An obsessive fear of death. Why does the fear of death arise and how to get rid of it? Medical treatment of phobia

Many people perceive the mention of death with anxiety. Inevitability and uncertainty often make people worry not only about their lives, but also about the lives of loved ones. When a paroxysmal fear of death arises, which is not justified by anything, this may indicate a disease such as thanatophobia.

Thanatophobia - fear of death

it special kind phobias, because it is most difficult to get rid of it with the usual corrective methods of psychotherapy. In addition, the fear of death is one of the most common problems of modern society.

Why is thanatophobia dangerous?

The phobia of death in psychological practice is quite common. Experts believe that this is due to the manifestation individual signs fear in other phobias. The fear of death is the origin of all known to psychologists fears. And if timely psychotherapeutic assistance is not provided, the consequences can be unpredictable. Some individuals go crazy, others try to commit suicide.

If a person is disturbed by an obsessive fear that he will suddenly die, this cannot but affect his life. Attacks of fear become so strong that a person has a panic attack, the consequences of which have a detrimental effect on his well-being. The patient loses all interest in work, family and his hobbies.

From the point of view of psychologists, the fear of death can develop into a fear of one's own life. A person ceases to live normally, suffers from this and wants to end it. Such psychological problems especially relevant among older people who know that the end of their lives is near. The result of this is chronic stress and mental disorder.

Negative emotions, anxiety and other signs of thanatophobia with age make people stop in their own development. Thinking that there is no point in further existence, the body is even more exposed to negative emotions and stops fighting them. Fear of death leads to health problems. Work failures nervous system reflected in the functioning of the brain. And the result of this is psychosomatic pathologies. Further actions the patient is unpredictable. He can become depressed, refuse help, neglect his own health, find "salvation" in alcohol and drugs, and even decide to end his life.

A patient with thanatophobia often seeks solace in alcohol.

The main causes of thanatophobia

The fear of death haunts a person, hiding its roots in the subconscious. The fact is that thanatophobia belongs to the biosocial type of fears, since fear can develop due to genes and due to the influence of the environment. To avoid unpleasant consequences disease can only be found out the causes of its occurrence. Scientists have several hypotheses:

• experienced stress due to the death of loved ones;
• artificially created cult of death;
• existential syndrome;
• age crisis;
• religious aspects;
• excessive control of their own health.

It is impossible to deny the reason associated with the mystery of death, because its perception is different for each person.

For some, thinking about the unknown causes panic attacks and mental disorders. Subject to such problems are people who are possessed by strong rationalism.

Finding explanations for any diseases, problems and events, they cannot reliably indicate what will happen to them after death.

Experienced stress due to the death of loved ones

Fear of death can develop due to "contact with death." A person is subjected to emotional shock due to events in his life. The most common problem is the experience of death loved one. "Contact with death" can occur after an accident, with evidence of a plane crash, etc.

The panic fear of death in such people appears due to the activation of an irrational mechanism for searching for answers to unknown questions about what death is.

The fear of sudden death becomes even more acute, as a result of which a person loses the edge of a rational understanding of the difference between the living and the dead. The patient can think about his own death, suggest its causes and compare someone else's death with his own negative fantasies.

Influence of the death cult

The reasons for a person's hobbies often lead to a change in his thinking. Questions of studying esotericism with its hypotheses about human existence leave a negative imprint on the human psyche. According to domestic psychologists, thanatophobia appears from the influence on society of information flows that notify about warriors, disasters, violence, etc. In addition, there are separate materials that popularize the cult of death. The most dangerous sources of fears:

• printed publications;
• movies;
• social networks.

Scenes of violence and death are presented before modern man daily. The experience for other people's lives leads to the fact that the patient himself begins to "try on" other people's (sometimes invented) social roles and even mentally puts himself in the place of the victim.

Horror movies can provoke a pathological fear of death

existential syndrome

The humanistic and existential-humanistic directions of psychology have their own assumptions about the phobia. Representatives of different schools explain the fear of death as a stoppage of personal development. In such conditions, a person awakens interest in the unknown. Thoughts of imminent death cause him stress and subsequent nervous disorders. Negative thoughts themselves are a sign of an existential syndrome.

age crisis

The fear of death can disturb people of all ages. But, most often, it is diagnosed in older people and in those over 40. According to psychologists, an obsessive fear appears due to certain life crises associated with age. A negative perception of the lived half of life or one's own old age brings terrible discomfort to people's lives. They become depressed and lose interest in life. During these periods, people should be helped to rethink their existence and give life rationality.

