Death and Dying: A Psychoanalytic Perspective

Abstract

Modern man does not view death as a natural phenomenon, but as an enemy to be conquered or a reality to be denied. Freud's understanding of death, however, reestablishes death as a natural phenomenon rather than an artificial catastrophe. Death as it is usually experienced is not frightening. It is the inescapably personal opportunity for growth which death thrusts upon one that is terrifying because growth involves loss. The decision open to man in death is to affirm or deny that death is beyond righteousness, retribution, and understanding. When all of these things are given up, then death is man's first and last chance to embrace the utter humanness of his condition.