of dying .

Thanatophobia

According to dictionaries, thanatophobia is the excessive fear a person has of death, either of himself or of acquaintances Because of this fear, the individual's mind constantly focuses on morbid thoughts, which affects his daily life and generates a lot of anxiety. Besides avoiding funerals, the person also avoids hearing stories about those who have already died.

To some extent, it is healthy for you to fear death, because in this way you will avoid putting yourself and others in danger. It is normal for anyone to be afraid of death, since it is something that is the absolute unknown.

The problem begins when a person's fear of ceasing to exist takes over his or her life. Furthermore, the idea of decomposing seems incredibly horrible to anyone who lives with this fear. If you are one of those people who always thinks "I'm afraid of dying" we will give you some tips on how to deal with this problem later on.

Causes of fear of dying

As with other phobias, no single cause has been determined yet for a person to say "I'm afraid to die." According to experts on the subject, it is various traumatic events, in addition to beliefs, that drive the morbid fear. This fear can be developed thanks to:

• a very traumatic experience, such as fatal accidents, serious illness, abuse, or very negative emotional experiences;
• death of a loved one in great pain;
• religious beliefs, where an individual idealizes death as a punishment for sins committed in life.

Anxiety and Fear of Dying: Symptoms

Like other fears, the phobia of dying has characteristic signs that impact the individual's daily life. In short, the most noticeable symptoms and signs of this problem when anxiety strikes are:

• palpitation due to anxiety;
• dizziness;
• mental confusion, causing the person to be unaware of what is going on around them, but believing in future bad events;
• escape mode at times when anxiety reaches high peaks because of adrenaline levels.

Fear of death caused by other types of anxiety

Although uncommon, other types of anxiety are capable of triggering a person's fear of dying. The most recurrent types are:

TAG: Generalized Anxiety Disorder

In short, the individual's mind thinks quite often about negative things or things that cause stress, such as death.

OCD: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Although not all people with OCD are affected, many patients with the disorder can develop an aggressive fear of death.

PTSD: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Survivors of situations involving death may develop a subsequent fear of the idea of dying.

The certainty of death

Although we may sound harsh in saying this, we mean that death is a certainty, and therefore we must accept it. We are not asking you to swallow your pain, but to understand that we will all die someday. It is the cycle of life, after all we are born, we grow up, and we will die when it is our time.

What makes our existence so valuable is how much we take advantage of the opportunity to be alive Therefore, we should not fear something that we know is right, but rather avoid opportunities to live unhappily. Yes, we know that fear is a terrible feeling. However, you should not let yourself be dominated and lose your whole life because of it.

Tips

Finally, we will show you six tips that can help you decrease your fear of dying, the first being:

Understand your fear

Understanding why we are afraid of dying is one of the key pieces to overcoming this challenge in our lives. Because of this, if you have a fear of death, you need to determine the cause of this phobia in order to understand it. Through self-knowledge you can find the answers you need to have better clarity about your personal projections .

Understand the process of death

Contrary to what many people think, the brain releases chemicals to let the body know that everything is okay at the time of death. In other words, consciousness protects itself from harm in this transition process. In large part, the fact that death is something sudden and unpredictable is what bothers some people.

Live your days one at a time

Appreciate how your life unfolds and how you enjoy your experiences, however minimal they may be. That way, seek to enjoy the everyday moments without worrying about your last day on earth .

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Accept your fear

It is all right to be afraid of death, as long as this fear does not make it difficult for you to live a normal life. As much as we may be revolted by the departure of a loved one, at some point this passage will happen to all of us.

Enjoy your company

Enjoying the company of good friends is a great way to enrich your life. Allow yourself to live meaningful moments with the people you love You will see that love for life is much greater than fear of death.

Have good health habits

Finally, taking care of the body and the mind can prepare a person to exist fully, so it is very healthy to meditate, eat right, do some exercise, have personal projects, etc. In addition to living better, give your life meaning!

Treatment for fear of death

A psychologist can teach the patient how to lose the fear of dying by showing them ways to reduce this fear. Although it is difficult to understand how to get rid of the fear of dying, it is not an impossible goal to achieve. With enough patience and dedication, the patient can overcome the blocks that prevent them from having a fully happy life.

How to learn to deal with the fear of dying varies from case to case, but the sessions are usually very effective. According to some professionals, many patients improve considerably in just 10 sessions Treatment can rely on cognitive-behavioral therapy or exposure therapy to improve your behavior and help you overcome your fear.

Final considerations about the fear of dying

Many people consider the fear of dying as irrational. Yet, the fear is still crippling Death is something natural to all living beings, so it will happen to everyone at some point. In view of this, we should not live in fear, but rather embrace life and the unique opportunities it gives us.

A person who is afraid of death cannot have a fully happy and fulfilled life as they deserve. Being alive is the perfect opportunity for us to create our story without fear of what it can provide.

Did you know that enrolling in our online Psychoanalysis course can help you better deal with the fear of dying and other phobias? The classes are focused on developing your self-knowledge, so that you can understand your personal fears and doubts. Not only will you learn how to deal with your inner obstacles, but also how to unlock your potential for significant life change.