Death Anxiety and its Prevalence in Women

Introduction

In today’s modern society, death anxiety’s prevalence has never been stronger. Its status as being the end of humanly life and with the decrease of mainstream religion no longer giving purpose after death many individuals fear what will happen to them, and their loved ones, when they are no longer here (Bruce Richards 2007). Although society’s conception of dying is to let others deal with their deceased, fifty years ago, the family played a major role looking after all aspects of burial. This closer connection through all stages of death meant not only were they able grieve together but they also held stronger relationships and understanding of what happens when humans die. Often, because of shorter life spans, families experienced death more consistently, with children frequently sleeping with a picture of a deceased brother or sister in their room. This is completely unlike today’s society where death is barely spoken nor seen in such consistency.

The prevalence of death anxiety is often higher with women due to increased responsibility and status that women hold in families. The paternal bond between children and mothers often never leaves. The truth is that mothers always want the best for their children and look out for their well being, even when they have left their care. This increased fear for women, that their children will be alone and defenseless when they die, is a major attribute to why death is such a fearful demise. Proving this point is the in fluctuation of cosmetics and elective surgery, which allege to sustain youthfulness and vitality. Both continuing on the misconception that if one looks and feels young, then they have a greater chance of maintaining youth, and in return, a longer life.

The concept of morality was believed to have developed 150, 000 thousand years ago (Wikipedia, 2007b). Through the evolutionary period, a basic method was created to deal with death anxiety and also as a means of dealing with loss. Denial is used when memories or feelings are too painful to accept and are often rejected. By retaining that the event never happened rather then accepting it, allows an individual more time to work through the pain that is inevitable. When a loved one dies in a family, denial is often implemented as a means to come to grips with the reality that the person is gone. Closer families often deal with death better then when coping individually. As society and families drift apart so does the time spent with bereaving those who have died, which in return, leads to negative emotion and negativity towards death.

Death anxiety’s prevalence in women is often greater because of the closer connection and bond which atypically is held stronger, then those in men. Women, who are the child bearer and often the one’s who look after children hold greater concerns about death due to their caring role within the family. Without a mother, infant animals in the wild often die. It is this in-built mechanism in women that leads to greater death anxiety and the ‘importance to live’ for her offspring. Although it is common knowledge that all living creatures die, many people do not accept there own mortality, preferring not to accept that death is inevitable, and that they, will one day die.

Types of Death Anxiety

According to Robert Langs, M.D. there are three types of death anxiety; predatory death anxiety, predation death anxiety and existential death anxiety. It is these separate entities which make treating individuals so complicated because death anxiety is often a preconception of the fear of what is to come after life. Being able to adequately determine what individuals are reacting to devises better understanding of what means are available to reeducate and reform their attitudes to death.

Predatory death anxiety occurs when receptors act against external threats. The psychoanalytic comparison of flight or fight creates reflex psychological decisions about self protection and the events able to lead away from danger (Wikipedia, 2007a). Often, when predatory anxiety occurs subconscious reasoning takes over. An example of death anxiety can be seen when certain individuals, who hold great concern about snakes, are confronted and forced to fight or flight. It is a common occurrence for some individuals to run as far as possible subconsciously, and then only realize what has happened minutes later after adrenaline has stopped being introduced into their system.

Predation death anxiety occurs when an individual compulsively harms another, either physically or mentally. It is considered being an unconscious entity with the person inflicting self-punitive negative decisions against themselves or others (Wikipedia, 2007a). Unlike predatory or predation death anxiety, existential death anxiety occurs when an individual consciously and unconsciously anticipates and acknowledges the fact that they are going to die. This form of death anxiety is the most pronounced and often is counteracted by the body’s defense system through denial. Although denial is a normal phenomenon, individuals who exhibit existential death anxiety often form excessive emotions evolving death and dying (Langs, 2006).

