Fear of death is a common phobia. People are afraid not of death itself, but of what happens after it. They do not attend funerals and avoid funeral shops. But you can overcome the fear of death by using the services of a psychotherapist.
Now there are many excellent and effective methods in psychotherapy. They are aimed at replacing negative thinking with positive ones. The goal of others is to change the reaction and perception of fear, thereby overcoming thanatophobia.
Causes and symptoms of thanatophobia
Often, the fear of death occurs in people who like to control all processes. They always have everything planned out. They are afraid of force majeure. And death is something that cannot be prevented. It cannot be controlled or predicted.
Typical causes of phobia:
- fear of death of close relatives;
- bad feeling;
- fatal disease (oncological, AIDS);
- childhood trauma;
- death of a loved one;
- attendance at a funeral;
- participation in military operations, accidents, emergency situations;
- stereotypical thinking;
- religious beliefs;
- negative experience (long stay in a coma, fainting, consequences of a severe illness), etc.
Another source for the emergence of thanatophobia is the media. Negative information has a bad effect on the human psyche.
He is haunted by thoughts about the meaning of life, his own life after death. The patient is frightened by the mortality statistics in the country and around the world.
Scary thoughts
A person begins to think a lot about death. He imagines how he will die, what feelings he will experience. Fantasizes about possible causes of death. He thinks about what the reaction of others will be.
Some people have a fear of the unknown. Obsessive thoughts prevent you from sleeping normally and disrupt your normal life processes. In this case, a panic attack occurs, which is the body’s reaction.
Hysteria
If a thanatophobe gets sick, he becomes hysterical. Thinking about death, he is sure that he will not be able to recover and will die. His whole life is accompanied by negative attitudes. Thoughts about a threatening event predominate. He dreams of death, war, his own funeral, a cemetery.
Anxiety
The patient begins to be overly interested in the well-being of loved ones. Fever, high blood pressure, cough and other manifestations of illness cause panic.
Body trembling
When a patient is invited to the funeral of a loved one, he begins to tremble slightly. Sweating increases, headache appears. Feeling dizzy and experiencing muscle weakness. A strong, causeless hysteria is possible.
Most often, this condition occurs in older people. They cannot live in peace, knowing that death can come at any moment.
Depressive disorder appears. The person becomes irritable, aggressive, nervous. He doesn't notice anything good. The holidays no longer spark joy.
Psychotherapy as a treatment method
A psychologist diagnoses, prescribes treatment, gives consultations and makes psychocorrection of the patient’s mental disorder. Each client is given an individual course of treatment. The direction of the course is influenced by the causes and symptoms of thanatophobia. The general psychology of the individual is taken into account, on the basis of which the patient’s characteristics are made.
The therapy is based on art healing. A few years ago she limited herself to drawing. Now this is a complex of types of art: literature, modeling, music, dancing, acting, etc. It is important to choose what the patient really likes.
The goal of art therapy is to learn to know yourself, understand emotions and thoughts, and be able to get rid of negativity. The technique is based on sublimation, that is, the transfer of internal conflicts and objects of fear to the result of creativity.
Areas of art therapy:
- abstraction – images in the form of simple combinations of patterns and lines;
- materialization - the drawn picture can be cut, burned, crushed or destroyed in another way;
- games where the main character is fear, which needs to be drawn or shown in some other way.
Art therapy influences personal development, harmonization of the inner world and normalization of relationships in society.
Some patients do not even notice that in the creative process there is a struggle with a phobia.
When drawing, a person should not limit himself. The main thing is complete emancipation.
During this therapy, the patient's thinking changes. Negative attitudes are replaced by positive ones. A person learns to analyze his actions, thoughts, and actions. He struggles with an obsessive fear of death.
The doctor’s task is to predispose the patient to be as sincere and interested in healing as possible. After all, a person with a fear of death does not recognize this phobia. Accordingly, he also does not see the need for treatment.
During therapy, the patient is asked questions:
- who said it was bad;
- why did you do this;
- why do you think this is forever;
- what will happen if you do this;
- what happened after the loss of loved ones;
- why are you afraid of funerals;
- what worries you about death, etc.
Based on the answers, the doctor will find out the reasons for the appearance of fear. After which he invites the patient to sit in a comfortable chair, close his eyes and imagine something that frightens him very much - death, a cemetery, a grave, a funeral, etc. It is important that there are manifestations of thanatophobia. The client must describe what he sees.
After this, the patient must abruptly change the picture to a positive one. It should evoke joy, happiness, pleasant memories. Next, the patient must again imagine the objects of his fear. In 1 session, such a task takes 15–20 minutes.
In addition to individual sessions, the client receives homework. They have the highest value, because during the execution process the patient feels discomfort, being alone with himself and leaving his comfort zone.
It is important that the doctor after each session asks the patient to explain what he heard and understood. This is how he checks the effectiveness of the treatment.
During treatment, feelings, actions and thoughts must be one. In psychology this is called Gestalt. In a person without disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system, this pattern is observed. Those who suffer from death phobia have an imbalance.
Gestalt therapy is the opposite of cognitive behavioral therapy. There is no need to look for the cause of the disease and eliminate it. You need to accept that the problem is there, and that’s normal. According to the idea of the technique, a person should operate with feelings, not reason.
The main objectives of Gestalt therapy:
- Working with emotions. Don't block negative feelings. They can be replaced with positive ones.
- Perceptions of phobia. The patient learns to listen to himself and his feelings. The doctor’s task is to give the right direction.
- Analysis of the past. The client needs to think about what in the past caused his phobia. Perhaps this is a consequence of incorrect upbringing and perception of funerals and death.
- Concentration on the body. The physical manifestations of fear are important to the doctor. It will help the client get rid of mild tremors, rapid heartbeat, headaches, etc.
- The goal of therapy is to help the client find inner support. After treatment, he should receive positive vital energy and continue to work independently on his problem. It is important for the patient to get rid of the childhood fear of cemeteries, graves and death. You need to understand that life is beautiful, and you shouldn’t waste it on empty thoughts.
Exposure therapy
The main idea is to forget about past failures, negative experiences, and fears. There is only the present and the future.
The doctor shows the patient from the outside how he behaves during the activation of the phobia.
Next, he asks the patient to find an interfering behavior - how to behave in order to get rid of thanatophobia. The client must highlight the person’s qualities, characterize him, and identify the positive aspects of such behavior.
There are 3 techniques in exposure therapy:
- Hidden sensitization. The psychotherapist teaches the patient to enter a state of complete relaxation. Then you need to imagine yourself in a situation that frightens and causes a panic attack - a walk to a cemetery, attending a funeral, your own death, the loss of relatives right before your eyes, etc.
- Gradual exposure therapy. The essence is a slow, gradual cure. Sessions take place in a smooth, calm manner. Quiet, relaxing music can be played in the background. It is necessary to very carefully understand the primary sources of thanatophobia. It is important that the client himself suggests treatment options.
- Flood method. The patient is involved in a situation that provokes increased panic and anxiety. The fear must be strong and reach the point of a panic attack or hysteria. This is how the doctor checks how a person will behave if panic occurs again. If no violations are found, the course of treatment ends. Otherwise, the technique changes. The “flood” method is used at the final stage of treatment. It serves as a test for the patient's abstinence in moments of intense fear.
- Another effective method is to “go from the opposite”. The patient does not get rid of internal conflicts and experiences. He changes the type of behavior and attitude towards his own phobia. After all, fear depends on the experiences of the individual.
After treatment, the patient should not have any fear of death. He understands that dying is normal and natural; no one can avoid it.
Drug treatment
In combination with psychotherapy, you can take a course of medications. Most have no side effects and are not addictive. Medicines are aimed at mitigating the signs of thanatophobia and calming the patient during hysterics and panic attacks.
Antidepressants are necessary if the patient has a severe form of mental disorder. They will help if he has been depressed for a long time and has obsessive thoughts. Antidepressants relieve irritation, nervousness, anxiety, and panic.
After use, the patient’s well-being, mood, and emotional state improves. The drug does not cause drowsiness. But its main drawback is that it begins to act after 1 month.
