Response to death anxiety article

Death Anxiety

The thing that struck me most in the article is that religious belief or a specific concept of the afterlife is not so much necessary to reduced death anxiety as a sense of meaning in this life creates a platform for reduced anxiety. For my non-religious friend, I would therefore not try to enter into any religious discussions. I believe that this would only increase her anxiety, since there are so many divergent beliefs, and nobody can really say with certainty what will happen in the afterlife. So rather, as the article suggests, I would focus on what she already has in her life to help her reduce the anxiety.

The first thing I would do is talk to her about the anxiety that her lack of religious belief is causing for her. I would address this first, since this seems to be the major cause of her anxiety. I would let her know that nobody has any idea what happens after death. It could be that nothing happens and we simply cease to exist. It could also be that we go to some sort of afterlife. I would tell her that these ideas don't matter as much as what we do with the lives that we are aware of and we know we get. I would then use this as a starting point for our discussion about the meaning in her particular life.

The first thing I would ask is what, her life, is meaningful to her. I would, for example, ask her about her children. For a woman, the successful growth and entry into public and professional life of their children is a major source of meaning. Because she is older, it would be likely that her children are grown. I would ask her about them and how she feels about them. I would also ask her how they feel about her and if they talk regularly. If they don't talk very regularly, I would suggest that she contact her children on a more regular basis, and even to arrange visits. Children and grandchildren can add great meaning to life, since they are a manifestation of the fact that one has existed and loved in this life. I would also encourage her to cultivate the love she has for her children, since love itself is one of the primary purposes of human life. From this basis, I would then ask her about her husband or partner. If this person is still living, I would ask her about the relationship, whether it is a good one, and whether she finds it meaningful. If she is still with her husband or partner after years of raising children and after they were grown, it is likely that there is a significant bond between my friend and her partner. Even if he had died, there is still the potential to make meaning based on the relationship she had. Again, if love was the basis for this relationship, it is likely to help my friend find meaning in the love that existed between herself and her partner. I could even ask her to share some good memories of her family and her youth with me. This would start the next part of my conversation.

In talking to my friend about her family, I would gradually steer the conversation towards her memories and encourage her to share good memories with me. These could include her family or memories from her life with friends or coworkers. These memories could trigger further meaningful feelings in her, as it is probable that there are several good memories of her past, which indicates a good relationship with her family and friends. I would also ask her about her current circle of friends and what she likes to do with them.