Haunted by Deadly Ghosts

The main theme of this article is death, and in particular how we manage the end-of-life process, grief, and the subsequent importance of remembrance. It draws on the notion that people aren’t really dead until the memories of them are gone. It is noted that, no matter how prepared people think they are for the death of those close to them, it always comes as a shock. In this context, the article touches also on the grieving process, and how grief has no statute of limitations. Furthermore, the article also addresses how we deal with people who are dying and explores why this concluding of a life cycle elicits questions as to how far an individual may have embraced life as a journey well lived as opposed to one colored by regrets and missed opportunities. In addition, the article points out that the development of the frontal lobes (the last part of the human brain to develop) that has enabled Homo sapiens to imagine the future, also comes with a keen awareness of the inevitability of death. Burdened by this cognitive/emotive awareness, human beings may suffer from serious pangs of death anxiety, technically described as “thanatophobia”. It is noted how psychologically difficult it may be to confront the disintegration and decay of the body, and the equally difficult idea of disappearing into a void. The article goes on to dissect the suggested causes of thanatophobia, noting that it may be reduced by the presence of the hedonic treadmill—the human characteristic that allows an individual to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness (or sadness) despite experiencing major positive or negative events or life changes such as death. The final section of the article observes how much of human existence stems from people who have attempted to find ways to transcend death. Typically, this may take the form of various "immortality projects" (e.g., legacy, achievements) to cope with the fear of death. Here, it is also suggested that the meaning of life is not confined to some hidden, mysterious realm only discovered after death, but, on the contrary, can be found by living life to the fullest in the present. It concludes with the suggestion that people can find purpose and meaning in striving to live well.