Thanatophobia is a persistent, irrational fear of death or the dying process. Fear of death has been linked to fears of the unknown, loss of control, fear for the body after death, fear of leaving loved ones behind, and fears of pain, illness, and loss of dignity. Full-blown thanatophobia creates an aversion to even the idea of death, leading those who suffer from it to taken extensive measures to avoid even contexts where the idea of death could present itself.
To those in death care, such an extreme degree of fear of mortality may be hard to understand. After all, the profession demands a certain level of ease around the trappings of death and all that accompanies our culture’s management of it; it’s old hat to the pro’s. The same is true for medicine, law enforcement and the military, and multiple fields of scientific research. Death is a part of life to many of us in our day-to-day affairs, not to mention a near-omnipresent factor of pop culture.
By the time we reach the age of lucidity most of us understand that everyone dies eventually. The knowledge can be a shock at first, especially if we’re introduced to the concept early, or tragically. For the most part, though, like with the birds and the bees, we learn about it, find our way to an acceptance of this unavoidable aspect of reality, and move along.
But what if you can’t?
Deny, Deny
That the prospect of anyone’s eventual demise may create anxiety is perfectly understandable. It’s natural and instinctive, particularly if the death you’re considering is that of someone close to you. Imagine how you might react to a loved one receiving a frightening diagnosis, such as to cancer.
A general, gut-level fear of dying is a prevalent, even useful instinct most of us possess. An extreme or paralyzing fear of death is another thing altogether. When a benign, efficacious form of aversion to death takes on a life of its own, affecting and interfering with day-to-day activities – that’s phobia territory.
Fear, Severe
Phobias are a form of anxiety run amok. According to Johns Hopkins medicine:
A phobia is an uncontrollable, irrational, and lasting fear of a certain object, situation, or activity. This fear can be so overwhelming that a person may go to great lengths to avoid the source of this fear. One response can be a panic attack. This is a sudden, intense fear that lasts for several minutes. It happens when there is no real danger.
Historically, people were a lot more conversant with death in general: it was almost common for women to die in childbirth, many families lost at least one child very young, sometimes more, to illness, and the average lifespan was far shorter. Disease was more difficult to fight, and simple survival took more work. Death was a constant.
It’s different today. Modern life, technology, and medicine have created an artificial sense of immortality or insulation against things that seem to threaten our survival. And while in some ways death is more present than ever before, in others, it’s been removed to the realm of the unnatural. Who’s to say that isn’t worse?
At least now we have the death positive movement. And for those whose lives are derailed by the necessary violations of death on the horizon, this is a very good place to start.
