A recent psychology conference at the University of British Columbia highlighted the significant role death anxiety plays in various mental health disorders. According to presentations by renowned Australian psychologists Rachel Menzies and Ross Menzies, co-authors of the book Mortals: How the fear of death shaped human society, fear of death is strongly associated with chronic anxiety, panic disorder, hypochondria, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and other difficulties. The conference, attended by 200 psychology specialists, underscored that death anxiety can also be linked, to a lesser extent, with eating disorders, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress syndrome, and alcohol abuse.
Understanding Death Anxiety
Rachel Menzies explained that death anxiety encompasses not only dread of death but also sadness and anger about the inevitable end of life. This fear often intensifies during early adulthood and middle age. It can manifest in various ways, including fear of the shortness of life, concern about what it will be like to not exist, and worry about being forgotten after death. Additionally, death anxiety may involve fear of saying goodbye to loved ones, losing one's functions, facing a potentially frightening afterlife, or specific things that can cause death. Common phobias, such as those related to flying, heights, spiders, and crowds, as well as compulsions like repetitive handwashing or checking the stove, are also tied to death anxiety.
Cultural and Philosophical Context
Dealing with death is central to major religions, including Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism, each offering different perspectives on an afterlife. Philosophical traditions like existentialism and Stoicism also provide frameworks for confronting mortality. Burnaby psychologist Anton Schweighofer, who attended the conference, noted that death anxiety fluctuates across cultures and historical periods. He suggested that current global events, such as the pandemic and wars in Ukraine and Iran, may be heightening death terror in this era.
Building Psychological Buffers
Despite the challenges, experts emphasize that individuals can build psychological 'buffers' against death anxiety. Traditional practices, such as visiting cemeteries like Vancouver's Mountain View Cemetery, can help normalize death. Cognitive behavioral therapy and other therapeutic approaches can also assist in coming to terms with mortality. Schweighofer pointed out that while spiritual leaders and philosophers have long reflected on death, modern psychology has only recently begun to fully incorporate this understanding into mental health care.
Research and Insights
The work of Ernest Becker, a Simon Fraser University anthropologist, remains influential. His 1973 book The Denial of Death, which won the Pulitzer Prize, proposed that much of human civilization—from political systems to work ethic—is a defense mechanism against the terror of mortality. By studying death and building awareness, individuals can reduce fear and improve well-being.
