Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsDiagnosisCausesReasonsTreatmentCoping

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Symptoms

Diagnosis

Causes

Reasons

Treatment

Coping

Thanatophobia is an intensefear of death or dying.For some, this involves a fear of being dead.

Others are afraid of the dying process. A person with thanatophobia can fear their own death or they might fear the death of someone they love.

Many, if not most, people are afraid of dying. However, if the fear is so prevalent as to affect your daily life, then you might have a diagnosablephobia.

What Does Thanatophobia Feel Like?

A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder. TheDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM-5) categorizes phobias into three groups: specific phobias, social phobias, andagoraphobia. Thanatophobia is a specific phobia.

More specifically, an anxiety disorder could produce the following physical symptoms:

If you or a loved one are struggling with a phobia, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one are struggling with a phobia, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

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Phobias are generally not diagnosed until they have been present for more than six months.

Risk Factors

The fear of death can also be present in other conditions and may even be linked to their severity. A 2014 study published inClinical Psychology Reviewtied death anxiety to a number of different mental disorders, includinghypochondriasis,panic disorder, and anxiety and depressive disorders.In addition, a 2019 study linked death anxiety to more severe symptoms across 12 different disorders.

People who deal with thanatophobia may develop related phobias as well.Fears of ghosts, tombstones, funeral homes, and other symbols of death are common, as they can serve as reminders of the main phobia.

Necrophobia: Coping With the Fear of Dead Things

Fear of Death in Children

Achild’s fear of deathcan be devastating to the parent, but may actually be a healthy part of normal development.Children generally lack thedefense mechanisms, religious beliefs, and understanding of death that help adults cope. Whether the fear qualifies as a phobia depends on its severity and the length of time it has been present.

A fear of death is considered a normal childhood fear in adolescents 7 to 16 years old, and is typically not considered a mental health condition.

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The exactcauses of phobiasare not clear. However, they typically develop in childhood and teenage years.An anxiety disorder could be a result of stress over a long period of time, traumatic life events, or genetics.

The Role of Religion

Religion can play a role in someone’s feelings towards death. On the one hand, religion could be a source of comfort in providing answers to the questions about the unknown. On the other, religion could contribute to the idea that the path to salvation is very straight and narrow, and someone could fear that any deviations or mistakes may cause them to be eternally condemned.Current research indicates there is a weak tie between death anxiety and religiosity.

Religious beliefs are highly personalized, and even a therapist of the same general faith may not fully understand a client’s beliefs. If the fear of death is religiously based, it is often helpful to seek supplemental counseling from one’s own religious leader. However, this should never be used to replace traditional mental health counseling.

The Link Between Religion and Fear

Reasons for Thanatophobia

There are numerous reasons for thanatophobia, some of which commonly include the following.

Fear of the Unknown

Thanatophobia may have roots in fears of the unknown. It is part of the human condition to want to know and understand the world around us. What happens after death, however, cannot be unequivocally proven while we are still alive.

Fear of Loss of Control

Like knowledge, control is something for which humans strive. Yet the act of dying is utterly outside anyone’s control. Those who fear the loss of control may attempt to hold death at bay through rigorous and sometimes extreme health checks and other rituals.

Over time, it is easy to see how people with this type of thanatophobia may be at risk forobsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD), illness anxiety disorder (formerly called hypochondriasis), and even delusional thinking.

Fear of Pain, Illness, or Loss of Dignity

Some people with an apparent fear of death do not actually fear death itself. Instead, they are afraid of the circumstances that often surround the act of dying. They may be afraid of crippling pain, debilitating illness, or even the associated loss of dignity.

This type of thanatophobia may be identified through careful questioning about the specifics of the fear. Many people with this type of fear also suffer fromnosophobia(fear of a specific disease), illness anxiety disorder, or other somatoform disorders.

Fear of Abandoning Relatives

Many people who suffer from thanatophobia are not nearly as afraid to die as they are of what would happen to their families after their death.

Resources to Help You With Your Phobia

How Do I Stop Thanatophobia?

The course oftreatmentlargely depends on the person’s personal goals. Are they trying to resolve a religious conflict? Do they simply want to be able to attend Halloween events without panicking? The clinician must first determine the person’s needs and expectations before designing a treatment plan.

Generally, however, treating an anxiety disorder involves psychotherapy, medication, or both.

Psychotherapy

Depending on the circumstances, a variety oftalk therapysolutions may be appropriate in the treatment of thanatophobia. These may range fromcognitive behavioraltopsychoanalytictherapies.

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Supplemental religious counseling, medications, and other therapeutic alternatives—for example,exposure therapy—may also be used in conjunction with psychotherapy.

Medication

Medications used to treat anxiety includebenzodiazapines,selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors(SSRIs), orbeta blockers. Be sure to speak with a healthcare provider if you have questions about whether medication is the right option for your specific situation.

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Coping With Thanatophobia

Whether or not to seek treatment for any phobia is a very personal decision. Regardless of whether you choose to get professional assistance, coping with the fear of death can be an ongoing daily struggle.

Summary

The stress and fear one experiences in thanatophobia are very real. We all have to come to terms with the fact that we cannot live forever. Ultimately, thanatophobia is a fear of the unknown, but if you’re living with this phobia, there are ways to cope through therapy and support.

This article may not cover all the symptoms, treatment, and outcomes of thanatophobia. Be sure to reach out to a mental health professional if you have any concerns.