Elderly people are subject to thanatophobia

Religious aspects

According to psychotherapists, most of patients who had a fear of death was involved in the spiritual life. They succumbed to the influence of religion and even sectarianism. There are many examples. The closest to us is Orthodoxy. AT Holy Scriptures It says exactly what awaits a person after death.

Faith in God becomes the cause of experiences. A believer on religious grounds may develop a mental disorder with its psychosomatic manifestations.

Wrong attitude towards yourself

More often this applies to perfectionists. Such people experience constant discomfort from the wrong course of affairs, appearance(own and loved ones) and have certain health requirements. Man wants to take control of everything around him. But, the thing is, some things are beyond people's control. Work internal organs, their state and cycles of work can change the "framework" of control. This is what causes the fear of death.

Clinical picture of the disease

Treatment of a phobia is impossible without determining its causes and clinical picture. Fear of sudden death is individual:

1. The patient shows signs of not being afraid of the end life path, but the process itself biological death. The patient experiences an obsessive fear from thoughts of death in agony. This may also apply to unexpected cases - accidents, fires, etc. The patient is worried about the bad physical state and their own torment before death.
2. There is a fear of becoming a feeble old man. Such people tune in to the fact that it is better to die young than to make life difficult for their loved ones. Such thoughts often do not have a definite basis under them. A person programs himself without knowing about his future, state of health and lifestyle.
3. Frustration and the need for mentoring. Such problems arise in people over 40. The fact is that it is during this period that the “teacher” wakes up in the soul. They strive to pass on their thoughts about housekeeping, caring for loved ones, etc. to their children and grandchildren. The feeling of anxiety in such patients arises from the feeling of approaching death and the unpreparedness of the "students" for independent living.

A panic attack due to thoughts of death is also present in the younger generation. bad psychological education, strong information stress from the media, computer games and films can have a huge impact on the still unformed psyche.

Elderly people tend to pass on their life experience grandchildren

Symptoms of a phobia

The symptoms of a phobia can vary. They can be not only psychological, but also physiological in nature. The manifestation and nature of the symptoms depends on the state of the patient's psyche, as well as the stage of the disease itself. Thinking about his own death, the patient may experience:

• anxiety;
• loss of appetite;
• bouts of nausea;
• increased heart rate;
• sleep problems;
• pseudo pain.

Thoughts about what will happen before death and after it are perceived by the body as severe stress. Symptoms are just a sign that the body is triggering protective functions to the threat.

Frequent stress can become chronic, which leads to a change in the functioning of internal organs and systems. The patient may develop symptoms of cardio-vascular system, digestion, etc.

Signs of thanatophobia completely change the attitude towards the life of the patient. For example, if he is afraid of death in a plane crash, he will refuse any flights. If a person is afraid of death due to illness, any cold will cause him a panic attack and other signs of a phobia.

The fear of flying is dictated by the fear of death in a plane crash.

Features of treatment

Dealing with the fear of death does not have a single strategy. Each patient has their own causes of the manifestation of the disease and its symptoms. Therefore, a psychotherapist or psychiatrist can help with the study and treatment of a phobia. During the appointment, the doctor gets acquainted with the clinical picture of the disease and determines the severity of the disorder.

Subsequent visits to a specialist are aimed at clarifying the “depth” of psychosomatic defects. The initial stages of the disease can be treated without medication.

Methods of cognitive behavioral therapy and neurolinguistic programming are common. In severe forms of the disease, tranquilizers and antidepressants may be required. Most often, anxiety and other signs of a phobia disappear after 10-15 sessions and one course of medication.

Dealing with a phobia on your own

The feeling of fear passes quickly if the person himself creates the necessary conditions to normalize your mental state. It is important to learn how to resist a panic attack on your own, controlling mental activity and not being afraid to ask for help from your loved ones or a psychologist. Experts advise patients:

1. Don't shut yourself up with your problems. You always need to share them with loved ones or contact specialists.
2. Find a way to realize your own values. This will help shift the patient's attention from death to life and its benefits.
3. Refuse leisure, which is fraught with a threat to the psyche. It is important to stop watching news, films and TV shows that show or discuss the death of people.
4. The main thing is to realize that death is not necessary to wait.

