Perceptions on Death as the Inevitable Cessation of Life in a Living O Essay

Perceptions on Death as the Inevitable Cessation of Life in a Living Organism - Essay Example From nine through adolescence, children begin to comprehend fully that death is irreversible, that all living things die, and that they too will die someday. (www.hospicenet.org). The death of close relatives or other significant persons in an adolescent’s life can be a quite distressing event for teenagers. Most teens conceptualize death as irreversible and universal. They also understand that death is an inevitable part of life. They, however, do not fully realize that death could be a reality for themselves or their peers. There is, therefore, an acute sense of adventure in them during this period and they don’t mind taking risks. They may also act as if they want to challenge death and defy death. As they grow and mature as adults, their concept of death gets modified by the personal experiences they undergo. Some adolescents’ perception of death is not realistic and hence their response to grief also becomes unreasonable or illogical. On the other hand, teens are usually aware that when a person has a fatal illness death is a logical event in the case. If a parent, sibling or other close relative has a terminal illness, some counseling may help the adolescent to cope with the situation better. However, there is no absolutely correct way to educate a teen about the concept of death. The efforts that a family has to make in helping a teen to cope with a relative’s death can reduce the distress and anxiety of a teen. It will be better to allow them to attend the funeral if they wish to do so if the family’s values value and culture permit that. This would give them a reassurance that they are at least doing something for the departed. â€Å"Grief is a very painful process for both adults and children, but grieving should be encouraged. How a child grieves or reacts to the loss will depend  on age, previous experience with death and his/her preparedness for the event.† (http://www.cfc)