The medicine is sold only with a prescription from a doctor. The following antidepressants are considered the most effective:
- Bellataminal;
- Atropine;
- Fluoxetine;
- Prozac;
- Framex.
It is best to take them before sleep or an event that may activate fear. Remember, for those who are not diagnosed with depression, the remedies will not help.
Sedatives
You can get rid of the fear of death with the help of herbal medicines. They are harmless and do not cause pain. The main components are valerian, motherwort, lemon balm, mint, thyme and chamomile. They reduce nervous excitability, eliminate stomach cramps, and relieve cramps. St. John's wort improves tone and mood.
If the disease is pronounced, it is worth taking combined medications. “Fitosed”, “Persen Forte”, “Novo-passit”, “Dormiplant” are the most effective. They are consumed before bed and promote sleep.
Neuroleptics
Particularly effective when it is necessary to get rid of panic attacks of fear. They have a sedative, anti-anxiety, muscle relaxant, and anticonvulsant effect. Not recommended for use at an early stage.
The drugs have a very strong effect. Sold exclusively by prescription. They are prescribed only in particularly severe cases.
Preventive measures
To reduce the frequency of manifestations of thanaphobia, maintain contact with optimistic people. Communicate with those who inspire and show that life is beautiful, and there is no time to dwell on suffering and fears.
Watch less news and mortality statistics. Doctors recommend avoiding:
- disaster films;
- negative news chronicles;
- books in the horror genre, etc.
They only increase fear and panic. Subsequently, the person becomes nervous and irritated, and the phobia worsens in the subconscious.
Do what you love. It doesn’t matter what it is: creativity, ordinary cleaning or cooking. The activity should be enjoyable. You will not notice how in the process you will forget about your own negative thoughts about death. The disadvantage of this method is the short-term effect.
Some patients become visitors to forums for thanatophobes. This is the wrong decision. It is necessary to avoid contact with people who have similar problems. Better spend time with your family, loved ones, and friends.
Hello, dear reader! We are glad to see you on the Helping Hand portal; in this article we will try to answer your question: how to get rid of the fear of death. As part of the article, we have collected the most detailed information that will help you cope with all the experiences on this basis, abstract from thoughts about death and start living!
Fear of death - theoretically, this feeling is absolutely normal, since it is what protects us from rash extreme actions and danger in general. But what to do if thoughts of death haunt you and frankly interfere with your normal existence, work and daily activities?
We suggest you understand all the nuances in detail: learn about the reasons for the appearance of this feeling, understand yourself and try to get rid of the depressed and depressed state caused by the fear of death.
Main causes
Obsessive fear, as a rule, does not come out of nowhere. It definitely has reasons that can be not only obvious, but also hidden, arising from distant childhood or resulting from some situation that is firmly ingrained in the depths of your subconscious and does not want to leave it.
The most common causes of fear of death are the following factors:
- Age crises
- Dissatisfaction with life
- Personal experience with loss
- Religious Beliefs
- Depression and hypochondria
- Unknown
During age-related crises, which, as a rule, act as a certain milestone and are caused, rather, by social norms, a phase of some reassessment of one’s values begins. At this time, a person may begin to fear death due to the fact that he will not have time to do something, to carry out his plans.
Dissatisfaction with the state of your life is another cause of thanatophobia. As in the case of the age crisis, the cause of development may be the fear of not having time to change everything, to achieve something.
In a situation with personal experience, everything is, in principle, obvious. The loss of a loved one can leave a serious imprint on the psyche. Especially if this person died prematurely due to an accident, illness or some other factor.
Religious beliefs - here feelings of fear can clearly manifest themselves due to the fear of doing something wrong in life, not according to the canons and rules dictated by religion.
As for hypochondria, everything is obvious here. A person invents a “fatal” disease for himself, manages to screw himself up and prepares for the worst.
The unknown is one of the most common reasons for the fear of dying. This is obvious, because no one knows what will happen next or whether it will happen. Does reincarnation exist, are there any feelings left, what is felt and whether anything is felt at all - so many questions remain unanswered!
An interesting fact is that the fear of death can arise even in a child of 3-4 years old, when the mother, wanting to pacify and calm him down, says that if he does not stop playing around, she will die. The baby, of course, does not understand that his mother cannot just do this, but the fear of loss may accompany him throughout his life.