Life and death are components of the human biological cycle. The change from one state to another is natural process that awaits each of us. During treatment, it is important to tune in to pleasant emotions as much as possible and in every possible way to avoid the appearance of any negative thoughts. This is the only way to become stronger than your own fears and learn to control them.

Conclusion

The fear of imminent death is a common phobia. It's very hard to fight her. The fact is that most of the methods of psychological therapy are based on the confrontation "a person is an object of fear."

The main thing is that a person wants to live and is not afraid to share experiences with others. In addition, you can seek help from doctors - a psychotherapist or a psychiatrist. The specialist may prescribe sedatives to reduce the manifestation of symptoms of a phobia and to work with him, the goals of which are the correct perception of the biological cycle by the patient and the normalization of his psyche.

At panic fear death symptoms are the same as any other phobia.

However, they distinguish specific signs characteristic only for thanatophobia.

Thanatophobia: the essence of the problem

Thanatophobia included in the group anxiety disorders. She represents the fear of death that wears pathological character. Any living creature experiences such fear - and this is normal. Thanks to this fear, a person has an instinct for self-preservation in life-threatening situations. However, some people - and in fact there are a lot of them - experience a constant panic fear of the possibility of death. These thoughts become obsessive, crowding out other thoughts, interests, experiences. The person is unable to control or explain this feeling. This is thanatophobia.

Very few people do not sometimes worry about what the process of dying and death itself is, what will happen to them after they leave this world. These thoughts are within the normal range, but only until the person begins to think only about it. It is normal to worry, be afraid, worry about this in conditions that threaten human life. But if he is constantly afraid, even when real threat no, these are already signs of a pathological fear that goes beyond the norm.

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Personality features thanatophobe

Not everyone develops a sense of panic before death. People with accentuated character traits are usually susceptible to the development of such a state: they are sensitive, vulnerable, suspicious, excitable, anxious. Usually they have low self-esteem, they are not confident in themselves, they are prone to obsession, among them there are many hypochondriacs. There are a lot of creative people, scientists among patients with thanatophobia. Such people are very often selfish, stubborn and do not tolerate criticism, ignoring any views of others that differ from their own. Along with this, they are incredibly energetic and motivated.

A constant feeling of fear exhausts a person. Thanatophobes are in a state constant anxiety, depression, anxiety, the cause of which they cannot explain. Often they are nervous, irritable and aggressive, and they are not able to control it. Their mood is gloomy, depressed. Against this background, depressive disorder often develops.

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Signs of panic fear of death

Thanatophobia is accompanied by a series characteristic symptoms. In particular, it is possible to reveal that a person is experiencing a fear of death by the characteristics of his behavior and reactions. Here are the most characteristic signs:

1. Personality type. Patients are very impressionable, doubt everything, are easily excitable and anxious.
2. Attitude towards death. Thanatophobes can behave in different ways. So, one person can in every possible way stop any conversations on the topic of death, avoid funeral processions and commemorations, experience horror before symbols (for example, monuments, tombstones, wreaths). And the other, on the contrary, will constantly and obsessively discuss the topic of death.
3. Panic attack. A person may begin a sudden attack of fear, which is very acute. Panic attacks are accompanied increased sweating, tremor of hands and feet, internal trembling, severe shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, derealization, dizziness, fainting, nausea.
4. Associated fears. In addition to funerals and the symbolism associated with them, a person may be afraid of ghosts, spirits, and the dead. Usually such fears have a religious basis.
5. Other violations. Superficial sleep, nightmares, insomnia, loss of appetite, decreased libido - that's characteristic manifestations fear.

Thanatophobia is one of the most complex phobias. Firstly, it turns a person's life into a complete nightmare. Secondly, it is not so easy to deal with and cure.

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Reasons for the fear of death

The reasons that trigger the development of thanatophobia are not fully understood. Psychotherapists point to the following possible factors:

• genetic predisposition;
• influence of society;
• heredity.

