Fear of Death

[twobitsmedia]

Fear of death: worst when you’re
a little religious?

June 29, 2005
Special to World Science

When it comes to fear of death, it seems being either a religious zealot or an utter nonbeliever go furthest to soothe the anxiety. Being just a little religious is the least helpful option.

At least, such are the conclusions suggested by a new survey or 155 older people published in the July issue of the Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, a scholarly journal.

The study was meant “to investigate the relation between religiousness and fear of death and dying in late adulthood,” wrote the researchers, Paul Wink and colleagues. As it turned out, people “who were moderately religious feared death more than individuals who scored high or low on religiousness.”

Also, at least for some people, fear of death seems to lessens with age, Wink and colleagues found. People in their mid-70s who had experienced more illness and bereavement, perhaps paradoxically, were found to fear death less than those in their late 60s.

People who believed in an afterlife but didn’t follow religious practices were among those with the greatest death fear, the researchers also found. The findings, they added, suggest “firmness and consistency of beliefs and practices, rather than religiousness per se, buffers against death anxiety in old age.”

This echoed similar findings from a study two decades ago, which, however, focused only on fear of death among terminally ill people.

“Beliefs are a less critical determinant of death fear than is the certainty with which these beliefs are held,” wrote the authors of that study.[/b]



I came across this article tonight while doing a study on the subject of death. This re-affirmed for me the importance, even on the physical body, of how important it is for a person with religious convictions to hold them strongly, or they may not be much help at all. Yes or No?

[sledheavy]

Some people would rather die then give public speeches, I think that's pretty funny.

Death really shouldn't bother anybody. Everyone makes this huge deal out of dying, but they don't understand it's simply a part of life.

If you've been serious about your beliefs, you shouldn' have a problem at the very end. Obviously for anyone who's had a doubt in their mind, probably found out the hard way they didn't take their beliefs as seriously as they thought.

I know when I die it's probably going to be greatly ironic. I could probably be sitting in a wrecked car and my favorite song comes on the radio, or my cell phone rings. I've thought about it enough that I think I'd probably laugh thinking "wow, I wasn't expecting an arrow to the chest."

It seems like a shot in the arm to me.

[bernee51]

Fear of death: worst when you’re
a little religious?

June 29, 2005
Special to World Science

When it comes to fear of death, it seems being either a religious zealot or an utter nonbeliever go furthest to soothe the anxiety. Being just a little religious is the least helpful option.

At least, such are the conclusions suggested by a new survey or 155 older people published in the July issue of the Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, a scholarly journal.

The study was meant “to investigate the relation between religiousness and fear of death and dying in late adulthood,” wrote the researchers, Paul Wink and colleagues. As it turned out, people “who were moderately religious feared death more than individuals who scored high or low on religiousness.”

Also, at least for some people, fear of death seems to lessens with age, Wink and colleagues found. People in their mid-70s who had experienced more illness and bereavement, perhaps paradoxically, were found to fear death less than those in their late 60s.

People who believed in an afterlife but didn’t follow religious practices were among those with the greatest death fear, the researchers also found. The findings, they added, suggest “firmness and consistency of beliefs and practices, rather than religiousness per se, buffers against death anxiety in old age.”

This echoed similar findings from a study two decades ago, which, however, focused only on fear of death among terminally ill people.

“Beliefs are a less critical determinant of death fear than is the certainty with which these beliefs are held,” wrote the authors of that study.[/b]



I came across this article tonight while doing a study on the subject of death. This re-affirmed for me the importance, even on the physical body, of how important it is for a person with religious convictions to hold them strongly, or they may not be much help at all. Yes or No?

often it is not so much death that people fear it is dying.

Epicurus supposedly said "Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come, and when death has come, we are not."

[twobitsmedia]

often it is not so much death that people fear it is dying.

Epicurus supposedly said "Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come, and when death has come, we are not."

