What Factors Influence Our Attitudes Toward Death?
If you are like most, your initial response to any of our rebuttals against death will be: but why shouldn’t we fear death?
In our society, fearing death is just the norm, and anyone who stands against this is labelled as a little bit mad.
However, this shouldn’t be the case.
Even without our advice, there are a ton of factors that can influence our attitudes towards death, so much so that there are some people who just do not fear death naturally.
Let’s take a look at what factors influence our attitudes toward death.
1. Physical Health Plays a Huge Role
One factor that can influence our attitudes toward death is physical health.
People with better physical health tend to be less scared of death, and they also tend to be happier and have less anxiety in general.
While we cannot always control our physical health, taking all of the possible steps we can take to ensure that we are doing our part is vital.
The takeaway? Improving your physical health can reduce your worries about death and improve your life as a whole.
2. Religious beliefs Can Affect How We View Death
Another factor that can play a large role in how much we fear death is religious beliefs.
Somewhat surprisingly, those with religious beliefs may tend to fear death more than those that don’t.
Of course, this isn’t always the case. Almost every religion has scripture for fear of dying, and this can provide tremendous comfort to some.
However, worries about upsetting their gods or not being good enough may impact how much religious people fear death, and this can play a huge role in overall death anxiety.
3. Attachment Style
Attachment style is the way that we bond with those around us.
This is mainly shaped while we are young, so there isn’t much we can do about our attachment styles once we get older.
People with secure relationships while they are younger tend to fear death less, while those with shaky relationships tend to fear death more.
4. As We Age, We Tend to Fear Death Less
Despite what you may assume, older people tend to fear death less than younger people.
This is due to a variety of reasons such as life experience, having time to accept death, as well as raising a family of their own, but it can still seem a little strange.
While you may fear death now, there is no rule saying that you will in the future.
5. How Much Experience You Have with Danger
One factor that has perplexed psychologists for years is that how much experience we have with danger can have a massive impact on how much we fear death.
Interestingly enough, there is a pattern when it comes to the relationship between danger and the fear of death; but it is not what you would expect.
People who experience minimal danger throughout their lives tend to be more afraid of death, while people with moderate experience with danger tend to be less afraid of death.
However, those who experience danger on an extremely regular basis are more afraid of death, making somewhat of an upside-down bell curve.
This shows us that while having some experience with danger is good, having too much can make us fear death more.
How Can We Become Less Afraid of Death?
There are some proven methods that can help us become less afraid of death.
In this section, we will explore some of the main life events/perspective changes that can allow us to become less afraid of dying.
1. Don’t Avoid Talking About Death
For one reason or another, death has become a taboo subject.
Whether it be because we want to ignore that it exists or because we are too scared to even start the conversation, talking about death is almost seen as wrong.
However, this shouldn’t be the case.
Talking about death can reduce our fear surrounding dying, and it makes the whole subject seem much less mysterious.
Death is just a natural process of life – it should not be looked down upon or shunned.
2. Look To the Next Generation
Another way we can become less afraid of death is by looking to the next generation.
By supporting young people and helping our local communities, we can feel like we are a part of something that is going to stay even after we are long gone.
This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to have children – there are many ways we can support young people.
Looking to the next generation can help us see the bigger picture, and in the long run, it can make us less fearful of dying.
3. Have a Near-Death Experience
Studies have shown that those who have had a near-death experience tend to be less afraid of death.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should go out of your way to have a near-death experience, but if it does happen, it might end up reducing your fear of death.
When we have a near-death experience, we realise that death is not nearly as bad as people make it out to be.
This can help prepare us for when our time truly does come.
4. Find Some Meaning in Life
Finding meaning in life comes with a myriad of benefits, fearing death less being one of them.
If we feel like we have a purpose in life, we tend to experience less stress and anxiety, have fewer negative thoughts, and experience greater life satisfaction.
It can also help to know that you have done something worthwhile, as this can make you feel like you have played your part in making the world a better place.
How To Reduce Fear and Anxiety
If you have fear and anxiety about dying, there are some things you can do to quell your anxiety immediately.
Let’s take a look at a few ways to reduce fear and anxiety of death.
1. Understand That Being Sad is Okay
While death might not necessarily be a bad thing or something to be afraid of, that’s not to say that being sad about it is wrong.
Dying means we might not ever see our loved ones again, and the same goes for when a friend or family member dies too.
This means that it is completely normal to feel a little sad about death, and understanding this can make you much more accepting of death as a whole.
If you try to block out feelings of sadness, this can worsen fear of death by causing resentment or dread.
2. Have Some Alone Time
Having some alone time can never hurt.
Being alone allows us to properly work through our thoughts and feelings, and while it may be painful, the understanding we gain makes it well worth the effort.