In addition, there are several theories explaining the occurrence of thanatophobia. Here they are:

1. Personal experience. Often sudden death a loved one becomes a trigger for the development of fear. Man protests against death in an irrational way.
2. Outside influence. The Internet, newspapers, television, etc. have a strong influence on the human psyche. Through the information obtained from these sources, the image of death can be fixed in a person.
3. Personal development. Throughout life, a person develops, degrading or progressing in his development. Developing, a person asks philosophical questions about being, the meaning of life, death, etc. This can develop existential anxiety when a person’s thoughts are filled with ideas of a threatening nature (for example, about non-existence after death, etc.).
4. Age. A person can experience the fear of death at any age, but people between the ages of 35 and 50 are most susceptible to it. This is due to the crisis middle age, a new round in the development of the individual, the acquisition of new thinking, values, ideology.
5. Religious beliefs. Believers are convinced that they know everything about what awaits them after death. But they have great fear not before death itself, but before their own sins, before the fact that after death God will punish them for these sins.
6. Fear of the unknown. If a person is panicky afraid of everything new, incomprehensible, unknown, this can serve as a springboard for development and thanatophobia.
7. The desire to control everything. If a person is pedantic, strives to control everything that happens in his life, this can eventually become accentuated and become an impetus for the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Thanatophobia is one of the most difficult phobias to treat.

Psychologists and psychotherapists believe that the panic fear of death is a psychological problem. It is hidden in the depths of the subconscious and is at the heart of almost all fears.

Fear of death is a natural state. Every living being has an instinct for self-preservation. But the panic fear of death, which contributes to the emergence of obsessive thoughts and vegetative crises, requires the attention of a psychotherapist.

“I’m 27, I have a fear of death” - this is how patients begin their “confession” during a session with a psychologist. Such a person is haunted by the fear of death.

What is the fear of death called? This phobia is called thanatophobia. It affects people belonging to the thinking type.

People who are haunted by the fear of death in VVD are mainly divided into two types: those who are afraid of dying themselves, and those who are afraid of the death of loved ones.

YOU ARE CONTROLLED BY WHAT YOU CANNOT ALLOW!

Thus, we can formulate the key to understanding this problem.

The Nature of Anxiety

A person suffering from vegetative-vascular dystonia usually has a combination of several phobias. Most often, the following fears appear with VVD:

1. Fear of going crazy with VVD.
2. Fear of some disease.
3. Metrophobia.
4. Fear of the crowd.
5. Agoraphobia.
6. Fear of an attack.
7. Thanatophobia.

Psychological factor

Psychology about the fear of death says the following: there is a certain type of people prone to this phobia. Tanatophobia is subject to:

1. Extremely impressionable individuals.
2. Persons characterized by anxiety, excitability.
3. People with low self-esteem.
4. Wicked personalities.
5. Creative people (mainly musicians and artists).
6. Reflective people.
7. Selfish nature, intolerant of someone else's position.

Main reasons

A phobia, in which a person is haunted by the fear of dying, develops according to different reasons. The main factors are given in the table.

Basic forms

Common forms of the disease are presented in the table.

Fear of losing control

It is observed in very anxious and suspicious people who believe in their own exclusivity. The fear of death is closely intertwined with this phobia and keeps a person in constant tension. Sometimes the "background" may develop OCD.

Fear of cardiac arrest

Cardiophobia is a disorder fixed in children and adults. A person tries not to sleep on his left side, constantly monitors his health and considers any ailment serious reason for anxiety.

The result is that he constantly lives in terrible tension.

Against the backdrop of pregnancy

The fear of death before childbirth accompanies a complicated pregnancy. A woman is afraid to die and leave her child an orphan. There is also a fear of giving birth to a stillborn baby. If the birth ends safely, the young mother begins to worry about every cough of the child - it seems to her that he might die.

Children's fear of death is based on personal experiences.

How does a phobia manifest itself?

Thanatophobia - the most difficult somatic disorder. It is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• dyspnea;
• dizziness;
• palpitations;
• "Jumps" BP;
• nausea.

Panic attack with an attack of fear, death may be accompanied by increased urination or disorder of the stool. The person seems to be about to die. But it's not. The autonomic nervous system thus reacts to fears.

When thanatophobia progresses

In patients, thanatophobia is at its peak. The person falls into despair. Between attacks, which may come at any time, he is in a gloomy, depressed state.

