I’m fortunate enough not to suffer from thanatophobia (the fear of death) but I have great sympathy for the many who do. That fear – and the cultural fear of endings in general – presents a significant barrier to embarking on the Way of Life and Death.
There’s light on the horizon, though, via overwhelming anecdotal evidence (and increasingly clinical studies, notably including this one in 2016) demonstrating that certain hallucinogens can dramatically reduce death anxieties, as well as more generalized anxiety and depression disorders. There are two basic therapeutic models; the first involves consuming a macro-dose of psilocybin sufficient to induce a hallucinogenic trip, accompanied by guides and followed by counselling sessions, and the second involves regular micro-dosing at sub-sensory levels (insufficient to cause hallucinations or even an awareness of being high).
The good news is that it’s now virtually certain that psychedelic therapies will become legal in the USA and other nations – sooner rather than later.