Emotional Responses to the Topic of Death
Most of the time, when I think about the process of death, it makes me feel sad and a little bit scared. This is a fear not about myself but about the close people I can lose. Nevertheless, death is an inseparable part of existence as a biological process. For some people, it comes sooner than later. That is why, despite the departure from life being a natural process, it can be very painful to lose a dear person.
Changes in the Final Stages of Life
The significant changes in the weeks can be general weakness, loss of strength, and ability to move, but at the same time, death is seen as a relief from suffering. Days before death, a person can be calm and focused on spiritual or personal thoughts. An individual may become physically unable to move in hours before death, as well as can calm down and stop fighting death.
The Dying Person’s Most Challenging Experience
The Fault of Our Stars, directed by Josh Boone, is one of the most prominent dramas in cinematography, which represents the process of dying of the main heroine, Hazel. The changes in her life came when she was diagnosed with cancer. During this process, she faced fear, anxiety, and different emotions before she accepted her mortality and the fact of dying at a young age. The limited time before the end has made her look at life from a different angle.
The most difficult experience for Hazel was the knowledge about inevitable passing away, because of which she lost many regular joys of life. She struggled with her fear of death, but in the meantime, she tried to live a full life. For Hazel’s close people, who watched her fade away, it was a heartbreaking experience. They felt helplessness and powerlessness before her suffering. The mutual process of farewell and loss became difficult for them.
Guidance on Supporting a Dying Person
Helping a dying human tolerate death is a great moral responsibility. It is crucial to support and listen to their needs and feelings. It is also important to be aware of their wishes and issues related to the loss of life and try to create comfortable conditions for their comfort. According to Wallace et al. (2020), “Quality communication, advance care planning (ACP), and provider self-care are three recommended practices that can assist now in addressing this changed landscape of grief.” (p. 73). People who understand and emotionally accept the possibility of dying show better outcomes in terms of quality of existence.
Reference
Wallace, C. L., Wladkowski, S. P., Gibson, A., & White, P. (2020). Grief during the COVID-19 pandemic: considerations for palliative care providers. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 60(1), 70-76. Web.
Loading...
