Discovering the Factors Affecting of death anxiety in women with panic disorder and strategies to deal with it

Death anxiety plays an important role in panic disorder. Women with panic disorder experience higher death anxiety than other types of anxiety disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate the causes of death anxiety and the strategies to deal with that in women with panic disorder.

This study was conducted using the underlying theory approach. Date was collected by semi- structured interviews with 13 women with panic disorder. The data was analyzed using Strauss and Corbin methods, which included open, axial and selective coding.

Findings of the causes of death anxiety included 4 main categories: (related to oneself, related to others, nature of death, related to the Afterword) and also contains 7 initial concepts: (revealing human weakness, stopping of life, death of loved ones, destiny of loved ones, dying process, lack of there recognition of death and afterwards and the punishment for the sins). Their strategies of confronting included two main categories: (avoidance strategies, consolation strategies) plus that seven basic concepts are also engaged: (limiting relationships, avoiding situations related to death, considering God’s mercy, abandoning the idea of death, charity, promising positive ideas to oneself, staying in fear).

In addition to self- related factors, factors related to others, the unknown nature of death and the afterlife were involved in causing death anxiety in women with panic disorder. They use avoidant and repressive solutions that do not provide them with sufficient effectiveness.