Death Denying Or Accepting?

Question 1

What is death-denial?

Answer 1

Avoiding or refusing to acknowledge one’s fear of death and dying
Those with belief we are DD argue fear of death is universal and denial is primary response

Question 2

How does death denial present in Australia?

Answer 2

Western societies deritualise death and mourning
Die in health case setting - medicalises death
Funeral organised by commercial organisations

Question 3

Why does this occur in western societies?

Answer 3

Nature of individualistic cultures
Focus on individual instead of family and community connections
Lose supports that would have minimised the negative impact of death on family members

Question 4

What is death acceptance?

Answer 4

Accepting death as a neutral reality, passageway to happy afterlife or escape from painful life

Question 5

Who is death accepting?

Answer 5

Found more in elderly and those with religious belief in afterlife
Research shows belief in God and afterlife negatively correlated with death anxiety, positively correlated with death acceptance

Question 6

How is Australia death accepting?

Answer 6

Latest Aus census - 22% no religion
Majority religious
Most religions believe in afterlife
Could suggest most of Australia is death accepting