Sometimes the time of the attack falls at night. Some patients are phobic when they are on the subway or at work. Additionally, there is a fear of losing control over oneself.

Additional symptoms

Negative emotions are accompanied by a sharp release of adrenaline into the blood. The vessels begin to spasm. Arterial pressure“jumps” strongly, makes a person sick. If a clinical picture manifests itself very brightly, it can tear.

Sometimes there is a feeling of lack of air.

Anxiety disorders

A person who is afraid of becoming dead tries to fight his obsessions on his own. Often he does it wrong, and they only get stronger.

He cannot relax, which leads to exhaustion of the nervous system. There is a deterioration in blood circulation.

The patient, obsessed with feelings about the inevitability of death, is faced with the following symptoms:

• stomach ache;
• pain in the intestines;
• spasms of varying intensity.

Ulcers may appear on the mucous membranes.

Against the background of severe anxiety stimulates the production gastric juice. This adversely affects the condition of its walls.

Appetite decreases, a person can lose weight dramatically. Often these symptoms contribute to the fact that a person is rooted in the idea that he is terminally ill.

What to do

Getting rid of the fear of death is a long process. This phobia is difficult to cure.

When illness is in initial stage, the specialist conducts differential diagnosis. After that, the severity of the disorder is established.

Then the patient is sent for a consultation with a pathopsychologist. The following points are explored:

• defect depth;
• depth of mental functions;
• definition of the method of assistance.

If the clinical picture is very pronounced, the patient is prescribed hypnotics and tranquilizers. The goal of therapy is to get rid of insomnia and reduce stress levels.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive techniques help control negative emotions and contribute to the change of wrong thinking. This helps to reduce premature fear, which develops into panic attacks.

These techniques help a person who has a thought of death to learn to exercise control over their condition and change the fatal perception of panic. The duration of the attack is shortened, and its effect on the general emotional condition decreases.

At the consultation, the patient is given an individual scheme of tasks. The prognosis depends on how actively he fulfills them. This technique is called "learning". A person learns to resist bad emotions.

Medical therapy

If the panic fear of death is uncontrollable, the patient is prescribed potent drugs. The most effective hypnotics are presented in the table.

Independent work

The treatment of the fear of death should be combined with independent work. It consists in the fact that a person must understand the following:

1. Life is cyclical.
2. The memory of the person remains.
3. You can't keep your feelings to yourself.
4. It is recommended to use life while there is such an opportunity.
5. It is important to look at everything with optimism.
6. You need to decide on your worldview.
7. Everything in the world should be treated with humor.

Awareness of the cycle of life

Man must understand that everything in nature has a clear cycle. First we are born, then we are given a certain segment. It ends with death. This is a natural process, no one has managed to avoid it yet.

“A person is not just mortal, he is sometimes suddenly mortal,” says a famous literary character. This thought scares a lot of people. Nothing can be done here. Even despite the precautions taken, no one is immune from death during accidents.

Memory remains

A person continues to live in the memories of his relatives and friends. The kinder and more attentive he will treat them, the warmer their memories will be. One of the reasons for fear is the “uselessness” of a person. Therefore, you should try to do as many good deeds as possible.

Change of environment and type of activity beneficial effect per person. He may not notice how he stopped being afraid, and painful thoughts left him alone.

Don't keep your feelings to yourself

Looping on your experiences is a vicious circle.

Use life

A strong fear of death will recede if you stop being afraid of life. Get out of your comfort zone and do something new. If possible, you need to change your job, or improve your skills, which will allow you to apply for a promotion in the future.

You need to try to realize your abilities. It is recommended to constantly look for new experiences. If it is not possible to go on a trip, you should go for a bike ride at least once a week. The route must be different each time. You can ride alone or with someone together.

optimistic view

Thoughts tend to materialize. If a person constantly sets himself up for negativity, then the “program” embedded in the body can “target” at self-destruction.

A positive outlook is not euphoria and delight. Positive attitudes are inherent in many self-confident people, politicians, businessmen.

Having learned a positive look, a person will be able to change his life attitudes and fully experience the joy of life. Thanatophobia will recede, and the person will forever part with these thoughts.

Decide on a mindset

Reliance on materialism or on one or another creed allows you to have a clear position and has a calming effect. As a result, a person develops a special opinion regarding death.

