Ch. 14, Death and Dying

Our society in the United States is afraid of death. As Hillier and Barrow (2011) state, “Have you ever used the word died and had the uncomfortable feeling that those with whom you were talking considered the word too direct and in bad taste? “Passed away” or “passed on” might be the preferred phrase—but not “dead”.” Why is dead such a dirty word today? The truth is that as a society, we are afraid of it. It seems dark and lonely. There are so many negative things involved with it that it is, in fact, a dirty word. It makes people flinch as if you cursed. I believe as social workers we need to break down this barrier. Especially in hospice where death is being dealt with daily. It is easier for someone to accept what is happening to their loved one if you use those words. While they may seem harsh at first, they begin the pathway to acceptance. Now this does not mean that we should embrace death with open arms, death is a very natural thing to be scared of. Hillier and Barrow (2011) state, “Fear of death is a normal human condition—we struggle for our life, and for the lives of others, and we desperately desire to avoid unknowns. But are people more fearful, or less fearful, at different ages?” They go on to say that there are different factors besides age that can account for this fear. Hiller and Barrow (2011), “Most observers and philosophers agree that fear of death is innate in all individuals, regardless of age, and that it provides direction for life’s activities”. As I mentioned before, I think it’s up to social workers to help people understand and handle this fear.