Does a person feel his death in advance? Catherine. Yaroslavl region. But that’s literature, but how in life

You can often meet people who talk about feeling their death approaching. When a completely healthy and happy man, then there is a feeling of fear and apprehension that this may be true. Often a premonition of death can only be a reflection of existing ones. In some cases, such sensations arise if a person often thinks about death and does not want to live. In this case, there are no serious reasons for worry and this is just a fantasy. Let's look at other reasons.

What does it mean to have a premonition of your own death?

Scientists cannot explain such sensations, so this moment There is no theory or laws in this area. There is an opinion that a person’s premonition of death has a certain physiological basis, that is, all this is caused by hormonal changes. Many are sure that all people on earth have the gift of clairvoyance, but only a few develop it. Therefore, the premonition of death is a manifestation of extrasensory abilities.

Basically, such sensations are a certain warning sent by a guardian angel or one’s own soul. This is a real indication that you urgently need to change something in your life, otherwise your premonitions may come true. Causes of premature and unexpected death may include:

1. A person has chosen the wrong path in life, which is not intended for him by fate.
2. Lives without goals and does not want to change the current state of things. There is an opinion that giving up life goals is the end of life.
3. Filled with aggression and often sins.

A premonition before death is a chance given from above to change your life and avoid death. If a person begins to experience such sensations, he should think on what he is doing wrong, what needs to be changed, etc.

I would like to give an example about a world-famous founder Apple Steve Jobs. He died at the age of 56, but for the last 8 years of his life he constantly felt his death approaching. Jobs did not give up, did not become a recluse, he began to correct mistakes, do something new, in general, he did good things to change.

A sign of a premonition of death can be considered a phenomenon when a person tries to think about future life and sees nothing but darkness. A person can also see things that leave behind an unpleasant feeling on long time. Some people claim that they suffer from visions in which deceased relatives and friends may appear.

If your close person is in the terminal stage of the disease, it is incredibly difficult to accept that he will soon be gone. Knowing what to expect can make things easier.

This article examines 11 signs that death is approaching and discusses ways to cope with the death of a loved one.

How to understand that he is dying

When a person is terminally ill, they may be in hospital or receiving palliative care. It is important for loved ones to know the signs of approaching death.

Human behavior before death

Eats less

As a person approaches death, he becomes less active. This means that it the body requires less energy than before. He practically stops eating or drinking as his appetite gradually decreases.

Those caring for a dying person should allow the person to eat only when he is hungry. Offer the patient ice (or fruit ice) to maintain hydration levels. A person may stop eating completely a few days before death. When this happens, you can try using a moisturizing balm on your lips to prevent drying out.

Sleeps more

During the 2 or 3 months before death, a person begins to spend more and more time sleeping. Lack of wakefulness is due to the fact that the metabolism becomes weaker. No metabolic energy

Anyone caring for a dying loved one should do everything they can to ensure their sleep is comfortable. When the patient has energy, you can try to encourage him to move or get out of bed and walk around to avoid bedsores.

Tired of people

The energy of the dying person fades away. He can't spend as much time with other people as he used to. Perhaps your company will also weigh on him.

Vital signs change

As a person approaches death, their vital signs may change as follows:

• Blood pressure decreases
• Breathing changes
• Heartbeat becomes irregular
• Pulse weak
• Urine may be brown or rusty in color

Toilet habits are changing

As a dying person eats and drinks less, their bowel movements may become smaller. This applies to both solid waste and urine. When a person completely refuses food and water, he stops using the toilet.

These changes may be upsetting to loved ones, but they are to be expected. Perhaps the hospital will install a special catheter that will alleviate the situation.

Muscles lose their strength

In the days leading up to death, a person's muscles become weak. Muscle weakness means that an individual will not be able to perform even simple tasks that were previously available to him. For example, drinking from a cup, turning over in bed, and so on. If this happens to a dying person, loved ones should help them lift things or turn over in bed.

Body temperature decreases

When a person dies, his blood circulation deteriorates, so the blood concentrates in internal organs. This means that not enough blood will flow to the arms and legs.

Reduced blood circulation means that a dying person's skin will become cold to the touch. It may also appear pale or mottled with blue and purple spots. A person who is dying may not feel cold. But if this does happen, offer him a blanket or blanket.

Consciousness is confused

When a person dies, their brain is still very active. However sometimes those who are near death begin to become confused or express their thoughts incorrectly. This happens when a person loses control over what is happening around him.

Breathing changes

Dying people often have breathing problems. It may become more frequent or, conversely, deep and slow. The dying person may not have enough air, and the breathing itself often becomes erratic.

If the person caring for your loved one notices this, there is no need to worry. This is a normal part of the dying process, and usually does not cause pain to the dying person. In addition, if you have any concerns about this, you can always consult a doctor.

