[Coping with death by terminally ill patients in middle age]

Manners of coping with dying were studied in sixty patients with terminal diseases using explorative interviews. The reaction to impending death is commonly described in the literature as being reduced to only a few global dimensions. In contrast, a variety of reactions were found. Predominant were such cognitive restructuring as intellectual analysis and the emphasis of positive aspects. The manner of dealing with death and dying was also influenced by its proximity. Patients expecting to die soon or those with longer survival times (greater than 1 year) at the time of evaluation, hardly acknowledged or did not initiate discussion of their situation.