Analysis: Death anxiety refers to fear of one's own death, others’ deaths, the dying process, post-death uncertainty and death-related objects and rituals
I recently finished reading Salman Rushdie's book Knife which details his near-death experience in 2022, when he was stabbed fifteen times. It’s an honest, vulnerable and, at times, humorous meditation on mortality and an exploration of life after near-death. It’s an excellent read and one that I would certainly recommend for enjoyment, but also to prompt your own meditations on mortality.
Our mortality is the one undeniable certainty in life but we seldom take time to reflect on it. When thoughts of mortality come our way, we can feel uneasy and anxious, and tend to brush these thoughts under the rug. When we do so, we redirect it to our outer subconscious so that they are not at the forefront of our thoughts. While not in their immediate awareness, death-related thoughts become more accessible to us after mortality reminders and predispose us to experiencing death anxiety.
Death anxiety refers to fear of one’s own death, others’ deaths, the dying process, post-death uncertainty and death-related objects and rituals. Some describe it as a worm at the core of our existence that guides most of human behaviour in ways to prolong death for as long as possible. For example: we wear seatbelts when driving; we wait before it’s safe to cross the road; we avoid eating raw or out-of-date food. While we might not always be aware of it, death avoidance underlies and guides these decisions and behaviours.
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From RTÉ 2FM, from bright lights and tunnels, to reunions with loved ones, psychiatrist Dr Bruce Greyson has spent 40 years investigating near-death experiences
Death denial, albeit a natural response to mortality awareness, can manifest as worries, depression and other mental health issues. Much research has established links between death anxiety and poor mental health outcomes, with some suggesting that death anxiety may be at the root of certain psychological disorders. Further, denying mortality is futile as at one point or another, we must confront death’s reality, be that through a loved one’s death or, indeed, our own. Those who experience near-death experiences are unique in that they confront their own death but live to tell the tale. In this way, near-death experiences serve as an exposure therapy, of sorts, for death anxiety, with survivors reporting less death anxiety afterwards. But for those of us who do not wish to walk the tightrope between life and death, how might we reduce death anxiety in a more accessible way?
The clinical treatment of death anxiety is well-supported, with cognitive behavioural therapy proving the most effective method of treatment. However, clinical interventions are inaccessible to many. Terror Management Theory proposes cultural worldviews, such as religious, political or cultural groups, as a protective mechanism against death anxiety. These worldviews provide individuals with escapism and a sense of enduring value and meaning. Contributing to, and participating in, these worldviews provide a form of symbolic immortality, or literal immortality in the case of religion, which help individuals to manage their terror of inevitable extinction.
Cultural worldviews give individual values and standards to strive to meet. Achieving this, Terror Management Theory maintains, enhances individuals’ self-esteem, which many studies have found to be associated with lower death anxiety. Self-esteem helps to put existential terror into perspective. Those with higher self-esteem recognise death as part of the circle of life and themselves as being a valuable part of the world around them. They recognise themselves as someone who makes significant contributions to a meaningful and lasting world. Doing so aids them in transcending death anxiety.
From RTÉ Radio 1's Brendan O'Connor, Salman Rushdie talks about being stabbed
Rushdie writes that "after the angel of death [comes] the angel of life." He expresses his gratitude at getting a "second chance" at life and writes that he will not waste it and, instead, dedicate it to "love and work." Near-death experiences often foster a reconstruction of how one views oneself and others and increase individuals’ interest in understanding the meaning of life. But one does not have to undergo a near-death experience to find such meaning.
Meaning Management Theory proposes that proactively accepting death, rather than managing terror, reduces death anxiety and enhances authenticity and meaning in life. It maintains that people are innately meaning-seeking and meaning-making and wish to live meaningful lives. By participating in cultural worldviews, we can engender positive change within them, establish strong connections with others and build legacies that outlast us. Striving to uncover meaning contributes to self-esteem, as we feel better about ourselves having enacted positive change and reached the goals we set within our cultural worldviews. We thus deem our existence worthwhile, reducing the likelihood that we will feel threatened by inevitable death (article on meaning management theory.
And, so, by striving to seek meaning in life, through contributing to and participating in cultural worldviews or relationships, we can bolster our self-esteem and, in turn, reduce our death anxiety. In Knife, Rushdie quotes Socrates, saying "an unexamined life isn’t worth living." Reflecting on mortality gives us room to reflect and make sense of life; to embrace its highs, lows and everything in-between, to fill it with purpose and, inevitably, to change our perspective on death so that we can proactively accept it as a natural part of the circle of life.
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The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