Signs of thanatophobia
A person may not be fully aware of his problem. That is, there is a constantly oppressive feeling, but where it comes from is unclear. We invite you to get acquainted with the main symptoms.
Conventionally, the fear of death can be divided into two large groups:
- Fear for yourself
- Concern for loved ones and relatives
Both groups have a number of similar symptoms - nervousness, bad mood,... Moreover, their level can vary depending on the severity of the problem - from panic fear to a banal experience, which can even be logically supported and justified.
In both cases, a person is accompanied by anxiety, which, mainly, prevents him from living peacefully. For example, when you get into a taxi, during the journey you scroll through a scenario in your head where the driver turns out to be a terrible serial killer and takes you into the forest, or you visualize a terrible accident that is about to happen with your participation.
In worries about loved ones, the symptoms are similar. Example: You send your child to school, but as soon as he leaves the gate, you imagine the most terrible and nightmarish scenes. This is a very serious wake-up call, after which you should think about your life and its quality component.
Understand that with your fears you are not making anyone better – only worse. Worried about your child, parents or husband, you can annoy them with your calls, distract them from work and important matters just to make sure that everything is okay with them. You think this is caring and attentive, but in reality it is not.
Below in the article we will reveal for you the most effective methods that will help you overcome your fears and start living without stress and constant worries!
Each person is unique in their own way, so it is impossible to single out one method that is guaranteed to help nip all fears in the bud. The advantages of the described methods are that they definitely will not make things worse, and also do not require a targeted visit to a psychotherapist.
- Accept. Death is inevitable in any case - just try to accept it as a fact. You won't be able to do anything about it, unless, of course, in the very near future scientists make a breakthrough and invent an elixir of eternal youth. Try to seriously think about the fact that before your birth you did not exist and you did not suffer from it in any way. With a 99.9% probability, the same thing will happen after death.
- Take a break. This may sound very cliché, but try to get rid of thoughts about death through distraction. Find a hobby that you like and that will definitely bring you joy and happiness. You can get a pet that will take away all the time you spend on negative thoughts.
- Observe. Instead of trying to actively overcome your fear, try looking at it from a slightly different angle. Try to analyze the events that make you constantly feel anxious. For greater convenience and efficiency, you can write down all your thoughts in a diary. By re-reading it from time to time, you can understand where the problem lies, mentally return to the past and fix everything.
- To help. Psychologists have proven that such an aspect as caring for someone helps to cope with the fear of death. Do charity work and take an active part in the volunteer movement. The greater your positive contribution to this world, the less you will be bothered by thoughts about leaving and what will remain after.
- Be in love. First of all, we are talking about healthy love for your body and organism. Strive to surround yourself with the best – not necessarily expensive, but of high quality. With an improvement in the quality of life, even if expressed in minor details, thinking changes - an absolute fact.
Fear of death is a normal state, but only if thoughts about this phenomenon do not arise in you too often and do not interfere with your life. In other cases, this can and should be dealt with. If the methods described above do not bear visible fruit, then it makes sense to think about a visit to a psychologist.
The fear of death is quite natural and inherent in every person. Life represents a hundred possibilities, potential paths to follow. When the prospect appears that it will end, the person is shocked. He does not know what awaits on the other side, whether there is a chance of finding something new. That is why fears of the inevitability of one’s own departure are quite normal.
And yet, there are situations when a person is so afraid of death that he does not even live, cannot move forward to achieve his desired goals.
How to stop being afraid of death, and what needs to be done for this?
Why does a person worry about fear: the main reasons
Many people do not think about the inevitability of death until old age. They breathe deeply, live for pleasure, as if they have forgotten what awaits each of us at the end of the journey.
In contrast to this, there are those individuals who, on the contrary, cannot cope with their emotions, their emotional experiences about this. Why does fear of death arise most often?
How to get rid of the fear of death if it relentlessly haunts a person? The first thing psychologists advise to do is to understand the causes of this black feeling. Most often it worsens due to a stimulating factor. The person attended the funeral of a close relative or almost said goodbye to life. Such circumstances stimulate the emergence of negative emotions and discomfort. A person tries to protect himself from danger by all means, but does not understand that in this way he only plunges himself into additional stress.
