We are all dying so why are you afraid?
Death is inevitable; it’s a natural process of nature. You probably know someone who passed away, attended their funeral, and felt the loss and sadness that comes with it. But what is it about death that we are so afraid of?
Is being afraid of death always Thanatophobia?
The extreme fear of death can be rooted in the fear of the unknown, and in this case, the unknown is what happens after death. We don’t know for sure what happens after we die.
Most people do have a fear of dying; while some people have a fear of being dead, others may be more afraid of the act of dying. However, this fear of death or dying isn’t exactly a phobia. Once the fear becomes prevalent to where it affects your daily life, then it may be classified as a phobia. (Fritscher, 2021, Filippo, 2006)
So, no. You don’t have a phobia of death just because you are afraid of dying. Instead, you have a normal response to something natural. You have the drive to do what you can to prolong life and to live meaningfully. You avoid death in ways that are reasonable, like making sure you eat, drinking water, reasonably avoiding places and events that you deem are dangerous like a dark alley, or rock climbing without proper gear or training.
