Some people are terrified of dying! Do you think this madness? Understand thanatophobia, the fear of dying and learn about diagnosis, symptoms and treatments.
Know Thanatophobia
before we explain what is thanatophobia We need to understand what a phobia is. Phobia is different from fear, as fear arises as a result of real danger. Phobia is an inexplicable dread of situations, places, animals and objects that pose no risk. The extremism of this fear makes it frightening or even prevents the individual from performing tasks or going to ordinary places.
The word thanatophobia is of Greek origin. Thanatos is the son of Nyx (night) and brother of Hypnos (sleep). The mythological character was generated without the help of any god and lives in the realm of the dead. In sculptures, he is always represented as a pale-faced person covered by a veil, eyes closed, and holding a scythe.
The phobia of death can be linked to trauma and also to the weight it carries, as we are usually not educated to understand it serenely. It is common for adults to communicate death to children with euphemisms like “went to live in heaven”, “went to live with God” and the like. Not that it is wrong to explain death using religious concepts, but it is necessary to treat the fact as a consequence of life.
Thanatophobia Symptoms
People with signs of thanatophobia panic at just hearing the word death. They flee from films, soap operas, exhibitions that deal with or make slight mention of the subject. Even without any contact with the subject, the thanatophobic has recurring thoughts that paralyze his life. Those who suffer from this condition have some physical and mental symptoms:
- Dry mouth, sweating, dizziness, tremors, palpitations, nausea, choking sensation, cold waves, chest pain, tingling and numbness;
- Difficulty differentiating reality and illusion;
- Fear of losing control and going crazy;
- Avoid leaving home and wanting to run away from where you are.
Diagnosis of Thanatophobia
O diagnosis of thanatophobia it is difficult, as the disorder can be confused with depression and bipolarity, as both have recurring negative thoughts, extreme anxiety, delusions and loss of interest in life as symptoms. The patient's self-observation is decisive, as he needs to report everything he feels and the impacts of the symptoms in his life.
The characteristics of thanatophobia can also be confused with problems faced in physical illnesses such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's. The psychologist should take this into account and ask the patient to perform clinical examinations. Once any physical problems are ruled out, treatment begins and, in some cases, is done in conjunction with the psychiatrist.
thanatophobia treatment
There are several options for treat thanatophobia. Check it out!
Neurolinguistic programming: NLP is about reprogramming the mind to change negative thought patterns. Negative expressions like “never”, hypotheses and superlative phrases like “I've said it thousands of times” are excluded from the vocabulary.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy: focuses on the current problem and how the outlook on life interferes with the person's life. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is similar to neuro-linguistic programming in that CBT also includes training to eliminate negative thoughts.
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- Know the difference between phobia and fear
- Find out if it is possible to live without any fear
- Think about what you would do if you weren't afraid
Behavior therapy: the present problem is analyzed under the bias of previous unresolved situations.
Meditation and breathing exercises can also enter the treatment as ancillary therapies.
O fear to die and any other phobia must be treated. If you or someone you know needs help, but can't afford it, learn where to get free treatment.