Painful sensations appear

It can be difficult to come to terms with the inevitable fact that a person's pain levels may increase as they approach death. Seeing a painful expression on a person's face or hearing the groans a patient makes is, of course, not easy. A person caring for a dying loved one should talk to their doctor about the use of pain medications. The doctor can try to make this process as comfortable as possible.

Hallucinations appear

It is quite common for dying people to experience visions or Although this may seem quite frightening, there is no need to worry. It is better not to try to change the patient’s opinion about visions, to convince him, as this will most likely only cause additional difficulties.

How to survive the last hours with a loved one?

With the onset of death, human organs stop working, and all processes in the body stop. All you can do in this situation is just be there. Show you care and try to do last hours making the dying person as comfortable as possible.

Continue to talk to the dying person until he passes, because often the dying person hears everything that is happening around him until the last minute.

Other signs of death

If a dying person is connected to a heart rate monitor, loved ones will be able to see when their heart stops beating, signaling death.

Other signs of death include:

• No pulse
• Lack of breathing
• No muscle tension
• Fixed eyes
• Emptying your bowel or bladder
• Closing the eyelids

After confirming the death of a person, loved ones will be able to spend some time with someone who was dear to them. Once they say goodbye, the family usually contacts funeral home. The funeral home will then take the person's body and prepare it for burial. When a person dies in a hospice or hospital, staff contact the funeral home on behalf of the family.

How to cope with the loss of a loved one?

Even when death was expected, it is extremely difficult to come to terms with it. It is important that people give themselves time and space to grieve. Don't give up on the support of friends and family either.

Unfortunately, after life there always comes death. Now science is unable to prevent old age and its inevitable fatal consequences. Relatives and friends of seriously ill patients need to be prepared for this. What does a bedridden patient experience before death? How should caregivers respond to signs of impending death? We will talk about this below.

Phases of death

There are several phases of a person's condition that occur before his death. Signs of the first stage (“pre-active phase”) can begin 2 weeks before the terrible event. During this period, the patient begins to consume less food and liquid than usual, pauses in breathing occur, wound healing worsens, and swelling appears. Also, the patient may claim imminent death and report that he has seen dead people.

Then follow these phases:

• clinical death (signs of vital activity disappear, but metabolic processes still occur in the cells);
• biological death (almost complete cessation of physiological processes in the body);
• final death (final phase).

Signs of approaching death

Signs of death in a bedridden patient may be different in each case. There are several main ones:

Certain diseases cause specific symptoms. Thus, signs of death in a cancer patient often manifest themselves in the form of pain, nausea, confusion, anxiety and shortness of breath (with a stroke, such symptoms are less common).

It should also be noted that low blood pressure or prolonged cessation of respiratory movements (or if the bedridden patient is constantly sleeping) are not reliable indicators of imminent death in all cases. Some patients with these symptoms may suddenly recover and survive for a week, a month, or even more. Only God knows when death will occur.

How to behave correctly with a loved one

What should family and friends do if they see signs of approaching death? It is always very difficult to talk to a dying person. There is no need to give false promises and hopes of recovery. Tell the patient that his last wishes will be fulfilled. He should not think that anything is being hidden from him. If a person wants to talk about life and its last moments, he needs to do this, and not try to hush up the topic and say something detached. Before death, let the patient know that he is not alone, say words of consolation.

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If you are dying or caring for someone who is dying, you may have questions about what the dying process will be like physically and emotionally. The following information will help you answer some questions.

Signs of approaching death

The process of dying is as diverse (individual) as the process of birth. It is impossible to predict the exact time of death and how exactly a person will die. But people facing death experience many of the same symptoms, regardless of the type of illness.

As death approaches, a person may experience some physical and emotional changes, such as:

Excessive drowsiness and weakness, at the same time periods of wakefulness decrease, energy fades.

Breathing changes, periods of rapid breathing are replaced by pauses in breathing.

Hearing and vision change, for example, a person hears and sees things that others do not notice.

Appetite worsens, the person drinks and eats less than usual.

Changes in the urinary and gastrointestinal systems. Your urine may turn dark brown or dark red, and you may have bad (difficult) stools.

Body temperature changes, ranging from very high to very low.

Emotional changes, the person is not interested outside world and individual parts Everyday life such as time and date.

A dying person may experience other symptoms depending on the disease. Talk to your doctor about what you can expect. You can also contact the program for helping the hopelessly ill, where all your questions regarding the dying process will be answered. The more you and your loved ones know, the more prepared you will be for this moment.

Excessive drowsiness and weakness associated with approaching death

As death approaches, a person sleeps more and it becomes more and more difficult to wake up. Periods of wakefulness are becoming shorter and shorter.

