Chapter 23
Bravely Conquer Fear Of Death
“All Who Are Born Must Die!” Death is an inevitable truth and no one can escape death. Despite knowing this, many of us dread the very thought of ‘death’. This fear is so intense that it robs you of your peace and happiness, thus making your life miserable. Once the fear of death in an individual intensifies, it is called thanatophobia. While some experts opine that continuous fear of death may be the consequence of anxiety, others are of the view that fear of death is not the effect of anxiety but a phobia in itself.
Thanatophobia is indeed curable and there are several ways to conquer this fear. Once you learn to overcome this fear, you allow yourself to live a happy and peaceful life.
Accept the Fear of Death!
Accept the fact that as and when the body grows old and become diseased, it has to ultimately die. This is the law of nature and none can challenge it. Once you acknowledge this fact, your mind will be at ease. However, during the initial phase, the fear may haunt you again the very next moment. In such a situation, you are advised to take a pen and paper so that you can write down all your fears related to death. Do not hold yourself back; but pour your heart out. This is a crucial step that is quite effective for dealing with Thanatophobia, as it helps you identify your fears so that you can take fruitful measures to drive to away from your mind. The act of jotting down your fears will not only liberate you but also empower you to dump your fear.
Conquering Thanatophobia
The moment fear of death grips your mind, it tries to conquer you and make you depressed. This fear may grow intense as a result of the death of your loved ones. This fear lingers on your mind as long as you stay anxious and morose owing to the death of someone; and once this feeling subsides, your fear too leaves you. However, if you still experience anxiety at the thought of death, you must seek the assistance of a counselor who can guide you positively to deal with the phobia. Wise men are those who rarely ponder over the inevitable.
It is a known fact that once day we will quit this world. However, problem lies with the fact that the transient characteristic of life strikes our mind suddenly and the idea of dying or losing our loved ones fills our mind with sadness and fear, thus preventing us from living life to the fullest.
Nevertheless, you can utilize this understanding of death for bringing in optimistic actions in your life. It is true that repressing a thought never helps you get rid of it; however, it makes you dwell over the thought all the more. So, it is advisable not to shun those thoughts completely; rather you should try to relax and chill whenever such thoughts cross your mind. You will realize that once you are relaxed, the fear of death won’t grasp you and you can slowly you will be able to drive such thoughts away. What matters is how you react to your anxieties and negative thoughts; not what you think about your thoughts.
This practice also prepares you to face any unforeseen circumstance in future with courage and strength. So what are you waiting for? Start facing your fear right away!