Psychologist, Corinne Sweet, agrees: “People find death a difficult topic to discuss as it usually brings up a lot of feelings: anxiety, fear, awkwardness, sadness. We tend to pretend, as a culture, that it's not going to happen.
Many of us fear that discussing so important a topic can lead to rifts with the people we love. We don't want to upset anyone. Talking about death can be uncomfortable for everyone—and broaching it with a close loved one can be traumatic or simply awkward.
Many of us live in denial about death — shying away from discussing it — and many medical professionals act as if death is a problem to be solved, rather than a process to be lived. Consequently, while 92% of people believe talking with their loved ones about end-of-life care is important, only 32% of people do so.
A child is never too young to be told if a loved one has died. In general, when talking about death, honesty is the best policy, regardless of age. That said, it's important to talk with your child in a way that matches where they are developmentally.
Open and honest discussion about death and dying can make sure that someone's wishes for end of life are known and respected. It can support those you love through bereavement.
Some of us feel angry. But some of us feel nothing at all. Emotional numbness can be linked with a type of grief called 'inhibited grief,' which is characterised by suppressed emotions. This type of grief may not fit with the way society expects us to behave after a death.
My very basic advice to introverts dealing with grief is to accept your nature and go easy on yourself. You will likely have to endure the rituals associated with the funeral and, for a while after the death, people are probably going to want to check in, call, drop by, and stop you on the street.
THE FEAR OF REJECTION:
In many ways, the fear of public speaking is a form of social anxiety. Much of that stems from a fear of rejection. Even if we do not consciously admit it, most of us are afraid that we will be rejected by others. Public speaking places you in a vulnerable position.
It sounds crazy, but that's what people say. Is there any truth to this? Certainly the vast majority of people rank fear of public speaking as number one – 75% according to the National Institutes of Mental Health.
Introverts are looked down upon for lack of good 'communication skills'. Right from an early age, introverts have to compete very hard with peers, who seem to have no problem in public or interpersonal speaking. What seems to be effortless for peers is actually the most difficult task for an introverted child.
Yes, emotional trauma can cause a person to become a lot more introverted. Along with something as small as a loud noise more traumatic events can clearly change the way that someone acts.
Introverts tend to draw energy from going inwards and being on our own whereas as extroverts tend to draw energy from things that are external to their mind. That is why overly stimulating environments can be energy draining for introverts, leaving us feeling tired, lacking in energy and even stressed.
Absent grief is when someone shows little to no signs of normal grief, such as crying, lethargy, missing the deceased, or anger. Many doctors believe that this kind of grief comes from an underlying avoidance or denial of the loss.
Persistent, traumatic grief can cause us to cycle (sometimes quickly) through the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. These stages are our attempts to process change and protect ourselves while we adapt to a new reality.
After someone dies, it's normal to see or hear them. Some people also reporting sensing the smell or warmth of someone close to them, or just feel a very strong sense of their presence. Sometimes these feelings can be very powerful.
Introverts can become temporarily disillusioned by incidents that leave them feeling slighted, disrespected, overlooked, or mistreated. For a few hours they may become disillusioned not just with the person who caused their anger, but with humanity in general.
Introversion isn't totally genetic. It gets influenced by your environment at a young age, and our genes allow a certain amount of flexibility in response. This happens through “set points,” which are the upper and lower limits of how much extroversion your brain can handle.
Extroverts may live longer than introverts – but not during a pandemic. A US study showed that extroverts had a slightly higher mortality rate than introverts during the first Covid-19 wave in the US. It remains to be seen whether this pattern continued into 2021 and 2022.
While introverts make up an estimated 25% to 40% of the population, there are still many misconceptions about this personality type. It is also important to note that being an introvert does not mean that you are socially anxious or shy.
How common is thanatophobia? Research suggests that death anxiety is common, though people tend not to report their feelings. One study shows that between 3% and 10% of people feel they're more nervous than others about the thought of dying.
Death is the most commonly feared item and remains the most commonly feared item throughout adolescence. A study of 90 children, aged 4–8, done by Virginia Slaughter and Maya Griffiths showed that a more mature understanding of the biological concept of death was correlated to a decreased fear of death.