Death is a reality of life that many will face, whether they are facing the end of their own life or the death of a loved one. Nevertheless, knowing it is coming does not ensure a person will be ready to deal with death and the pain that comes with it. For many people, the concept of death is as fascinating as it is frightening. Death remains the great unknown, although we can all see it coming (S.K. Whitbourne & Whitbourne, 2020, p. 264). One of life’s dilemmas is that good aging and more extended longevity imply you will have more encounters with death. People around us generally age at the same rate as we do. Many people we know and care for may eventually develop fatal sicknesses over time. Some of them will pass away during our lives. It is of significance that as we live longer, we will continue to lose friends and loved ones to accidents and diseases. While death is an inescapable component of life and an inescapable consequence of age, it does not mean it will not have a profound impact on you.
One of the reasons why sadness is so widespread in older adults is because they are constantly exposed to mortality. Knowing that death will ultimately affect everyone’s life in some manner allows you to be proactive in learning to cope with death and grief. While it is impossible to foretell how grieving will feel, having a support structure in place and the skills necessary to care for one’s mental health can provide a stable foundation from which to work. Whether it is someone else’s or your own, the feelings regarding death are personal and shaped by your life experiences and beliefs. Furthermore, there are several frequent sensations that people have during the dying and death processes. From a psychological standpoint, death and dying carry many layers of meaning. Toward the end of their lives, individuals may begin to shift their identities to incorporate the reality that faces them (S.K. Whitbourne & Whitbourne, 2020, p. 271). While not everyone will go through the stages of grieving in the same sequence or intensity, some feelings are connected with death and dying. The fundamental emotional components of the mourning process are generally acknowledged to include denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, despair, and acceptance.
Many individuals go through emotions in a sequence. One of the first stages of mourning is denial, in which a person struggles or refuses to accept that a loved one is dying. They may take considerable measures to deny or even address the truth of the problem with their loved ones or physicians. Denial seems to be a common first reaction to loss, and once a person has had time to comprehend the truth, they can begin to move on. Throughout this life, it could be concluded that acceptance is the key to maintaining a great mental state. While you cannot always predict how you will respond in a scenario or control the conditions, there are elements of the dying process that you can plan for, as certain cultures do. They are always preparing themselves for death, and the more they prepare for death, the less dread they have. The concept of preparing oneself for life and death is something all people should strive for as death is inevitable, however it is easier said than done, but if acheived can increase and improve resiliency. Death is an individual journey. Family, friends, and faith may help provide tremendous consolation in times of sorrow.
Whitbourne, S. K., & Whitbourne, S. B. (2020). Adult Development and Aging: Biopsychosocial Perspectives (7th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.