How To! cover image

How To!

How To Face Your Fear of Dying (Encore)

Oct 29, 2024
Rachel Menzies, a psychologist at the University of Sydney and author of *Tales from the Valley of Death*, joins to tackle the anxiety of dying. She shares insights on how the fear of mortality affects daily life and relationships, especially for those like comedy writer Katie. Menzies suggests unconventional exposure techniques to confront these fears, including the curious idea of lying in a body bag. She emphasizes that engaging with thoughts of death can actually enhance our appreciation of life, sparking transformative conversations around mortality.
34:38

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Confronting death anxiety through exposure therapy and open discussions can help individuals appreciate life and foster deeper connections with loved ones.
  • Engaging with death-related thoughts, such as writing a eulogy, can turn fear into gratitude, allowing for a richer experience of the present.

Deep dives

Understanding Death Anxiety

Death anxiety is a common issue that can significantly impact one's daily life, as illustrated by a listener named Katie, who constantly grapples with thoughts about dying and losing loved ones. The origins of her fear may stem from having older parents, leading her to feel a sense of urgency about the inevitable losses in her life. This preoccupation manifests in her inability to fully enjoy moments with friends or her dog, as thoughts of their future absence overshadow her present experiences. The podcast emphasizes that such anxiety is more prevalent than people realize, affecting many individuals who try to navigate their lives with the weight of these thoughts.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode