Dealing With Death Anxiety

 Dealing With Death Anxiety

 The fear of death is one of humanity's oldest concerns, owing in part to the fact that no one knows what awaits them "on the other side." When a person is suffering from a terminal illness and is inevitably aware that his time is running out, the fear of death might become even more intense. This feeling, which is also referred to as "death anxiety," is frequently accompanied by spells of melancholy and a variety of interpersonal connection issues. This "death anxiety" can be a concern for those who are close to those who are dying, albeit some psychiatric adverse effects have been reported.

The majority of the time, this issue is overlooked in favor of either prolonging the patient's life or making their final days as comfortable and painless as possible. The physical component of death is significantly easier for most medical practitioners to deal with than the emotional and psychological aspects. However, a growing number of individuals are becoming aware of the issues raised by "death anxiety" and the steps that may be taken to help alleviate the mental suffering of those affected. This invariably encompasses both the dying patient and those around him, who will have to deal with the emotional fallout long after the patient has died.

Anxiety About Death: How to Deal With It

The depression that a person may experience as a result of "death anxiety" is no less difficult to deal with than regular depression. In fact, because death is looming on the horizon, it's feasible that the situation will be worse than usual. This is true for both the patient and the patient's loved ones, who would have to deal with the dreadful prospect of losing someone they care about. When examined this context, depression can easily be regarded as an issue that continues to worsen even after death, as if a problem that exclusively impacted the sufferer "infects" the people he or she leaves behind.

Support groups have been shown to be effective in assisting people in emotionally preparing for death, according to new research. This is for both patients and their families, who may want a little extra assistance in coping with the impending death. Individuals find it beneficial to be exposed to others who are experiencing or have had similar issues. Most psychologists believe that being exposed to others who are dealing with similar pressures and issues can be helpful in coping with both the loss of a loved one and the psychological damage that a terminal disease can cause.

For a few years now, standard support materials such as periodicals, booklets, and the like have been in circulation among the terminally sick. Most mental health professionals agree that while these do have an observable positive influence on a person's overall mood during moments of "death anxiety," they are rarely enough to protect someone from sinking into melancholy. However, these can be useful and can typically be found in the offices of doctors and specialists who deal with this type of illness on a regular basis.