Thanatophobia (Fear of Death): Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

“Concern is a pure and vital human emotion. When it turns into inhibitory to dwelling life, it turns into a phobia.” —Mitchell L. Schare, PhD, ABPP, director of the Hofstra College Phobia and Trauma Clinic

Thanatophobia (additionally known as “dying nervousness”) will be thought-about the “grasp concern,” says Dr. Schare, since so many different phobias—from fearing spiders to airplanes to sickness—will be traced to a concern of dying. However as with every sort of phobia, thanatophobia is extra severe than only a distaste for interested by dying. It could trigger avoidance of something which may theoretically result in dying or conditions through which relations or associates are dying.

There’s a lot to unpack with regards to thanatophobia. Right here’s what it is advisable to know concerning the concern of dying, the place it comes from, and the way somebody can deal with thanatophobia.

Is thanatophobia a psychological sickness?

Like different particular phobias, thanatophobia is taken into account a type of anxiety disorder¹. Based on the DSM-5-TR (aka the Diagnostic and Statistical Guide of Psychological Problems, the software psychological well being professionals use to make diagnoses), a phobia is a “marked concern or nervousness a couple of particular object or scenario (e.g., flying, heights, animals, receiving an injection, seeing blood).” For folks with phobias (like thanatophobia), their concern or nervousness is method larger than the precise hazard they face from their phobia, they go to nice lengths to keep away from it, and it can’t be defined by one other psychological well being dysfunction.

As a result of thanatophobia is a sort of hysteria dysfunction, psychological well being professionals will apply a number of the identical strategies used to deal with nervousness issues, equivalent to cognitive behavioral remedy (CBT). (Extra on that in a bit!)

How widespread is thanatophobia?

There’s not a ton of knowledge accessible on the final inhabitants, however an estimated 3 to 10 p.c of individuals expertise thanatophobia, in keeping with the Cleveland Clinic.

Curiously, analysis means that the prevalence of dying nervousness adjustments with age in surprising methods. One 2007 paper printed within the journal Loss of life Research discovered that dying nervousness spikes in young adults in their early ‘20s², after which dips off. It additionally discovered that in girls (however not males), dying nervousness surges once more of their ‘50s. When you may assume that older adults might need extra concern of dying (as a result of they’re, you understand, nearer to the pure finish of their lives), different analysis means that elderly patients have lower levels of death anxiety³ than their youngsters.

What are the signs of thanatophobia?

“Thanatophobia [symptoms] can range in prevalence relying on cultural, private, and situational elements,” explains scientific psychologist Alexander Alvarado, PsyD, phobia specialist at Thriving Heart of Psychology. Listed below are a number of the widespread emotional and behavioral signs of thanatophobia:

• Obsessive ideas, together with checking issues always about your well being and well-being (or that of your family members)
• Avoidance behaviors round dying or doubtlessly harmful conditions (like refusing to drive or fly in airplanes, for instance, out of concern of deadly accidents)
• Extreme nervousness (like emotions of dread, panic, and many others.) when interested by dying. This may manifest as physical symptoms of anxiety within the type of coronary heart palpitations, dizziness, chills, nausea, shortness of breath, and many others.

This might sound a bit complicated initially; isn’t everybody afraid of dying, at the very least a little bit bit? “Having a point of a concern of dying will be purposeful—it would make you drive extra fastidiously, or take further care of your self if you’re sick, so you may stay a greater high quality of life,” says Dr. Schare.

However the tipping level into dying nervousness will be how the nervousness manifests. Being so afraid of being in any scenario that might contain dying (regardless of how distant the chance) that you simply isolate your self and by no means exit is probably going nearer to thanatophobia, Dr. Schare says for example.

What causes thanatophobia?

As with all kind of hysteria dysfunction, thanatophobia doesn’t all the time have a clear-cut trigger. However specialists imagine there are some threat elements or potential triggers value understanding.

A historical past of trauma or psychological sickness

“There is not a transparent medical explanation for thanatophobia, but it surely’s believed to be associated to existential considerations and presumably a historical past of trauma,” says Dr. Alvarado. The trauma historical past could possibly be associated to vital life adjustments, equivalent to a private sickness or near-death expertise. (This might clarify, for instance, why nurses and emergency-services personnel had very high levels of death anxiety⁴ through the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic.) It’s additionally extra more likely to be prevalent in individuals who have a historical past of hysteria issues.