A negative feeling may arise after visiting a doctor. Often in a specialist’s office thoughts arise about a bad diagnosis and its consequences. However, such problems are temporary, because as soon as a person hears that everything is in order, the nagging feeling of fear recedes.
After finding out the cause of what happened, it is necessary to move on to effectively combating sensations.
Ways to deal with the fear of death
How to get rid of the fear of death if it overtakes and paralyzes a person every day? In fact, this question is surprisingly difficult to answer. Natural instincts force any living creature to fight for its future. That is why, at gunpoint, everyone suddenly begins to beg for mercy. After all, one shot will mean a hundred unfulfilled desires and unfulfilled goals.
However, this does not mean that you need to hold on to your own fear of death. Often it interferes with a person, limits his aspirations, and forces him to slow down. Trying to overcome this feeling, psychologists most often give the following advice:
The first rule of getting rid of any fear is to eliminate its source. In this case, you need to stop thinking about the recent tragedy in the family or in the company. You should look to your future with optimism, and not count the days until your possible death.
Such fear poisons a person’s thoughts and deprives him of joy from everyday worries. Perhaps this is why we do not know when the end of everything will come, when life will eventually end. Having the exact date of death in mind, a person will only be even more afraid, deprived of joys and possible prospects.
Psychologists advise making your everyday life as rich and interesting as possible. In this case, a person will awaken the desire to live, move forward, and not wait for death. In this case, traveling is very effective, since it gives a person joy and helps get rid of anxious thoughts.
If all of the above methods do not help, a person needs to seek help from a specialist. Often psychologists play a kind of game with their patients with setting the date of death. First, the date of death is set for the next day, and until that moment the person must do everything he has dreamed of for so long. Then it is postponed to the next week, and the client’s algorithm of actions is repeated. Next, the date of death is moved forward by a month and six months. All this makes a person convinced that life is more interesting than the anticipation of death, that waiting for the last day is the worst possible feeling.
Thus, psychologists convince patients that there is no point in being afraid and waiting for death. She herself will set a suitable date, she will choose the place and time. The only thing a person can do in such a situation is to turn his own future into a kaleidoscope of bright and interesting events.
The main dangers of fear of death
Why the fear of death arises and how to get rid of it are natural questions, and finding answers to them is difficult, but still possible. It is much more interesting to find out why thanatophobia is dangerous?
Here the first conclusion immediately suggests itself: due to such anxieties, a person can lose his joy in life. And indeed, when you are always waiting for the end of everything, it is difficult to enjoy the process. It is extremely difficult to enjoy work, communication with children and loved ones, creativity and new acquaintances when the sword of Damocles hangs over your head.
That is why psychologists try to cure thanatophobia as quickly as possible. This feeling does not give a person peace, does not allow him to develop as a person.
This is where the second problem of phobia arises - lack of aspirations. Why do something, achieve something, if life will end anyway? Fear of death creates colossal apathy, which does not allow you to use your full potential. As a result, a person gets stuck at one level, deprived of potential achievements.
Thirdly, thanatophobia very often gives rise to thoughts of suicide. A person is so afraid of ever facing death that he decides not to wait any longer and save himself from suffering. As a result, life ends, which could have continued for a very, very long time.
Often the fear of the end forces a person to commit rash acts. For example, a person can quit his job because of a certain sign, or say goodbye to a loved one because of a ghostly threat to life. All this deprives you of those opportunities that could appear on the horizon. Still, life opens so many doors for a person and it is stupid to close them automatically, without even looking at what is inside.
If a person experiences fear of death, not of his own, but of close relatives, then this also negatively affects life. First of all, on the everyday life of those around you. Such a person begins to introduce restrictions in the lives of loved ones, considering this a sign of care. In fact, this can give rise to many conflicts, because relatives and friends, devoid of an abnormal fear of death, will not be happy with the restrictions. As a result, the negative feeling will continue to torment the person, ruining his relationships with loved ones.