As death approaches, your caregivers will notice that you are unresponsive and that you are in very deep sleep. This condition is called coma. If you are in a coma, you will be tied to your bed and all your physiological needs(bathing, turning, feeding and urinating) will need to be supervised by someone else.

General weakness is a very common occurrence as death approaches. It is normal for a person to need assistance with walking, bathing, and going to the toilet. Over time, you may need help turning over in bed. Medical equipment, such as wheelchairs, a walker or a hospital bed can be of great help during this period. This equipment can be rented from a hospital or care center for the terminally ill.

Respiratory changes as death approaches

As death approaches, periods of rapid breathing may be followed by periods of breathlessness.

Your breath may become wet and congested. This is called the "death rattle." Changes in breathing usually happen when you are weak and normal discharge from your respiratory tract and the lungs cannot come out.

Although noisy breathing may be a signal to your family, you probably won't feel any pain or notice any congestion. Since the fluid is deep in the lungs, it is difficult to remove it. Your doctor may prescribe oral tablets (atropine) or patches (scopolamine) to relieve congestion.

Your loved ones may turn you on your other side to help the discharge come out of your mouth. They can also wipe this discharge with a damp cloth or special tampons (you can ask for it at a help center for the hopelessly ill or buy it at pharmacies).

Your doctor may prescribe oxygen therapy to relieve your shortness of breath. Oxygen therapy will make you feel better, but will not prolong your life.

Changes in vision and hearing as death approaches

Deterioration of vision is very common in the last weeks of life. You may notice that your vision has become difficult. You may see or hear things that no one else notices (hallucinations). Visual hallucinations are common before death.

If you are caring for a dying person who is hallucinating, you need to reassure them. Acknowledge what the person sees. Denying hallucinations can be distressing to a dying person. Talk to the person, even if he or she is in a coma. It is known that dying people can hear even when they are in a deep coma. People who came out of comas said that they could hear the entire time they were in the coma.

Hallucinations

Hallucinations are the perception of something that is not actually there. Hallucinations can involve all the senses: hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting or touching.

The most common hallucinations are visual and auditory. For example, a person may hear voices or see objects that another person cannot see.

Other types of hallucinations include gustatory, olfactory and tactile.

Treatment for hallucinations depends on the cause.

ChangesappetiteWithapproachingof death

As death approaches, you are likely to eat and drink less. This is associated with a general feeling of weakness and a slower metabolism.

Since nutrition is important social significance, it will be difficult for your family and friends to watch you not eat anything. However, changes in metabolism mean that you do not need the same amount of food and fluid as before.

You can consume small amounts of food and liquid as long as you are active and able to swallow. If swallowing is a problem for you, you can prevent thirst by moistening your mouth with a damp cloth or a special swab (available at a pharmacy) soaked in water.

Changes in the urinary and gastrointestinal systems as death approaches

Often the kidneys gradually stop producing urine as death approaches. As a result, your urine turns dark brown or dark red. This is due to the inability of the kidneys to properly filter urine. As a result, the urine becomes very concentrated. Its quantity is also decreasing.

As appetite decreases, some changes also occur in the intestines. The stool becomes harder and more difficult to pass (constipation) as the person takes in less fluid and becomes weaker.

You should tell your doctor if you have bowel movements less than once every three days or if your bowel movements cause you discomfort. Stool softeners may be recommended to prevent constipation. You can also use an enema to cleanse your colon.

As you become increasingly weak, it is natural that you will have difficulty controlling your bladder and bowels. A urinary catheter may be placed in your bladder as a means of long-term urine drainage. The terminally ill program may also provide toilet paper or underwear (they can also be purchased at the pharmacy).

Changes in body temperature as death approaches

As death approaches, the area of ​​the brain responsible for regulating body temperature begins to function poorly. You may have a high fever and then feel cold within a minute. Your hands and feet may feel very cold to the touch and may even become pale and blotchy. Changes in skin color are called mottled skin lesions and are very common in last days or hours of life.

The person caring for you can monitor your temperature by rubbing your skin with a wet, slightly warm washcloth or giving you the following medications:

Acetaminophen (Tylenol)

Ibuprofen (Advil)

Naproxen (Aleve).

Many of these medications are available in the form of rectal suppositories if you have difficulty swallowing.

Emotional changes as death approaches

Just as your body prepares physically for death, you must prepare for it emotionally and mentally.

As death approaches, you may lose interest in the world around you and certain details of daily life, such as the date or time. You may withdraw into yourself and communicate less with people. You may only want to communicate with a few people. This kind of introspection can be a way of saying goodbye to everything you knew.

In the days before your death, you may enter a unique state of conscious awareness and communication that may be misinterpreted by your family and friends. You can talk about how you need to go somewhere - “go home” or “go somewhere.” The meaning of such conversations is unknown, but some people think that such conversations help prepare for death.