If materialism is close to him, he begins to understand the biological nature of the living, learns what happens in the process of dying and learns to take it for granted. Faith helps to understand the mystical meaning of death. All creeds say that nothing ends with the death of the physical shell. Man already exists in some "other dimension".

No fear of death

The instinct of self-preservation and the fear of death are almost identical concepts. If a person does not feel the fear of death, this is not normal. This deviation is typical for:

1. People who lack empathy.
2. Individuals whose empathy mechanism is at a very low level.
3. People prone to misanthropy.
4. Persons with no or reduced sense of physical danger.

Such people lack satisfaction when communicating with both their species and wildlife. Often they have a lower threshold of perception pain. Also, the fear of death is reduced or absent in individuals prone to sadism and other criminal inclinations.

Conclusion

Thanatophobia is psychological disorder treatable. In minors, it is diagnosed and treated easier and faster.

Thanatophobia or fear of death is a fairly common occurrence. It is associated with many reasons and is even divided into subgroups according to this principle. The fear of death is an absolutely normal side of life, because no one wants to leave our world prematurely. But sometimes he goes beyond reason, becomes intrusive and just gets in the way. normal life. This condition usually requires the help of specialists.

Reasons and possible complications there can be a lot of thanatophobia, so it is very important to correctly diagnose and choose correct methods combat this phobia. You need to understand that a person who is absolutely not afraid of death is also an unhealthy phenomenon, so it is not always necessary to get rid of this fear. It is simply important to ensure that this fear is healthy and does not exceed the limits of prudent caution.

What is the fear of death?

It's okay to be afraid of death, someone is afraid to leave the familiar world or cease to exist, someone is afraid of the process of dying itself and the sensations associated with it, someone is simply afraid. But as long as this fear does not interfere with normal life, it cannot be considered a phobia. There have been many studies on the nature of this fear, and they have shown interesting results, for example, women are more afraid of death than men. Rather, this is due to women's greater ability to acknowledge their fears and women's greater responsibility towards loved ones who will have to leave when they die.

Some contradiction has long been noticed in the study of the fear of death among young people and the elderly. Turns out, young people are much more afraid of death than the elderly, for whom death is much closer. In fact, this is absolutely natural, young people have a lot of plans ahead and they do not want to refuse to implement them. In addition, they are more afraid of the painful sensations that accompany death.

Old people in the majority manage to do everything planned, they only have fading ahead of them, so the prospect of a near end scares them less. In addition, many older people suffer from various diseases and death seems to them a deliverance from problems and illnesses. Elderly hospice patients suffer very little from the fear of death, this is due to the fact that they receive support there, including psychological support, from the staff and come to terms with the need to leave this world soon.

Forms of fear of death

To say that a person is afraid of death is not enough, since the forms of this fear are very different from person to person. different people. There are a lot of facts related to death that are much more frightening than death itself, they need to be considered and studied in more detail.

Fear of the unknown also not rare. After all, no one knows what death really is and whether there is something after it. It is impossible to understand death, since no one has yet come to life and told how it is. Therefore, like any unknown, death frightens and repels.

Fear of complete disappearance or eternal punishment. These fears are usually imposed by religion, because most of the religions common to us claim that after death sinners will be punished, and since the concept of sin is not entirely specific, punishment can await almost any person. Atheists, on the other hand, believe that there is no afterlife does not happen, therefore they are afraid of the complete disappearance of themselves. Not a single person can imagine how it is not to exist and not to think, therefore it is frightening.

Fear of losing control characterized by very collected and disciplined people. They cannot come to terms with death as an uncontrollable phenomenon and therefore are afraid of it. They may also develop a fear of illness or hypochondria, since the disease is also not always subject to people.

Fears related to relatives or mental suffering- a separate type of insurance. Often people are afraid to die because after they leave, there will be no one to take care of children or sick relatives. Often such people are afraid of separation from their loved ones and therefore they are very afraid of sudden death.

Fear of dying also often scares people. The very process of dying is frightening, which can be very painful, as well as the situation when you have to die, for example, in a hospital alone without the opportunity to say goodbye to your relatives.

Reasons for the development of fear of death

There can be many reasons why we suddenly begin to fear death. In each case, the reason is different, but most of them can be divided into several conditional groups.