You need to fight thanatophobia wisely, while not forgetting to live to the fullest. As soon as fear takes over a person, it paralyzes him, depriving him of bright emotions and aspirations. That is why it is so important to understand in time that a strong fear of death is not natural.
Of course, everyone is afraid of the end, but you need to get used to this thought. The main task of a person is to make his everyday life rich and interesting, and then the prospect of sudden death will fade into the background, depriving him of suffocating doubts.
The fear of dying is a common phobia in world psychological practice, because a person is afraid of the unknown. A phobia can arise suddenly at any age or poison life for many years from childhood, if there were prerequisites for this. This mental disorder, which occurs in a severe form, can lead to tragic consequences, so it is very important to contact a psychologist in a timely manner. Having found out the cause, the specialist will give recommendations on how to cope with the fear of death on your own, and, if necessary, prescribe therapeutic treatment.
What is the fear of death called?
At first glance, the phrase “I'm afraid to die” does not seem strange and all the more dangerous in comparison with the constantly appearing reports of suicide cases. It is unlikely that anyone will think about what the fear of death is called and whether it is the norm until the condition develops into an obsessive form. At the same time, psychologists note the comparative complexity of treating phobic disorder.
So, to answer what the fear of death is called, you need to translate this phrase into Greek:
- Thanatos - death;
- Phybos is a disease based on fear of something.
Thus, we get the definition of “thanatophobia”, which means the fear of death; it is a pathological disorder of the human psyche.
Causes of obsessive fear of death
Before dealing with the fear of death, it is important to understand the root causes of the phobia.
The main reason for the fear of death is the fact of the unknown. Despite many philosophical and religious theories, a person does not know exactly how this will happen and what awaits on the other side of life. After all, official science currently refutes both the existence of heaven and hell, and reincarnation (reincarnation of the soul).
Another important prerequisite that can lead to fear of death is the loss of a loved one and the strong negative feelings experienced. The individual is afraid that his death may cause suffering to his loved ones. This is especially true for those who have a dependent young child, an elderly relative and disabled people, because there will be no one to take care of them.
Low self-esteem is an equally significant factor influencing the occurrence of thanatophobia. A person suffering from a feeling of loneliness fears that his life will end without anyone even noticing.
Believers and superstitious individuals paint in their imaginations terrible pictures of hell, into which they supposedly will end up after death. Treatment of thanatophobia, based precisely on this reason, is considered difficult; a psychologist cannot always understand all the nuances of the client’s ideological views.
For another group of people, worse than physical pain is failure to complete a task. This often includes educated and inquisitive individuals; they are afraid to die before they realize their plans.
The fear of painful death often arises due to previous negative experiences. The person was likely in severe physical pain, was injured in a car accident, or was the victim of an attack. These sensations in consciousness were identified precisely with the departure from life. A wild fantasy can also be supported by the fact of a discovered disease, which is not always fatal.
If a person is interested in watching films, television programs, reading literature in the genre of horror, crime and the like, which depict death and the horror of people associated with it, this also becomes the cause of thanatophobia. Such images are gradually deposited in the subconscious of the individual, he begins to experience, looking for ways to overcome it. This idea becomes obsessive and develops into a mental disorder.
The so-called existential anxiety, generated by questions about life and its end, pessimistic answers are also one of the reasons for the fear of dying.
According to scientists and researchers, thanatophobia often occurs when a person is in a state of midlife crisis; fear of death is the final stage of this period. At the same time, residents of large cities, unlike the rural population, suffer from this disorder much more often.
Important! When a person does not experience any fear of death at all, and says “I am not afraid to die,” this is also a psychological disorder. Such individuals may even lack the instinct of self-preservation, which is extremely dangerous.
Symptoms and signs of thanatophobia
If we talk specifically about the pathological fear of death, and not about situational, sudden feelings of fear and horror, then scientists identify the following symptoms and signs of the disorder:
- The predominant character traits of a person are excitability and suspiciousness. A person becomes overly sensitive to any irritant and begins to be afraid of literally everything, experiences anxiety, obsessions, doubts;
- A person becomes fixated not just on the fear of dying, but on some specific form of death, for example, cardiac arrest during sleep;
- Avoidance behavior, which manifests itself primarily in the fact that a person completely refuses to make any serious changes in life. Tries to avoid talking about death and is absent from the funerals of those closest to him. In severe cases, the individual stops leaving the house or even his own room.
