Death anxiety is the panic one feels when the idea about their own death or the death of a loved one becomes realized. Death anxiety is a normal response when thinking about mortality. However, it can become overwhelming when rumination about the topic becomes excessive and fear begins to manifest as emotional or physical symptoms.
Fears people fear
Fear of separation from friends and family
Fear of dealing with loss of a loved one
Fear of leaving loved ones behind
Fear of leaving unfinished business
Fear of the unknown
Symptoms can manifest as
Avoidance of situations/isolation (cancelling plans)
Feeling unwell
Physical pain (Headache, stomach pain)
Panic attack symptoms (impending doom)
Depression/Anxiety
Malaise
Causes
Age (Older people become self-aware of their own mortality)
Sex (Females are higher risk)
PTSD
Panic Disorders
Close personal loss of a loved one
Management
Exposure therapy (face fears)
Talk about it, not dwell on it
Live in one’s truth (Living life harmoniously)
Relaxation techniques
Prepare for death (Advanced life directive, organize finances)
Ideas to think about
Death begins with birth. What we do in the middle dictates your idea of death.
Near death experience (people do not fear death after, they welcome it).
We want to hold on to the material.
Our body matter, our conscious is energy (can energy be created or destroyed?).
Our soul is the link between this reality and our heavenly body (where inspiration comes from).
Don’t hold on to something so firmly (material) it has power over your true self (soul).
Thoughts create feelings, create positive thoughts about the idea of death.
Let all things flow naturally (including the process of life and death no matter how painful).
