Death is a scary thing, but it’s not the end. Some people fear it more than others because they think it’s the end. But others know that death is an inevitable part of life, and they don’t fear it as much.
Death can have a big impact on our thoughts and actions. For example, a recent study found that thinking about personal pain or death can make us more supportive of violence in politics. Palestinian, Israeli, and South Korean participants were asked to think about different things, and then gave their opinions on different conflict situations. The people who thought about death were more likely to want to take military action in the conflicts than those who only thought about pain.
There are some things that may subtly, or not so subtly, affect how much we fear death:
1. As people get older, they tend to become more accepting of death
This is likely because as they get older. They have more experience and knowledge about life and death. That makes them more comfortable with the idea of eventually passing away.
Older people may be less afraid of missing out because they have more experience with life and death. This may be because they have seen more of both in their lifetime.
2. Religious belief can lead to increased fear
In fact, studies have found that those who are more religious tend to have a stronger fear of death. But this is not always the case. No matter what their culture or religion might be.
There is evidence that shows both sides of the argument are valid.
Some studies have shown that, among Westerners, those who fear death the most are moderately religious. Both non-believers and very religious people fear death less.
There may be a link between moderate religiousness and a fear of death. People who are moderately religious may not be as relaxed about death as those who are non-religious. But they still hold strong beliefs about the afterlife. It’s also possible that the fear of death comes before the fear of chicken – people who are afraid of death may turn to religion in an attempt to cope. But they don’t necessarily become very religious.
3. People often have different reacions to danger
Some find it exciting, others fearful. However, some experiences can change someone’s fear of death. If someone encounters danger often, their fear of death may decrease. On the other hand, if someone experiences too much danger, their fear of death might increase.
In a study of beginner, intermediate, and expert skydivers, it was found that those with fewer jumps under their belt were the most scared of death. However, expert skydivers, who had jumped more often, were more scared of death than those who had fewer jumps.
This suggests that increasing your risk of death doesn’t decrease your fear of it. There may be a learning curve, where getting some experience makes you feel less anxious (maybe because you gain a greater sense of control), but getting a lot of experience makes you more aware that you can’t cheat death after all.
4. Physical health has been linked with less fear of death according to research
People who have good physical health tend to feel like there is more meaning in life and have better mental health. This helps lessen their fear of death. Even for those who cannot always control their health. Having good physical health can give them some hope for a better future.
This shows that simply risking death more won’t decrease your fear of it. There may be a learning curve, where getting some experience makes you feel less anxious (maybe because you gain a greater sense of control). But getting a lot of experience makes you more aware that you can’t cheat death after all.
5. Attachment style
Attachment patterns discuss with ways we think about and behave in close relationships. Those are shaped early in life so by the point we’re adults, we’re normally quite settled into ours. Securely connected people have a tendency to be confiding, reliable, and supportive partners. Insecurely connected humans may be overly stressful and controlling, or distant and standoffish, or a mix of each.
When it comes to how they feel about dying, people with comfy attachment patterns worry demise much less than humans with insecure attachment styles. That is thrilling because it suggests that there’s a courting and intimacy issue to the way we think about dying.
What are you able to do to turn out to be much less afraid of demise?
All of this research displaying that worry of death may be fluid relying on our ideals and reports begs the question: What are we able to do to fear dying much less? Some things we can be capable of.
6. Assist the following technology
The term “generativity” refers to a issue for younger humans and a choice to nurture and manual them. While older people have a greater sense of generativity, they have a tendency to also appearance lower back on their existence without remorse or affliction. This, understandably. That results in having less fear of loss of life.
7. Don’t avoid the topic
We try to avoid things, like death. That make us uncomfortable, but avoidance can make those things loom even larger in our minds.
8. Cultivate your meaning in life
Now, this is the tip I think is the most important. We know that reminding people of their own mortality tends to make them fear death. But if someone feels a strong sense of having meaning in life, this reminder doesn’t bother them.
9. CONCLUSION
However for some human beings, perhaps those are the equal. No matter what your significant existence looks as if, start to broaden it now, and also you’ll be too busy feeling fulfilled to be fearful of dying.
Fearing death also makes it harder for us to process grief. A recent study found that those who were afraid of death were more likely to have prolonged symptoms of grief after losing a loved one compared to those who had accepted death. For healthcare workers who care for dying patients, their own fear of death may get in the way of effectively communicating with patients and their families.