With a strong fear of death, psychosomatic or autonomic disorders also appear:
- irritability and attack of aggression;
- dizziness;
- nausea;
- increased blood pressure;
- increased urination;
- problems with stool;
- lack of appetite;
- tearfulness;
- dysfunctions of a sexual nature;
- weight loss, decreased performance;
- feeling of lack of air;
- derealization;
- pseudo-pain sensations;
- nightmares.
The symptoms are caused by panic attacks that occur at any time of the day and even in calm situations. Often a person wakes up in the middle of the night due to a feeling of suffocation and a strong heartbeat; this symptomatology is associated with a sharp release of adrenaline into the blood.
It is believed that it is impossible to die from fear alone, so they are not as dangerous as they seem. However, if such attacks occur frequently and are prolonged, they significantly worsen the state of the psyche, nervous system and health in general.
Often, in addition to the fear of death, psychologists discover other types of interrelated phobias in an individual. For example, panic attacks can occur at the sight of grave wreaths and tombstones, and if the cause of thanatophobia is superstition, then the person is afraid to meet certain creatures from the other world (spirits, ghosts). Against the background of this disorder, depressive states and all kinds of addictions (substance abuse, alcoholism) often occur.
Treatment of fear of death
Until a person himself realizes the need to treat thanatophobia, it will be quite difficult for a psychologist or psychotherapist to help him. Nevertheless, it is imperative to contact a specialist if there are mental deviations, so that the situation does not worsen. As a solution to the problem of fear of death, the following are proposed:
- cognitive behavioral psychotherapy;
- hypnosis;
- courses using medications.
In cognitive behavioral therapy, treatment is aimed at replacing negative attitudes with neutral or positive ones through persuasion. Although it can sometimes take several months to achieve results, the method is considered the most popular in psychology. The specialist first finds out from the client the reasons for the fear of death, helps to understand himself, and then convinces him not to perceive the end of life as something terrible, but simply to accept the inevitable.
In the absence of severe manifestations, thanatophobe may be prescribed. This method helps to cope with the problem much faster than the previous one, however, the difficulty lies in the fact that some clients have a fear of dying during a dive. Hypnosis is often prescribed in conjunction with cognitive behavioral therapy.
In severe cases, including when a person cannot fully understand his problem, specialists resort to “heavy artillery”, prescribing antidepressants, sedatives and other drugs to thanatophobe. It is important to understand that medications are only an adjuvant to the main therapy. Since they can be addictive, courses should be short-term.
Important! If you are wondering how to overcome the fear of death, under no circumstances take medications on your own. Any medication should be taken under the watchful supervision of a specialist.
It is worth noting that if the fear of death arose in the event of a real threat to the life and health of a person, this is not considered thanatophobia, and psychotherapeutic treatment is not required. Contacting a specialist is only necessary when the problem becomes chronic and panic attacks occur outside of dangerous situations.
Advice from a psychologist: effective ways to get rid of the fear of dying
It’s great if a person comes to a consultation and says: “I’m afraid of death, what should I do?” In this case, he receives many recommendations on how to independently cope with obsessive thoughts and even panic attacks. All the tips are quite simple, but at the same time effective.
The first thing you need to do if you are afraid of death is to analyze and understand how this disorder is expressed. Finding out the cause will allow you to choose the right treatment method. The following tips will also help:
- communicate more often with positive, cheerful people;
- find yourself a hobby, try to devote more time to it;
- limit traumatic contacts with other people who experience fear of death;
- do not choose horror films to watch, and detective stories and science fiction to read;
- travel, try to spend time with family and loved ones;
- strive to maximize your career opportunities;
- learn to rejoice here and now, look for joy in the little things;
- try not to think about the past and future, especially in a negative way, and if such thoughts arise, switch your attention;
- if panic attacks occur, carry ammonia with you, its pungent smell quickly helps you return to normal.
And if you still have questions or you think that you won’t be able to cope with the problem on your own, sign up for a consultation with a professional, for example, a psychologist-hypnologist
