When Death Becomes Real

It's not that I'm afraid to die. I just don't want to be there when it happens.
Woody Allen.

Nobody, at least nobody in his normal mind, wants to die. Humans are wired to live and enjoy the gift of life. And since we love life so much, we are afraid of its opposite – death. The fear of death is normal, but to the extreme, it becomes an unhealthy condition. If it is an irrational fear, it is called Thanatophobia, or fear of death. These are people who live every day avoiding any incident that might cause death. They don’t want to see pictures of dead people. They refuse to watch anything on TV that talks about death. These can be treated as a mental problem and can be healed with the appropriate intervention based on clear diagnosis.

But there are people who are afraid of dying based on a solid reason: it could be that they have a terminal condition such as cancer; or their age makes death real. What are some of the issues attached to the fear of death:

a. Religious and Spiritual Concerns

Death is a theme among the major world’s religions. The promise of life after death depends so much on the life lived here on earth. For these people, they are afraid of death because they believe they have not done enough that will make them worth of the afterlife. What therapists can do is to help clarify real from imaginary concerns. They can work with their religious leaders and spiritual directors to thresh out these issues.

b. Physical Issues

Some people fear death because of their concerns about the pain that it brings. It is not so much the death that they are afraid of, but the moments of intense pain that the days prior to death might bring. These are real fears and it is best that counselors and therapists work with the rest of the pain management team to ease out the fears and concerns of patients. However, for people who are not even sick physically but are still paralyzed by the fear of death due to physical reasons are already considered Thanatophobic. A good hypnosis session can help clarify the roots of this phobia.

c. Fear of the Unknown and Loss of Control

Death is the ultimate form of surrender and letting go. And other people, especially those who are addicted to control (control freaks, to use a street language) are afraid of losing their power to control their life and their destiny. A session with a therapist can identify the root cause of this fear. It is better for people to find a balance between control and letting go.

Author's Bio: 

Cathrine Margit Moller was born and raised in Denmark
She began her career in radio and television, and worked in that capacity until moving to Canada in 1998.

For the past twenty-six years, she has pursued a career in the healing arts at the same time, focusing on alternative health care and healing. By training under some of the leading wellness experts in the world, Cathrine keeps escalating her quest toward personal excellence, so she can offer you the best of the healing arts. This has included studies in Denmark, the U.S., Canada, and England, studying under leading experts in alternative medicine.

Her background in hypnotherapy is extensive. In 1999, she was certified Hypnotist by the 'National Guild of Hypnotists' and certified Master Hypnotist at the 'Ontario Hypnosis Centre' in 2000. Her work in hypnosis and hypnotherapy is diverse, and includes clinical use of hypnosis designed to empower her clients in areas ranging from the stresses and problems of their everyday lives, to past life regressions, and Self-Hypnosis training. She has also been certified as a hypnocoach by Dr. Lisa Halpin.
Her expertise also includes Somatic Healing, Reconnective Healing, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), NGH, and Reiki, all of which offer powerful but simple solutions to a range of physical and emotional issues. She also offers NLP, which offers additional access to identifying self-limiting behaviors. These techniques are discussed at more length elsewhere on this site.

Her Personal Mission Statement
Cathrine sees people as incredible beings of infinite potential, whom she can empower and guide toward fulfilling on their goals and their dreams. As an Intuitive, Cathrine knows the Universe and trusts it to steer her in the right direction. Her goal is to help people, and enable them to find their full potential, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Her greatest joy is in seeing a person evolve into all they can become, on every level.

She looks for the miracles in everyday life, and uses them to connect strongly to the forces that enable her to tap into the forces that have shaped a person’s life. As an intuitive, she uses her abilities to uncover the old and unproductive patterns that keep people “stuck,” working with them to purge the unproductive patterns that entrap them.

Cathrine’s own life has had personal challenges that have informed and transformed her, the most significant being when she was diagnosed with apparent MS. Rather than regarding this as a limitation, she has embraced it and used for personal transformation. Working with it in her personal practice, she has not only brought herself back to good health, but has used it to inform and illuminate her life’s path