The transition of life from one phase to another or the transition to a new stage of development. Very often, the fear of death appears in the so-called crisis or transitional ages. The first questions about death, and as a result, fear, appear in children at the age of four to six years. Then the emergence of such fears is most likely at the age of ten to twelve, as well as seventeen to twenty-four and from thirty-five to fifty-five years. The older a person gets, the less likely they are to develop a fear of death.

The second reason - increased anxiety. People with high level Anxiety often suffer from unreasonable and in particular from the fear of death. Even if everything is fine in their life, they will find reasons to be afraid. For example, fear of losing your well-being due to sudden death.

Another one common cause fear of death - crisis of faith. Most people, even atheists, have their own beliefs about what happens after death. If these beliefs are suddenly lost, doubts come and, as a result, fear of death.

Loss of health, income, opportunities also often provoke the appearance of fear of death. This usually happens after 40-50 years. A person feels that youth and health are leaving, old age is coming and the end is approaching, which one really does not want. This is one of the causes of the midlife crisis and the fear of death.

When Fear Turns into Phobia...

The fear of death is absolutely normal as long as it does not overstep the boundaries of self-preservation. For example, it is he who makes us buckle up in cars, not jump off cliffs and not do other stupid things. Normal fear makes us care about our well-being and what we will leave behind on earth.

But, if the fear of death goes beyond the limits of normality, it can become real problem and burden. Such a fear is called thanatophobia, and usually it is not easy to cope with it without the help of a psychotherapist. Thanatophobia leaves its mark on all decisions made by a person, and can make him inactive and lethargic, since "why do something, anyway, I'll die soon."

The other extreme is the desire to do everything and try everything before an imminent death. In addition, a person can simply stop doing something, shackled by the fear of dying at any moment. In such situations, help is needed immediately.

Thanatophobia is often accompanied by related disorders, for example, necrophobia - fear of everything related to the dead and burial. Even the sight of a tombstone or a ritual basket of flowers can frighten such a person.

How to get rid of thanatophobia (Video)

The treatment used for thanatophobia is highly dependent on the severity of the condition and the goals of the patient. Depending on the circumstances, treatment may begin with cognitive-behavioral therapy, but other methods are also used, including medication.

The difficulty of treating the fear of death lies in the fact that it is not associated with any specific provoking factors, for example, like or arachnophobia. The fear of death can haunt you constantly, regardless of the environment. Often fears intensify at night, in the dark.

But recover from obsessive fear death is possible and The first step is acknowledging the problem. It is necessary to gather strength and analyze all your fears, it is even advisable to write them down on paper. It is difficult and unpleasant to do this, but it is necessary. After that, when fears appear and discomfort, it is necessary to analyze the reasons for their occurrence. Gradually, patients realize that their fears have no foundation.

Highly important way The treatment for thanataphobia is hypnosis. Depending on the complexity of the situation, it may be necessary different amount hypnosis sessions, but on average, after 6-8 sessions, patients completely forget about their fears. If the fear of death is accompanied by depression, sometimes it is necessary to use medication and prescribe patients tranquilizers and antidepressants.

Thanatophobia is the name of a rather complex phobic disorder associated with the fear of death. Of course, the fear of death has been known to mankind since ancient times, and among other phobias, to this day it is somewhat isolated and has its own specific features. And although scientists still do not agree on whether the fear of death can be called truly irrational, people with thanatophobia require qualified treatment so that the phobia does not negatively affect their lives.

Basically, the fear of death is normal phenomenon for absolutely any living being that is born at the level of instincts. However, among all living beings, only man is able to realize that death is ultimately inevitable. Depending on the characteristics of his character and psyche, each individual can look at things differently. own death, and scientists believe that the fear of death should be considered not only as a phobia, but also as an important part of mental life any person. Attempts to avoid the outcome of one's own existence in any way is already considered hypochondria, a delusional idea, an obsessive condition that requires special psychotherapeutic or drug treatment.

We can say that to some extent thanatophobia is inherent in every person on earth. Those individuals who have no fear of death simply understand and accept its inevitability, which means they are absolutely harmonious and mentally healthy.

The reasons

The panic fear of death, which is incredibly difficult to get rid of, is, first of all, the fear of the unknown. Despite the fact that science, religion and philosophy have a number of theories about what happens to a person after he ceases his physical existence, none of them has evidence, which means that death remains one of the most unknown and mysterious phenomena.

In addition, thanatophobia can develop at any age due to certain traumatic factors. This may be the loss of a loved one, subconscious images of death that have arisen after watching television programs, films and other materials that demonstrate the death of people. Unfortunately, in modern world there are such terrible phenomena as wars, terrorism, diseases, so it is not surprising that any person who hears about this from the media several times a day begins to feel fear that something this will happen and with him.

Scientists argue that the uncontrollable fear of death is most characteristic of residents of large metropolitan areas. There is also a theory that thanatophobia is a kind of end to a midlife crisis.

The fear of death in most cases is explained by the fear of what may accompany physical death:

• fear of losing control;
• fear of hurting loved ones and putting problems on their shoulders. Especially acute fear of death can be experienced by people who have small children and other relatives who will not be able to take care of themselves;
• fear of losing dignity, experiencing pain, etc.

Fear of death may be associated with religious
beliefs. Some religions are based on the belief that after death a person only ceases his earthly existence, and what will happen to him next depends on how well he lived. This explains the fear of eternal suffering that may follow after death. It is worth noting that the treatment of thanatophobia associated with religion is the most difficult, since not every psychotherapist is able to understand religious beliefs your patient and find the right approach to solving the problem.

signs

People suffering from thanatophobia are characterized by impressionability, excitability, anxiety, obsessive thoughts and ideas. Patients usually experience self-doubt, constantly doubt. As a rule, thanatophobes try to avoid any conversations and mentions of death, they may refuse to attend the funerals of loved ones. In other cases, on the contrary, a person often discusses the topic of death, which causes suspicion on the part of others.

Other symptoms of panic fear of death include sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, decreased libido, and depression. Pathological fear can acutely manifest itself in the form of a panic attack with its characteristic features:

• acute attack of fear and anxiety;
• increased sweating;
• internal tremor, tremor of the limbs;
• causeless shortness of breath;
• cardiopalmus;
• derealization;
• dizziness;
• nausea;
• fainting state.

Quite often, people diagnosed with thanatophobia also have some associated phobias. They may fear any symbol of death, such as tombstones or funeral wreaths. When the fear of death is religious basis, fear of ghosts, spirits, etc. may be observed. Against the background of this obsessive state depressive disorders often occur.

Since it is very difficult to get rid of thanatophobia on your own, the patient's life begins to resemble nightmare when, in a panic attack, he ceases to control his own thoughts and actions. This has a negative impact on all spheres of his life: professional activity, relationships with family and friends, social activity, etc.

Therapy

Accurately diagnose thanatophobia and prescribe effective treatment only a qualified psychotherapist can. The specialist should conduct a conversation with the patient, analyze the anamnesis of his life and clinical complaints. It is important to understand that the treatment will be the more effective, the more the patient himself will try to get rid of the problem.

Today, the leading method of correcting a phobic disorder associated with the fear of death is cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy. The psychotherapist helps the patient to understand the cause of their fears, to understand themselves, and also to accept the inevitability of death, but not to think about it as something terrible.

Hypnosis is an effective treatment. If a mental disorder does not have severe manifestations, in most cases, just a few sessions are enough to discover the causes of fears and eradicate them. As a rule, after a successful course of hypnotherapy, its results are fixed with the help of psychotherapeutic sessions. However, hypnosis may not be shown to everyone, so the expediency of its use is determined only by the attending physician.

If thanatophobia is accompanied panic attacks with all of her somatic symptoms The doctor may prescribe medication. antidepressants, sedatives and other drugs are always selected strictly individually, and the course of their administration is usually short-term so that the patient does not develop addiction.

The patient himself can also help himself to get rid of obsessive phobia. To do this, he needs to communicate as much as possible with cheerful, positive people, find yourself a pleasant hobby, travel, spend time with your family, try to realize yourself to the maximum in professional activities. It is advisable to avoid viewing any video and photographic materials related to death, limit communication with other thanatophobes, from which you can “get infected” irrational fear. It is important to learn to enjoy life in this moment, realizing that someday it may end, but not to wait for it with anxiety, but to enjoy every moment of it.