Why is there someone who is so afraid of death? is this normal?

No one knows when and how death will come. But certainly, everyone will die in the end. It's normal to have a little fear of dying, because no one knows about the future. What is not natural is feeling very, very afraid of dying to the point of stress and locking yourself in so as not to get hurt or get sick.

Tanatophobia, when a person is very afraid of death

It is normal to worry about your health. That way, you will learn to be able to take better care of yourself - either by eating healthy foods, exercising regularly, and being more careful in your activities so you don't get injured.

Worrying about your own safety also helps you to calculate every step you need to take in life as well as to prepare yourself for the worst, for example when you face a natural disaster.

Likewise with the sorrow and sadness that hit the heart after being left forever by loved ones. Grieving trains you to be a more mature and resilient person for life.

Even so, very few people in this world can feel an intense fear of death or the process of death itself. This unnatural fear is known as tanatophobia, aka the phobia of death.

Thanatophobia is not officially recognized by this American Psychiatric Association as a psychological disorder. Even so, the stress and severe anxiety it may cause are often associated with generalized anxiety disorder.

PHOTO / SHUTTERSTOCK corpse illustration

Why is there someone who is so afraid of death?

Phobia itself is a psychological disorder characterized by a sense of extreme fear and irrationality. Unlike common fears, phobias are usually related to one specific thing.

In addition, ordinary fear generally lasts only a moment and can subside as soon as the trigger disappears. Unlike phobias. You may know and realize that your fear doesn't make sense, but you still have no control over your feelings.

It is not known exactly what causes phobias. However, the excessive fear of dying can be triggered by several factors. For example, a traumatic past experience. A person can have an extreme fear of death if they have experienced a life-threatening or near-death situation, such as a natural disaster, accident, or illness - either to themselves or to their loved ones.

Tanatophobia can also be triggered by religious factors, aka religious. Almost all religious teachings must teach about life after death, such as life in heaven and hell. Some people with thanatophobia experience excessive anxiety about life after death, not knowing what will happen then.

What are the risk factors for thanatophobia?

Young adults are more at risk of developing tanatophobia than older people. Excess anxiety about death usually begins to appear in the 20s. In women, this extreme fear can continue into their 50s.

In addition, people who have many serious health problems are also more likely to experience excessive anxiety about the future of their lives.

What are the signs that people have an excessive fear of dying?

Just like other phobias, the signs and symptoms of tanatophobia are not present all the time. You may only notice the signs when you start thinking about the death of you or a loved one. Even thinking about your phobia's triggers can make you extremely stressed out and break out in a cold sweat.

The most common symptoms of this psychological condition include:

• Frequent panic attacks
• Feeling very, very anxious
• Dizzy
• Sweating
• Irregular heartbeat
• Nausea
• Stomach ache
• Sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures

Apart from physical symptoms, tanatophobia can also cause emotional symptoms, such as:

• Shutting off from the environment
• Avoiding friends and family for long periods of time
• Angry
• Feeling too sad
• Easily offended
• Feel guilty
• Constant worry

Is there anything that can be done to overcome thanatophobia?

The focus of treatment for tanatophobia is to reduce your excessive fear and anxiety about death. Therapy can include consultation sessions with a psychologist, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), relaxation techniques to relieve anxiety, and the use of prescription drugs if necessary.

You may also undergo a combination phobia therapy from some of the options above. To find out which treatment is right for your condition, consult further with your doctor.