What Does It Mean to Have Thanatophobia?

If you have thanatophobia, it means you have a fear of death or dying. People with thanatophobia may be afraid of their own death, of the death of family and friends, or of the dying process itself. Research has found that most people have between low and medium levels of anxiety surrounding death. However, when you have thanatophobia, you have an extreme fear of death.

Thanatophobia is a specific phobia that occurs when you hyper-fixate on a particular fear, become consumed with anxiety, and have difficulty functioning in your daily life. Specific phobias are common, with about 12.5% of adults experiencing one during their lifetime.

Symptoms of Thanatophobia 

Thanatophobia may look different from person to person, depending on their personality, age, and life circumstances. Young children commonly fear death and may develop phobias around it. It’s thought that elderly people are less afraid of death itself but are more afraid of the dying process.

People who experience a phobia of death usually experience intense feelings of anxiety, dread, fear, or “doom and gloom” at the mere mention of death or any references to it. The fear of death also often coincides with fears about:

• What happens to the body and consciousness after death
• Time slipping away
• Suffering that can take place when someone is dying
• Being alone and lonely
• The unknown aspects of death

When someone lives with a specific phobia, they not only experience anxiety when hearing or thinking about the thing they fear but may also develop signs of a panic attack (fast heartbeat, trouble breathing, racing thoughts, feelings of danger) when confronted with their fear. It's common for people with thanatophobia to go of their way to avoid the thing they fear, which might result in avoidance behaviors.

Thanatophobia can affect all aspects of your life. Research has found that death anxiety is often linked to poor sleep, which may include trouble falling asleep, nightmares, and frequent dreams where death is represented.

Causes

No one knows for sure what causes thanatophobia. In general, specific phobias are thought to be caused by a combination of psychological, genetic, biological, and social factors. In terms of death anxiety specifically, experts theorize that this fear may develop because of religious influences and the psychological state a person is in. For instance, people who are more prone to anxiety generally may be more likely to develop thanatophobia.

Unresolved and unconscious psychological issues may be at play. One theory is that if an adult finds it challenging to separate psychologically from their parents, they often develop anxiety that centers around the death of their parents. Another theory is that thanatophobia comes from an existential conflict between a human drive for self-preservation and the inevitability of death.

Other factors may also increase the risk of developing thanatophobia, including:

• Experiencing low self-esteem
• Not having religious or spiritual beliefs
• Being in poor health
• Lacking a sense of purpose in life
• Not being able to develop close relationships with others
• Living with anxiety and depression

How To Diagnose Thanatophobia

Almost all humans fear death to some extent. It’s normal to have a fear of death, and this fear can feel intense at times. However, to be diagnosed with thanatophobia, you have to meet some specific criteria. Your healthcare provider also has to ensure that your phobia symptoms aren't due to another underlying mental health condition.

If you are experiencing fears about death that are taking over your life and making it hard for you to function at home, at school, at work, or in social situations, you should visit a healthcare provider. If they believe you may have thanatophobia, they will refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist for a more thorough clinical evaluation.

Your mental health provider may diagnose you with thanatophobia if you:

• Live with significant and pervasive fears about dying, the process of death, or the death of loved ones
• Experience immediate and significant feelings of fear when you hear about death
• Go out of your way to avoid thinking about or being faced with death
• Are experiencing extremely intense fear compared to normal levels of death anxiety
• Have had these symptoms for six months or more
• Feel your anxiety is affecting your school, work, or social life

Treatment Options

Treatments for thanatophobia are similar to treatments for other specific phobias. These treatments usually involve therapy, though sometimes medications may help. Two main types of therapy can help treat specific phobias, which include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Helps you recognize the thoughts related to your phobia and teaches you ways to reframe these thoughts and manage them more effectively
• Exposure therapy: Requires you to expose yourself to the thing you fear within the safe space of a therapy office to help you become more comfortable with your fear

Although medications are not usually used to treat specific phobias, they can help in certain circumstances. For example, anti-anxiety medications like benzodiazepines (such as Xanax, Ativan, and Klonopin) can help you in situations where you will be faced with your fear and need a way to feel calmer after experiencing anxiety.

How To Prevent Thanatophobia

Researchers are not yet sure if thanatophobia can be prevented. However, people who complete treatment for thanatophobia (usually in the form of therapy) are likely to keep many of their symptoms at bay and have fewer recurrences of the phobia. However, some maintenance therapy is often necessary for complete remission.

At times, adjunct therapies, such as meditation, relaxation techniques, and hypnosis, can help prevent future episodes of thanatophobia.

Related Conditions

Several conditions may occur alongside thanatophobia. You may be more likely to develop the following conditions if you have thanatophobia:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Panic disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Hypochondriasis (health or illness anxiety)
  

Living With Thanatophobia

Thanatophobia can be temporary for some, but for many people, this phobia is lifelong. However, treatments like CBT and exposure therapy can be very effective at reducing the hold that thanatophobia has on your life. Living with any type of phobia can feel challenging, but advocating for yourself and getting the support and care you need helps you live well with your fears.