I think if one examines the "rationale" behind the fear of dying, that more often than not, the fear is of pain, rather than the actual act of dying itself. Many seem to think the best way to die is in bed while they are sleeping: Quick and painless. And that seems to alleviate the idea of the "pain" of dying and make it seem more tolerable. To be stricken with some kind of disease where one dies slowly and painfully seems tortorous. Or to be laying out on a highway in the midst of automobile debris gasping for the last breathe. In reality, more often than not, the act of dying is instantaneous. I read something from a surgeon who said that once death is inevitable, and your systems start shutting down, it is about a 5 minute process (though he explained it in more graphic detail). So, given even an extreme act of surprise (accident, murder. etc) and the uncertainty of whether we will even have a next breathe, we are 5 minutes from death at any given time.

[katiej49]

often it is not so much death that people fear it is dying.

Epicurus supposedly said "Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come, and when death has come, we are not."

I think if one examines the "rationale" behind the fear of dying, that more often than not, the fear is of pain, rather than the actual act of dying itself. Many seem to think the best way to die is in bed while they are sleeping: Quick and painless. And that seems to alleviate the idea of the "pain" of dying and make it seem more tolerable. To be stricken with some kind of disease where one dies slowly and painfully seems tortorous. Or to be laying out on a highway in the midst of automobile debris gasping for the last breathe. In reality, more often than not, the act of dying is instantaneous. I read something from a surgeon who said that once death is inevitable, and your systems start shutting down, it is about a 5 minute process (though he explained it in more graphic detail). So, given even an extreme act of surprise (accident, murder. etc) and the uncertainty of whether we will even have a next breathe, we are 5 minutes from death at any given time.

i cant agree with that after watching my mother die. it was certainly much more than a 5 minute process....the long months of decline and the two weeks of, as hospice put it, actively dying. it was not pleasant, but God was there. she sensed the angels and saw Jesus. i fear pain in dying...but not as much since her death, as I saw God at work in the midst of it. i have no fear of death, since I know where I am going

[Goat]

often it is not so much death that people fear it is dying.

Epicurus supposedly said "Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come, and when death has come, we are not."

I think if one examines the "rationale" behind the fear of dying, that more often than not, the fear is of pain, rather than the actual act of dying itself. Many seem to think the best way to die is in bed while they are sleeping: Quick and painless. And that seems to alleviate the idea of the "pain" of dying and make it seem more tolerable. To be stricken with some kind of disease where one dies slowly and painfully seems tortorous. Or to be laying out on a highway in the midst of automobile debris gasping for the last breathe. In reality, more often than not, the act of dying is instantaneous. I read something from a surgeon who said that once death is inevitable, and your systems start shutting down, it is about a 5 minute process (though he explained it in more graphic detail). So, given even an extreme act of surprise (accident, murder. etc) and the uncertainty of whether we will even have a next breathe, we are 5 minutes from death at any given time.

i cant agree with that after watching my mother die. it was certainly much more than a 5 minute process....the long months of decline and the two weeks of, as hospice put it, actively dying. it was not pleasant, but God was there. she sensed the angels and saw Jesus. i fear pain in dying...but not as much since her death, as I saw God at work in the midst of it. i have no fear of death, since I know where I am going

There is a process of deteroriating health, to be sure, but what twobits is talking about is the physical process of when death occurs. That is what takes 5 minutes.
The deteroration of health is still a process where someone is alive.

As for 'seeing jesus'.. when the brain starts shutting down, hallucinations happen. THe hindus see their religious symbols, the muslims theirs.

[twobitsmedia]

often it is not so much death that people fear it is dying.

Epicurus supposedly said "Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come, and when death has come, we are not."