Reasons Behind Death anxiety

Death anxiety has always occurred, though, only recently has it gained so much momentum in society. Gone are the days when families were involved with all aspects of death and bereavement, instead, commercial or planned death is now the social norm. In a way, this movement away from family bereavement and being able to fully accept death has brought about more problems then solutions. Where once it was normal to experience death regularly, because of modern medicine, death is occurring later in life. If we were to consider life 50 years ago, it wouldn’t be unnatural for a child to have a picture of a deceased brother or sister in their room. However, this type of phenomena barely occurs nowadays. Often children are considered to young to understand the passing of a loved one, this lack of connection and understanding related to death and bereavement often scares parents into falsifying or beautifying death rather then giving infinitive and truthful answers. The secretive and elusiveness around death causes misunderstandings for children, as well, who develop negative feelings towards death, often a fear and anxiety carried further into adulthood.

In 1973, a study conducted by Feifel and Branscombe concluded that when emotionally challenging words are used, called the Stroop test, patients suffering death anxiety take longer to name words with emotional attachments. Similarly, Basset and Dabbs (2003) found that correlation between death anxiety and age went up with younger generations. The reason behind younger generations experiencing higher amounts of death anxiety has many facets. The Breakdown of religion; diverse family relationships spanning across the globe, planned death, death being concealed or hidden from children, and the lack of time for bereavement all have increased the elusiveness behind dying. The purpose of driven life has also changed. Once, when people were more devoted to religion it gave meaning to the pitiful and disheartening existence they lived. It explained death and the reason for living in such adversity, as well as the hope of one-day seeing their loved ones again. But times have changed, in our socioeconomic lifestyle, religion is diminishing, and with it, also the acceptance of death.

Death anxiety often correlates with past experiences of death and bereavement. If families grieved the passing of loved ones together in a healthy and natural manner then often no negative emotions are connected with the loss.

Cultural stereotyping males and females into different categories often leads to prolonged problems in life. It is often associated with males that “real men don’t cry”, which forms misconceptions of what methodology men are required to grieve to. It is this loss of emotional release which increases death anxiety among men, where women are allowed to cry, men ‘bottle’ there emotions often unhealthily, establishing negative feelings about death and eventually what will happen when they themselves die.

Females are in-built with paternal instincts. Unlike males, who after mating often no longer feel the strong connection to protect their offspring further into life, women develop relationships with their children and envision to protect them through all circumstances. This bond often leads to feelings of guilt when a mother becomes ill or is about to die. The paternal instincts to protect their children is still apparent, and because of this, death anxiety occurs due to the realization that they will no longer be able to protect their children after they’re deceased.

Death anxiety is more prevalent in women because of paternal instinct, closer relationships and emotional reflection of what will happen to friends and family when they are no longer here. This is also why cosmetic and elective medicine have become so popular, especially to women. The belief that to look young means you are young is a trend and misconception that many women now fall for. By promoting products to maintain youthfulness, manufactures are nearly always guaranteed to do well.

With the nature of death anxiety playing on so many people’s minds, society is now moving backwards rather then forwards. There is now more fear and concern connected to death then at any other time in history. Planned death is now larger then ever with an increase of elderly people in society on the rise, more retirement homes, hospitals and in-home care will be needed to accommodate the influx. Trends change, so do perceptions of retirement homes and what people want. Where once retirement homes, which had a bed, toilet and bathroom, were considered luxury, people now expect and can afford extravagances of five-star motels. The ideology of being as comfortable as possible when people approach death is now instilled in the values of today’s elderly. With the strong socioeconomic situation that many in the western world have, it is no wonder that elderly and palliative care institutions have increased to the high standard they are today. If painkillers are issued when necessary, and the needs of patients are met, then the life for the retired and aged is still filled with worth and enjoyment for the remainder of their lives.

The Dimensions of Death Anxiety

Fear of death is multidimensional rather then one unitary entity. In western culture, socialization brings about the values and concerns that death is unnatural and should be feared. Often, when people are approaching death they become secluded and isolated. The fear, particularly in women, of no longer being able to look after their children, the prospects of their monetary commitments and feelings of guilt associated with their own mortality are all characteristics common with death anxiety. The need to accept and also acknowledge that death is inevitable is a reality many in today’s culture do not want to accept. Franklin D. Roosevelt in his inaugural speech demonstrated the power of fear and the acceptance that can unite a nation, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”, this may be one of the most memorable quotations about death anxiety and fear.

