In the past few years, more and more people fear death. This has triggered multiple scholars to engage in projects and research studies. This is an interesting area of study, which is also known as “Thanatology”. According to a survey that was conducted in 2017, more than 22 percent of Americans were scared of dying. The study also concluded that women were more scared about death. May be because, women are more open to admitting the topic and their fears. On the other hand, some surveys revealed that youngsters daunt the idea of death over elders. The fear of death didn’t increase with age. Instead, it decreased amongst elders. And, if you are worried about death, you are certainly not alone.

So, what causes this fear? Why is it so common? Keep reading to find answers to these questions.

Pain and Suffering

Did you experience a health issue lately? Most of the time, people who are affected by health problems are likely to fear death. This is because they are going through frequent pain and suffering. Healthy people who witness the sicknesses of dear ones, are also likely to be influenced by the pain and suffering. Consequently, they fear death and dying.
In some cases, people who have witnesses those with terminal illnesses, can experience similar emotions.

Knowing the Unknown

Moving on, death is an ultimate and an unknown topic to mankind. No has survived death to explain what happens afterwards. May be, this is why the fear of death is common. The human mind is always curious to know everything. When something cannot be explained or understood, it becomes a puzzle. And, this is when fear creeps in the mind. Did you lose someone dear and near to you lately? If yes, the fear of death is more likely to affect you.

Non Existence?

Death is a cruel topic, which deals with non-existence. If you are someone who doesn’t believe in afterlife and its rewards – you are bound to feel intimidated and clueless. These are common emotions that affect people who don’t want to disappear from the surface of the planet.

A Punishment?

Now, this is a common scenario where people begin to daunt death.

Did you do something mean in the past few days? Or, did you commit a sin that is not approved by your belief or religion? Either ways, you will experience an untold kind of fear within yourself. What would happen if these wrongs are not corrected? What would happen if someone maintains a record of all your mishaps? Eternal punishment can make you fear death.
Regardless of whether you are religious or not, the idea of getting punished for something you did / didn’t do can make life miserable.

Conclusion

On the whole, the fear of death can creep into anyone at any time. In some cases, it proves to be useful and healthy. That is because human beings must act politely and more carefully to reduce the chances of dying. Additionally, the fear of death reminds us to make the best from the very little time we have in this planet.