This is a contributor’s blogpost …
Thanatophobia may or may not be something you’ve heard of before. It might be complete and total news to you. For many, it’s something they’ve suffered with at some point, without realizing that it even had a name. What is thanatophobia? It’s a fear of death. It’s pretty safe to assume that many people out there are afraid of dying, but thanatophobia is a little different. Your heart can pound, the room can spin, and it can leave you feeling like there’s something wrong with your physical health afterwards. Read on to learn more:
Thanatophobia: Do You Have Death Anxiety?
Another phrase for thanatophobia is death anxiety. This is anxiety you get whenever you think about death, dying, your loved ones dying, and so on. The only thing is, you get it fairly often because you always think about it. Whether it’s day or night, you think about it. It seems as scary in the day as it does in the night, and it will leave you lying awake because you’re scared to fall asleep.
If this sounds like you, rest assured that this is something you can overcome. Death anxiety can leave you feeling frightened for your own health, as the anxiety attacks that can come along with it are frightening in themselves. So that your mind is at ease, you could visit a doctor and have them perform a few checks on you.
Once you’re confident that there’s nothing physical wrong with you, it’s time to work out how you’re going to tackle this anxiety. It’s worth knowing that anxiety, especially death anxiety, is common, and that you’re not alone. Some people like to visit a therapist to talk through their issues, and this can help you to figure out where your fear came from in the first place. Celebrities such as Lena Dunham and Rita Ora openly admit that they have suffered from death anxiety, and get therapy because of it. It may not be something you can tackle overnight, depending on the seriousness, but it’s something you can overcome with perseverance.
When you put your life on hold because of a constant fear of death, you are missing life right now. What’s scarier; dying after living a full life, or dying feeling unable to live? You get to make the decision!
Protecting your future isn’t a bad idea either. By ensuring you have the correct coverage when it comes to life insurance and other policies, you can have peace of mind that your family is safe.
Another thing that could help is feeling more connected to others and the world around you. You may not believe in life after death, but there are some things that can make you feel unexplainably connected to the universe, such as meditation. When you meditate regularly, you should begin to feel calmer, ease off your anxiety, and feel able to live a happier life overall.
Rather than worrying about dying, start focusing on living instead. What are you missing today? What can you do right now for a fuller, happier life? Live in the moment and enjoy it!