It can also make us feel more independent, giving us the knowledge that we will be just fine on our own if circumstances deem it necessary.
3. Look out for Health Changes
Another way we can reduce our fear of death is by taking a proactive approach to our health.
By looking out for any health changes and getting checked out by a doctor if something seems out of place, we can stay one step ahead and catch any problems before they develop further.
However, it is possible to go too far with this.
If you take every cold as an imminent sign that something is wrong, your quality of life will drop drastically.
Being too cautious about your health will actually worsen your fear of death.
However, just being aware of any health changes and taking appropriate action can make you feel like you have some semblance of control, and it can reduce your fear of death if done right.
4. Don’t Be Afraid To Get Professional Help
If you feel like your fear of death is severe and impacting your daily life, do not be afraid to get professional help.
A psychologist can help explain why you shouldn’t fear death in a professional setting and help you change certain negative thoughts about death, making this option highly effective.
It can also just be nice to have someone who you can talk to about death openly.
Facts to Calm Your Fear of Death and Dying
While understanding what factors contribute to the fear of death and knowing what steps we can take to reduce fear can help, the concept of death can still seem scary.
This is why it is time to take a look at the facts.
You Have Likely Already Been Through Something Worse Than Dying
Truth be told, if you are over 20 years old and are not extremely lucky, you have likely already been through something worse than death already.
Life can be tough. Unbelievably so.
Whether it be money troubles, the death of a loved one, experience with a serious illness, severe bullying, or some form of accident, you have likely already been through something that is far worse than death.
You may think this is completely false.
Most people think that dying is the worst thing that can happen to someone – but is this really the case?
Have you died before? Do you know what it is like to die? In all likelihood, the answer to these questions will be a resounding no.
While we may have painted this picture of death in our minds, it is not based in reality.
Dying is not as bad as you think, and if you have already faced some difficulties in life, you may have already experienced something worse.
The Fear of Pain is Worse Than Pain Itself
Another one of the main reasons why people are afraid of death is because they think it is going to be extremely painful.
While there are certain circumstances that can make this the case, the majority of people die with little or no pain at all.
This is especially the case with modern medication and care.
Even in situations where the cause of death is painful, the medications we have access to today can take this out of the picture entirely.
It’s also worth noting that the fear of pain is much worse than pain itself.
Pain is temporary, and many people drastically overestimate just how much pain they would be in if they had certain ailments or health problems.
This comes as no surprise – the thought of being in a lot of pain can feel debilitating.
To some, the fear of pain may even be the underlying cause behind their fear of death.
However, this thought process is misguided.
The thought of pain is often much worse than pain itself, and in cases with pain is involved, the treatments and medications we have access to now can now get rid of most pain entirely.
Death is Not Necessarily a Bad Thing
Most people view death as a bad thing – but is this really the case?
In reality, death is necessary to make the world function properly.
Death makes room for more people to be born, and without it, overpopulation would soon become a huge problem.
Famine, drought, disease – all of these fates can be much worse than death.
Without death, life would be a lot worse for many people.
The only reason why life works and can be meaningful is because of death, and it plays a vital role in making our world function.
Why You Shouldn’t Fear Death – FAQs
Why Are We Afraid of Dying?
We are afraid of dying because humans generally fear the unknown.
On top of this, death is barely talked about, which ends up making us fear death even more.
What Are the Reasons Not to Fear Death?
The reasons not to fear death are that death is not necessarily a bad thing, dying is not always painful, and you have probably experienced something worse than death already.
Why am I Afraid of Death?
Being afraid of death is normal, but that’s not to say it’s logical.
The main reasons why we are afraid of death are because it is an unknown and it is not talked about enough.
Why Shouldn’t We Fear Death?
We shouldn’t fear death because it is just a natural event in life.
There is nothing particularly scary or morbid about death – the only reason why people think there is is because it is not talked about enough in our society.
We hope this article will be able to help you.
There are a plethora of reasons not to fear death, and while contemplating our mortality isn’t easy, it is not as bad as many people think.
The reason why people fear death is because it is an unknown.
Death is just not talked about enough – talking about it is actively avoided in the Western world.
This is one of the main reasons why we are afraid of dying. The same fear is something that is much less common in other countries where death is just accepted as a normal part of life.
So, from this day forward, keep everything we have said in this article in mind.
The next time you ask yourself “why am I afraid of death”, just remind yourself that your fear is mostly irrational and not based in reality.
If you would like more articles that focus on ridding yourself of fear and anxiety, feel free to check out the rest of the content we have here at MovingForwards.
From discussing why you shouldn’t fear death to giving practical tips on how to reduce anxiety, we have a little something for everyone.
