Addressing fear of death and dying: traditional and innovative interventions

Abstract

ABSTRACT The fear of death and dying is a multifaceted and prevalent source of human distress that can cause significant psychological and existential distress, especially at the end of life. Analysing current therapeutic approaches to this issue to identify promising modalities and knowledge gaps could improve end of life experiences and reduce human suffering. In this systematically constructed review, we analyse recent literature to explore treatments for thanatophobia. Effective intervention strategies for fear of death and dying do exist, but all have practical and therapeutic limitations. Psychotherapy appears to be an effective tool at reducing death anxiety. Mindfulness exercises are able to reduce anxiety as well but are not often associated with a change in afterlife belief. Psychedelics dissociate mind from body, causing a mystical experience that has been shown to reduce death anxiety, but restrictions on their use limit their availability for therapy. Virtual reality appears to have the potential to reduce death anxiety, possibly by simulating an out-of-body experience and strengthening belief in an afterlife. Although some interventions appear to have a positive impact on fear of death and dying, the literature does not support a clearly superior therapeutic approach.