Fear of a person’s death and how to stop thinking about the death of loved ones?
Have you ever wondered why the thought of our own death causes us to panic and fear? Why are we so afraid of losing our loved ones, and why, in general, does the fear of a person’s death scare us so much? The point is that this is one of the most powerful fears. This is a human phenomenon that is present in the minds of people, and constant thoughts about it cause only negative emotions. Thoughts about the inevitability of death prevent a person from enjoying life, and can even cause various mental problems, such as depression and panic attacks. And in the most difficult cases, it can make a person hate life itself.
People who are afraid of death and constantly think about it suffer from many diseases. Some of them try to predict how their life will end and try to prevent death. Others strive for eternity through social recognition, the acquisition of wealth or power. And some turn to religious beliefs and various astrological predictions.
The injustice of death
Sometimes we perceive death as personal failure or even injustice when we see a person dying from an accident. At this point, we may feel injustice due to the inability to change something. The fear of death of a person really takes a lot of energy, and it is simply impossible to live with it. The feeling of death can be so intense that it seems as if we are under constant threat.
This fear prevents us from thinking positively, and is capable of completely changing human behavior. And only when we stop thinking about it, then we begin to perceive and appreciate life as it is. We will create defense mechanisms and we can get rid of this fear. But honestly, we cannot completely get this thought out of our heads. After all, we are social beings. And every day we communicate with different people, read the news and watch television, where very often they show negative stories about someone’s death or an accident that led to the tragedy.
The fear of human death helps us live
We must understand that fear of the end of life affects the most critical aspects of human existence itself. But at the same time, the inner processing of death clearly illustrates the holistic view of each of us on the meaning of life, our relationship with the world and the ultimate existence of ourselves. It may sound a little strange, but it is important to accept and understand that the existence of death helps us live better.
The feeling of joy, our memories of the past, loneliness, freedom, loss of strength – all this leads us to the fact of existence and to the presence of the most intimate structures of our psyche. The end of life is the dark side of our existence. And how we perceive it depends on how we will live. If we go even further, we will understand that a person is afraid of his last moment and is desperately looking for the future. And worries about the death of a loved one – leads us to despair, but in addition, it can wake us up and lead to a richer life.
Why are we afraid of death
There is no reason to expect that the physical process of dying is much worse than what people experience during life. For most people, the horror of the death process itself is probably related to the fear of physical pain. This is also due to a lack of understanding of the very process by which our consciousness is extinguished.
Let’s first deal with the fear of excruciating death. We are all afraid of pain. Many of us have had this experience. And we have most likely witnessed more severe pain in other people. All of this makes us fearful. Physical pain comes from damage to our tissues. And since death is the final destruction of our living tissues, we naturally assume that death must be extremely painful. And those people who actually died cannot say what it was like physically. As a result, we think it hurts incredibly. Therefore, the fear of death of a person worries us so much.
But in fact, from a medical point of view, there is little reason to believe that the intensity of pain from various causes of death is greater than from diseases and injuries that you have already experienced. Moreover, death itself is not necessarily associated with disease processes. Some forms of death are painful while others are not. And many acute injuries are actually more painful.
However, in order not to sugarcoat the topic too much, it should be noted that many people who have experienced significant forms of injury or illness will never want to experience it again. But even in these cases, people continue to live full lives and can talk about their difficult past. Thus, it can be concluded that the degree of human ability to endure suffering is truly surprising. And we are able to endure any pain and suffering that comes our way.
How to overcome a person’s fear of death
1. Start thinking positively
Eliminate unproductive thinking patterns. This means you don’t have to think about situations that make you feel negative. After all, the way we interpret an event leads us to certain emotions that can negatively affect us.
2. Avoid negative people
Think about how other people influence you. As other people’s problems begin to grip you more and more, you will think more about them. Perhaps you have a friend who constantly talks about various diseases. As a result, you will be very worried and get sick yourself. Limit the time you spend with this person so that thoughts like theirs do not enter your head.
3. Get out of your comfort zone
Try something you’ve never done before. We often avoid opportunities to try new things and put ourselves in uncomfortable situations precisely because of fear. To learn how to get rid of fear, choose an activity that you haven’t done before and promise yourself to do it. This method can be a great tool for overcoming fears and will bring you more joy in life.
4. Find out the statistics of deaths in certain situations
If you are so worried about the fear of a person’s death, then learn more about its likelihood in certain situations. Arm yourself with statistics of deaths, for example, in plane crashes. Most likely, you will find that your fears are too high.
5. Write a plan for ending your life with your family.
When it comes to death, you will likely find that most of the process will be out of your control. There is no way we can know exactly when or where we might die, but we can take some steps to become more prepared. You may feel uncomfortable talking about this with your loved ones, but such conversations can be incredibly rewarding for you and your family. Such discussions can potentially help you feel less preoccupied with death.
6. Life and death are part of the same cycle
As we have already understood, the fear of death of a person arises from constant reflection. So tell yourself that life and death are part of the same cycle. Life and death are as one whole, and not two completely different events. For example, cells in our body are constantly dying and regenerating throughout life. And it helps our body to adapt and grow in the environment.
7. Spend more time in nature
Take walks and travels. Or, you can simply spend more time outdoors around many different life forms. These activities can be a great way to feel part of our larger world.
8. Live life to the fullest
Ultimately, it’s best not to spend too much time worrying about death, but to enjoy the present moment. Fill your every day with joy. Don’t let negative thoughts confuse you. Go outside, play with friends, or take up a new sport. Just do whatever distracts you from the fear of death and live in the present.
9. Spend more time with your loved ones
The fear of death will not worry you if you do not leave room for it. Surround yourself with people who make you happy and cheer you up. For example, you can be sure that thoughts of death will fade into the background when you spend all day with your children or grandchildren.
10. Start a gratitude journal
Thus, you will be able to remember all the good things that happened in your life, and the fear of a person’s death will no longer worry you so much. You will begin to focus on the good moments rather than just thinking about death. Write in this journal all in detail, enjoying those moments that brought you joy and happiness.
11. Start taking care of yourself and your health
Avoid situations that can increase your chances of dying. If you smoke, give it up. In the same way as from alcohol and other bad habits. Start exercising and exercising. Spend more time on yourself and your health.
12. Seek help from a psychotherapist
Perhaps your fear of death has become so intense that you cannot deal with it on your own. It prevents you from doing normal activities and enjoying life. In this case, you should seek the help of a licensed psychotherapist and undergo comprehensive treatment.