I think if one examines the "rationale" behind the fear of dying, that more often than not, the fear is of pain, rather than the actual act of dying itself. Many seem to think the best way to die is in bed while they are sleeping: Quick and painless. And that seems to alleviate the idea of the "pain" of dying and make it seem more tolerable. To be stricken with some kind of disease where one dies slowly and painfully seems tortorous. Or to be laying out on a highway in the midst of automobile debris gasping for the last breathe. In reality, more often than not, the act of dying is instantaneous. I read something from a surgeon who said that once death is inevitable, and your systems start shutting down, it is about a 5 minute process (though he explained it in more graphic detail). So, given even an extreme act of surprise (accident, murder. etc) and the uncertainty of whether we will even have a next breathe, we are 5 minutes from death at any given time.

i cant agree with that after watching my mother die. it was certainly much more than a 5 minute process....the long months of decline and the two weeks of, as hospice put it, actively dying. it was not pleasant, but God was there. she sensed the angels and saw Jesus. i fear pain in dying...but not as much since her death, as I saw God at work in the midst of it. i have no fear of death, since I know where I am going

There is a process of deteroriating health, to be sure, but what twobits is talking about is the physical process of when death occurs. That is what takes 5 minutes.
The deteroration of health is still a process where someone is alive.

Exactly. You have explained it well....

[katiej49]

often it is not so much death that people fear it is dying.

Epicurus supposedly said "Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come, and when death has come, we are not."

I think if one examines the "rationale" behind the fear of dying, that more often than not, the fear is of pain, rather than the actual act of dying itself. Many seem to think the best way to die is in bed while they are sleeping: Quick and painless. And that seems to alleviate the idea of the "pain" of dying and make it seem more tolerable. To be stricken with some kind of disease where one dies slowly and painfully seems tortorous. Or to be laying out on a highway in the midst of automobile debris gasping for the last breathe. In reality, more often than not, the act of dying is instantaneous. I read something from a surgeon who said that once death is inevitable, and your systems start shutting down, it is about a 5 minute process (though he explained it in more graphic detail). So, given even an extreme act of surprise (accident, murder. etc) and the uncertainty of whether we will even have a next breathe, we are 5 minutes from death at any given time.

i cant agree with that after watching my mother die. it was certainly much more than a 5 minute process....the long months of decline and the two weeks of, as hospice put it, actively dying. it was not pleasant, but God was there. she sensed the angels and saw Jesus. i fear pain in dying...but not as much since her death, as I saw God at work in the midst of it. i have no fear of death, since I know where I am going

There is a process of deteroriating health, to be sure, but what twobits is talking about is the physical process of when death occurs. That is what takes 5 minutes.
The deteroration of health is still a process where someone is alive.

As for 'seeing jesus'.. when the brain starts shutting down, hallucinations happen. THe hindus see their religious symbols, the muslims theirs.

i've never a single muslim claiming their loved ones saw allah and or a hindu claiming they saw their religious symbol, whatever it may be.....she was not hallucinating when she sensed the angels were there...this was before the two week period when her body began shutting down.....

[bernee51]

often it is not so much death that people fear it is dying.

Epicurus supposedly said "Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come, and when death has come, we are not."

I think if one examines the "rationale" behind the fear of dying, that more often than not, the fear is of pain, rather than the actual act of dying itself.

When I have contemplated death and dying it is not the physical pain and suffering. It is the feeling of loss. Primarily loss of my relationships with my loved ones. The grief I would expect them to feel at my passiing - (how's that for a self-centred feeling?)

[twobitsmedia]

often it is not so much death that people fear it is dying.

Epicurus supposedly said "Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come, and when death has come, we are not."

I think if one examines the "rationale" behind the fear of dying, that more often than not, the fear is of pain, rather than the actual act of dying itself.

When I have contemplated death and dying it is not the physical pain and suffering. It is the feeling of loss. Primarily loss of my relationships with my loved ones. The grief I would expect them to feel at my passiing - (how's that for a self-centred feeling?)

Good point. In fact, I think I may be guilty of being even more self centered as I didn't even think of other peoples feelings at all...