Summary of the Book, On the Fear of Death, by Kubler Ross

Summary of “On the Fear of Death”

Considering the book, On the Fear of Death, the author explains a number of aspects that revolve around modern and traditional perspectives of health care and the philosophies about death. As such, death is seen as a universal happening that threatens and is most feared by man. The author analyses a myriad experience that entangle people in their day to day life as they battle with health challenges and finally the fear of death (Kubler-Ross 148). Therefore, the essay aims at examining the summary of the author’s ideas and opinions on sicknesses, modern and cultural perspectives on medication, and finally the fear of death.

Health Challenges and Changing Perspectives

According to the author, every man is conscious about their being and the society in which they stay. As such, the nature of pain that men undergo yields fear, hatred, threats, loss of self-esteem, unrest, and distress. Consequently, these alters the behavior of man in their environment. One of the key painful experience stressed by the author is sickness which is the source of anguish and finally death. Since time memorial, man has been battling with sickness, psychosomatic disturbances, and wide spread epidemics. Ross brings out the differences or the strides that have been made in the medical arena. For instance, in the past sick used to be treated carelessly and without proper attention. This left myriad people lose their lives due lack of drugs, medicine, machines to diagnose the patients, and qualified personnel to attend to the sick. As a result, many people died and these led to high rate of infant mortality rate registered by then. However, in the recent past the method of treatment of the sick has exponentially changed. Today, the medical field and scientific discoveries have assured man of long life. The use of modern medical equipment and techniques such as lancers, scanners, X-rays, chemotherapy, and vaccination by qualified medical officers has improved treatment of man, as the author says, the use of chemotherapy, especially the antibiotics, has contributed to an ever decreasing number of fatalities in infectious diseases (Kubler-Ross 148). The changes that have been experienced have altered the perspective and the belief of people about death and health care especially health education.

Role of Other Organizations and Personnel

Other than the medical department, Ross highlights other organizations and personnel that have helped boost or tackle what the pedestrians would handle. These organizations and personnel include the chaplains, religious leaders, social workers, and counselling units. In this regard, cases of sicknesses have been reduced drastically. For instances, cases of truancy, drug abuse, and psychological disorder are handled not only by the psychiatrists but also the religious leaders, social workers, and chaplains (Kubler-Ross 150).

The Fear of Death and its Impact

Also, Ross considers death as a painful and distasteful experience by man on the face of the earth. She associates it with bad acts and frightening experiences that destroy the peace and the mood of the general public. In the view of the author, describes death as a universal problem that not only leaves people lonely but also builds terrifying emotions, feelings, and views in people. The patients who are in emergency rooms always have a feeling that death and dying is striking them any moment of their life when bedridden, as the Ross says, our presumed patient has now reached the emergency room. He will be surrounded by nurses, orderlies, interns, residents, and all relatives see death ahead of them (Kubler-Ross 147). At this point the patients and the close relatives develop an increased fear of death and emotional problems. Coping up with such experience is hard for the relatives and the victims since they have a traditional belief and fear of death which haunts their minds and consciousness.

Overcoming the Fear of Death

The fear of death has loomed the minds of the inhabitants as per the author in her book. As a result, the traditional perspective about the dead and the dying spirits are threatening the peace and the life of the living. Whenever people think of death, their attitude and perspective change and therefore they are mostly faced with the challenge of living peaceful as the author put it. In this view, the author focused on the reasons why people fear death or the genesis of death phenomena (Kubler-Ross 155). The continuous focus of an individual on the different beliefs pertaining death makes one develop a psychological problem that affects them and makes them have consistent times of bad dreams at night. The reoccurrence of such dreams initiates or triggers too much fear in the victims. Fear of death is seen as the reason as to why majority of people when they fall sick get even worse since their minds get focused on the negative side of sickness which is associated with death. Ross also advices the audience on how to overcome fear of death. This entails positive thinking in case one falls sick at any one moment. Furthermore, psychologists aid the victims on the proper way of overcoming fear of death and dying. This is coupled with teachings from religious leaders (Kubler-Ross 160).

Works Cited

Kubler-Ross, Elisabeth. “On the fear of death.”On Death and Dying (1969).