Family members dying early

Individuals who have skilled the dying of a liked one, particularly if they didn’t have a radical understanding of dying at the moment, could possibly be vulnerable to growing thanatophobia, says scientific psychologist Tirrell De Gannes, PsyD, nervousness dysfunction specialist at Thriving Heart of Psychology. It is likely to be extra pronounced for individuals who have an over-reliance on family members, he provides, and due to this fact concern what may occur if that individual have been to die.

Spiritual, religious, or philosophical beliefs

Individuals have completely different spiritual, religious, and philosophical outlooks on dying and what the aftermath of that course of may seem like, says Dr. Schare, whether or not that’s a religious “higher place” that somebody believes in, or a rebirth. These beliefs may reasonable the concern in some respects, he provides.

Different instances, folks imagine in not one of the above, and that doesn’t imply that they mechanically have thanatophobia. It’s simply that the concern of dying could possibly be extra pronounced if folks emphasize the “unknown” facet of what occurs after dying.

Curiously, a 2017 meta-analysis printed within the journal Faith, Mind & Conduct discovered the individuals who have been least more likely to have dying nervousness have been the atheists and the extremely religious⁵. “It might be that atheism additionally offers consolation from dying, or that people who find themselves simply not afraid of dying aren’t compelled to hunt faith,” stated the researchers in a press release.

How is thanatophobia recognized?

If a psychological well being skilled suspects you can have thanatophobia, or any phobia, the analysis entails scientific interviews. The therapist will ask you inquiries to assess how your concern (and its signs) impression your life, Dr. Alvarado says. They’ll take notes on how a lot dying is a spotlight, provides Dr. De Gannes, whether or not or not the individual has any sense of reduction, and whether or not or not it impacts their behaviors, equivalent to isolating from different folks or not taking part in actions that could possibly be a threat of damage or sickness.

How is thanatophobia handled?

As with different particular phobias, thanatophobia is commonly handled with CBT. This research-backed practice will assist sufferers problem and alter their damaging thought patterns round dying, says Dr. Alvarado.

Publicity and response prevention remedy (ERP) is a selected kind of CBT that’s generally used with phobias. The purpose is to assist somebody be taught to handle their phobia by getting uncovered to it progressively in a secure, managed setting. “The purpose is to scale back avoidance behaviors, and doubtlessly introduce mindfulness practices to assist deal with existential considerations,” provides Dr. Alvarado. No, this doesn’t contain seeing a lifeless physique in remedy or one thing. Dr. De Gannes says a therapist may attempt the next exposures as a substitute: speaking concerning the subject of dying, practising having an end-of-life conversation with a liked one, and/or imagining penalties after the dying of a relative.

ERP has various intensities and kinds, says Dr. Schare. It may be very literal, executed in real-world environments. Assume: a therapist taking somebody who’s afraid of bridges on a stroll over a bridge, and talking with them afterward to recap what occurred and assist the individual perceive that they’re secure, he explains. Publicity remedy may also be executed in digital actuality or imaginary environments, the place the individual, guided by a psychological well being skilled, enters a situation through which they may have a near-death expertise, permitting them to confront that nervousness round it head-on.

Dealing with thanatophobia

It’s attainable that the concern of life will get extra pronounced with age, as folks begin to have extra outstanding well being points and begin to develop into nearer to dying, says Dr. Schare. However the backside line is that phobias and nervousness issues will be cured, he says. The cognizance that you simply and your family members will die sooner or later doesn’t go away, however folks can develop into higher geared up to deal with it.

Some coping methods can embrace daily mindfulness, meditation, and journaling that will help you keep current and targeted on the right here and now, in addition to to course of the fears, recommend Dr. Alvarado. You additionally may discover reduction and a few further coping abilities from speaking to different folks in help teams about phobias, and naturally from particular person remedy.

Avoiding dying and something to do with it’s not probably the most useful method to deal with thanatophobia. “Shying away from the subject of dying solely will increase the thriller and concern of it,” says Dr. De Gannes. He emphasizes that it’s vital to normalize the idea of dying in conversations to demystify the concern and enable you to proceed to stay your life.