We talk about death for various reasons, and the way we discuss it can depend on cultural, social, and personal factors, which is what With The End in Mind author Dr Kathryn Mannix told us. Here are some of the primary reasons why and how we talk about death:

1. Coping with grief and loss
2. Cultural and religious beliefs
3. End-of-life planning
4. Educational purposes
5. Philosophical and existential exploration
6. Medical and healthcare decisions
7. Social and legal implications
8. Breaking stigmas

Watch: Wendy Mitchell: challenging stigmas on death on World Alzheimer’s Month

When discussing death, it’s important to be sensitive to the cultural and personal beliefs of those involved. People have different perspectives on death, and their comfort levels with discussing it can vary widely. It’s crucial to approach these conversations with empathy, respect, and understanding, allowing individuals to express their feelings and beliefs in a supportive and non-judgmental way.

So how do we talk about death?

Thanks to the following author for participating:

Kathryn Mannix has spent her medical career working with people who have incurable, advanced illnesses. Starting in cancer care and changing career to become a pioneer of the new discipline of palliative medicine, she has worked in teams in hospices, hospitals and in patients’ own homes to deliver palliative care, optimising quality of life even as death is approaching. Having qualified as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist in 1993, she started the UK’s first CBT clinic exclusively for palliative care patients, and devised ‘CBT First Aid’ training to enable palliative care colleagues to add new skills to their repertoire for helping patients.

Dr Mannix has worked with many thousands of dying people, and has found their ability to deal with illness and death both fascinating and inspirational. She believes that a better public awareness about what happens as we die would reduce fear and enable people to discuss their hopes and plans with the people who matter to them. She is the author of Listen: How to Find the Words for Tender Conversations, and we talked about her bestselling book With The End in Mind.

Other wonderful guests who took part:

Rupert Callender, an undertaker and author of the book “What Remains?: Life, Death and the Human Art of Undertaking.”

Susan Leigh, counsellor and hypnotherapist from lifestyletherapy.net.

Here are some of the resources from the show:

“The two big unfixables are aging and dying. You can’t fix those.” In “Being Mortal,” Dr, Atul Gawande explores the challenges physicians and patients face when it comes to death and dying.

Books looked at this week:

Dr Kathryn Mannix: With the End in Mind: How to Live and Die Well

Dr Atul Gawande: Being Mortal: Illness, Medicine and What Matters in the End

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Transcription