12 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.APA Dictionary.Thanatophobia.Cleveland Clinic.Thanatophobia (fear of death).National Alliance on Mental Health.Anxiety disorders. Reviewed December 2017.Iverach L, Menzies RG, Menzies RE.Death anxiety and its role in psychopathology: Reviewing the status of a transdiagnostic construct.Clinical Psychology Review. 2014;34(7):580-593. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2014.09.002Menzies RE, Sharpe L, Dar‐Nimrod I.The relationship between death anxiety and severity of mental illnesses.British Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2019;58(4):452-467. doi:10.1111/bjc.12229Stanford Children’s Health.A child’s concept of death.University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.Specific phobias.MedlinePlus.Phobias.Cleveland Clinic.Anxiety disorders. Reviewed December 17, 2020.Bassett JF, Bussard ML.Examining the complex relation among religion, morality, and death anxiety: Religion can be a source of comfort and concern regarding fears of death.Omega (Westport). 2021;82(3):467-487. doi:10.1177/0030222818819343Jong J.Death anxiety and religion.Current Opinion in Psychology. 2021;40:40-44. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.08.004Iverach L, Menzies RG, Menzies RE.Death anxiety and its role in psychopathology: Reviewing the status of a transdiagnostic construct.Clin Psychol Rev. 2014;34(7):580-593. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2014.09.002Additional ReadingAmerican Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Fifth Edition. American Psychiatric Association; 2013.National Institute of Mental Health.Anxiety disorders. Revised July 2018.

12 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.APA Dictionary.Thanatophobia.Cleveland Clinic.Thanatophobia (fear of death).National Alliance on Mental Health.Anxiety disorders. Reviewed December 2017.Iverach L, Menzies RG, Menzies RE.Death anxiety and its role in psychopathology: Reviewing the status of a transdiagnostic construct.Clinical Psychology Review. 2014;34(7):580-593. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2014.09.002Menzies RE, Sharpe L, Dar‐Nimrod I.The relationship between death anxiety and severity of mental illnesses.British Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2019;58(4):452-467. doi:10.1111/bjc.12229Stanford Children’s Health.A child’s concept of death.University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.Specific phobias.MedlinePlus.Phobias.Cleveland Clinic.Anxiety disorders. Reviewed December 17, 2020.Bassett JF, Bussard ML.Examining the complex relation among religion, morality, and death anxiety: Religion can be a source of comfort and concern regarding fears of death.Omega (Westport). 2021;82(3):467-487. doi:10.1177/0030222818819343Jong J.Death anxiety and religion.Current Opinion in Psychology. 2021;40:40-44. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.08.004Iverach L, Menzies RG, Menzies RE.Death anxiety and its role in psychopathology: Reviewing the status of a transdiagnostic construct.Clin Psychol Rev. 2014;34(7):580-593. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2014.09.002Additional ReadingAmerican Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Fifth Edition. American Psychiatric Association; 2013.National Institute of Mental Health.Anxiety disorders. Revised July 2018.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

APA Dictionary.Thanatophobia.Cleveland Clinic.Thanatophobia (fear of death).National Alliance on Mental Health.Anxiety disorders. Reviewed December 2017.Iverach L, Menzies RG, Menzies RE.Death anxiety and its role in psychopathology: Reviewing the status of a transdiagnostic construct.Clinical Psychology Review. 2014;34(7):580-593. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2014.09.002Menzies RE, Sharpe L, Dar‐Nimrod I.The relationship between death anxiety and severity of mental illnesses.British Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2019;58(4):452-467. doi:10.1111/bjc.12229Stanford Children’s Health.A child’s concept of death.University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.Specific phobias.MedlinePlus.Phobias.Cleveland Clinic.Anxiety disorders. Reviewed December 17, 2020.Bassett JF, Bussard ML.Examining the complex relation among religion, morality, and death anxiety: Religion can be a source of comfort and concern regarding fears of death.Omega (Westport). 2021;82(3):467-487. doi:10.1177/0030222818819343Jong J.Death anxiety and religion.Current Opinion in Psychology. 2021;40:40-44. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.08.004Iverach L, Menzies RG, Menzies RE.Death anxiety and its role in psychopathology: Reviewing the status of a transdiagnostic construct.Clin Psychol Rev. 2014;34(7):580-593. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2014.09.002

APA Dictionary.Thanatophobia.

Cleveland Clinic.Thanatophobia (fear of death).

National Alliance on Mental Health.Anxiety disorders. Reviewed December 2017.

Iverach L, Menzies RG, Menzies RE.Death anxiety and its role in psychopathology: Reviewing the status of a transdiagnostic construct.Clinical Psychology Review. 2014;34(7):580-593. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2014.09.002

Menzies RE, Sharpe L, Dar‐Nimrod I.The relationship between death anxiety and severity of mental illnesses.British Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2019;58(4):452-467. doi:10.1111/bjc.12229

Stanford Children’s Health.A child’s concept of death.

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.Specific phobias.

MedlinePlus.Phobias.

Cleveland Clinic.Anxiety disorders. Reviewed December 17, 2020.

Bassett JF, Bussard ML.Examining the complex relation among religion, morality, and death anxiety: Religion can be a source of comfort and concern regarding fears of death.Omega (Westport). 2021;82(3):467-487. doi:10.1177/0030222818819343

Jong J.Death anxiety and religion.Current Opinion in Psychology. 2021;40:40-44. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.08.004

Iverach L, Menzies RG, Menzies RE.Death anxiety and its role in psychopathology: Reviewing the status of a transdiagnostic construct.Clin Psychol Rev. 2014;34(7):580-593. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2014.09.002

American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Fifth Edition. American Psychiatric Association; 2013.National Institute of Mental Health.Anxiety disorders. Revised July 2018.

American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Fifth Edition. American Psychiatric Association; 2013.

National Institute of Mental Health.Anxiety disorders. Revised July 2018.

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