A study in 1982, suggested four dimensions of death anxiety, being; fear of the unknown; fear of suffering; fear of loneliness and fear of personal extinction (Pers, 1982 ). All of these entities can be demonstrated as being stronger in women with expressed fear of pain and bodily decomposition common (J A Thorson, 1988).

Measuring Death Anxiety

There are many ways to measure death anxiety and fear. Katenbaum and Aeinsberg (1972) devised three propositions for this measurement. From this start, the ideologies about death anxiety have been able to be recorded and their attributes listed. Methods such as imagery tasks (Feifel, 1955) to simple questionnaires and apperception tests such as the Stroop test (Stroop, 1935), enable psychologists to adequately determine if a person is under stress due to death anxiety or suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

The Lester attitude death scale was developed in 1966 but not published until 1991 until its validity was proven (Mooney, 1999). By measuring the general attitude towards death and also the inconsistencies with death attitudes, participants are scaled to their favorable value towards death.

Using the Multidimensional Fear of Death Scale (MFODS) a recent study in 2003 determined older women have a higher fear of the dead. Similarly, Caucasian participants displayed a higher fear of dying than older African American participants (SJ Depaola, 2003). From this, it can be clearly seen that women have a higher prevalence of death anxiety compared to men.

Conclusion

Anxiety about death is rife within western culture. Its prevalence, particularly with women, is a disparage upon today’s society. The findings by (SJ Depaola, 2003) clearly demonstrate the profound cultural influence that society dictates.

Death is an integral part of life and acceptance is the first step.

Reference

Bruce, R. (2006). Using Media to Share the Catholic Faith. Retrieved 20/3/07, from http://www.geocities.com/richleebruce/mystat.html

Feifel, H. (1955). Attitudes of metally ill persons towards death (Publication.: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&list_uids=13307272&dopt=citation

Firestone, R. W. (1985). The Fantasy Bond. Retrieved 2 March 2007.

Gerzon, R. (2007). The two poles of existance: Life anxiety and death anxiety. Retrieved 2 March 2007, 2007, from http://www.beyondindigo.com/articles/article.php/artID/200031

J A Thorson, F. C. P. (Writer) (1988). Elements of death anxiety and meanings of death., PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE.

Langs, R. (2006). ‘Love and Death in Psychotherapy’ [Electronic Version]. Retrieved 26 August 2006.

Liedloff, J. (1977). The Continuum Concept. (Revised edition New York).

Mooney, D. C. (1998). End of life studies.

Mooney, D. C. (1999). Construct Validity of the Revised Collett-Lester Fear of Death and Dying Scale.

Neimyer, R. A. (1998). Omega Death Anxiety Research.

Pers, J. (1982 ). Measuring death anxiety: conceptual, psychometric, and factor-analytic aspects. 775-785.

Réal Beaulieu, M., MFT, Primal Therapist. (2005, 2 April 2007). On The Origins of Death Anxiety. from http://primal-page.com/beau3.htm

RICE, H. J. (2000). THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMOR AND DEATH ANXIETY. from http://clearinghouse.missouriwestern.edu/manuscripts/153.asp

Robert Langs, M. D. (2006). Death Anxiety, Unconscious Morality, and Extremes of Violence [Electronic Version]. Retrieved 5 March 2007 from http://www.escp.org/death_anxiety.html.

SJ Depaola, M. G., JR Young, RA Neimeyer (2003). Death anxiety and attitudes toward the elderly among older adults: the role of gender and ethnicity. Auburn University–Montgomery, Montgomery, Alabama, USA., from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=Display&DB=pubmed

Stroop, J. R. (1935). STUDIES OF INTERFERENCE IN SERIAL VERBAL REACTIONS. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 18, 643-662.

Wikipedia. (2007). Anxiety. Retrieved 2 March 2007, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxiety

Wikipedia. (2007, 12 January 2007). Morality from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved 2 April 2007, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morality