Events from your recent past may be mixed with distant events. You can remember very long ago events in great detail, but not remember what happened an hour ago.

You may be thinking about people who have already died. You may say that you heard or saw someone who has already died. Your loved ones may hear you talking to the deceased person.

If you are caring for a dying person, you may be upset or frightened by this strange behavior. You may want to bring your loved one back to reality. If this kind of communication is bothering you, talk to your doctor to better understand what's going on. Your loved one may fall into a state of psychosis, and this may be scary for you to watch. Psychosis occurs in many people before death. It may have one cause or be the result of several factors. Reasons may include:

Medicines such as morphine, sedatives and painkillers, or taking too much of a medicine that doesn't work well together.

Metabolic changes associated with high temperature or dehydration.

Metastasis.

Deep depression.

Symptoms may include:

Revival.

Hallucinations.

Unconscious state, which is replaced by revival.

Delirium tremens can sometimes be prevented by using alternative medicine, such as relaxation and breathing techniques, and other methods that reduce the need for sedatives.

Pain

Palliative care can help you relieve physical symptoms associated with your illness, such as nausea or difficulty breathing. Controlling pain and other symptoms is an important part of your treatment and improving your quality of life.

How often a person feels pain depends on their disease. Some fatal diseases, such as bone cancer or pancreatic cancer, can be accompanied by severe physical pain.

A person may become so afraid of pain and other physical symptoms that they may consider physician-assisted suicide. But the pain before death can be effectively dealt with. You should tell your doctor and loved ones about any pain. There are many medications and alternative methods (such as massage) that can help you cope with the pain of death. Be sure to ask for help. Ask a loved one to tell the doctor about your pain if you are unable to do so yourself.

You may want your family not to see you suffer. But it is very important to tell them about your pain if you cannot bear it so that they see a doctor immediately.

Spirituality

Spirituality means a person's awareness of the purpose and meaning of his life. It also denotes a person’s relationship with higher powers or the energy that gives life meaning.

Some people don't think about spirituality often. For others, it is part of everyday life. As you approach the end of your life, you may be faced with your own spiritual questions and challenges. Connecting with religion often helps some people achieve comfort before death. Other people find solace in nature, in social work, strengthening relationships with loved ones or creating new relationships. Think about what can give you peace and support. What questions concern you? Seek support from friends, family, programs, and spiritual guides.

Caring for a dying relative

Control of pain and symptoms at the end of life

At the end of life, pain and other symptoms can be managed effectively. Talk to your doctor and loved ones about the symptoms you are experiencing. Family is an important link between you and your doctor. If you yourself cannot communicate with a doctor, your loved one can do this for you. There is always something that can be done to relieve your pain and symptoms so that you feel comfortable.

Physical pain

There are many painkillers available. Your doctor will choose the easiest and most atraumatic drug to relieve pain. Oral medications are usually used first because they are easier to take and less expensive. If your pain is not severe, painkillers can be purchased without a doctor's prescription. These include drugs such as acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin or ibuprofen. It is important to stay ahead of your pain and take your medications as scheduled. Irregular use of medications is often the cause of ineffective treatment.

Sometimes pain cannot be controlled with over-the-counter medications. In this case, more effective forms of treatment are needed. Your doctor may prescribe painkillers such as codeine, morphine, or fentanyl. These medications can be combined with others, such as antidepressants, to help you get rid of your pain.

If you cannot take the pills, there are other forms of treatment. If you have trouble swallowing, you can use liquid medications. Medicines can also be in the form of:

Rectal suppositories. Suppositories can be taken if you have trouble swallowing or nausea.

Drops under the tongue. Just like nitroglycerin tablets or heart pain sprays, liquid forms of some substances, such as morphine or fentanyl, can be absorbed by the blood vessels under the tongue. These drugs are given in very small quantities - usually just a few drops - and are effective way pain relief for people who have trouble swallowing.

Patches applied to the skin (transdermal patches). These patches allow painkillers, such as fentanyl, to pass through the skin. The advantage of patches is that you instantly receive the required dose of medication. These patches provide better pain control than pills. In addition, a new patch must be applied every 48 to 72 hours, and the tablets must be taken several times a day.

Intravenous injections (drips). Your doctor may prescribe treatment with a needle inserted into a vein in your arm or chest if your pain is very severe and cannot be controlled with oral, rectal, or transdermal treatments. Medicines can be given as a single injection several times a day, or continuously in small quantities. Just because you are connected to an IV does not mean your activities will be limited. Some people carry small, portable pumps that provide small amounts of medication throughout the day.

Injections into the area of ​​the spinal nerves (epidural) or under the spinal tissue (intrathecal). For acute pain, strong painkillers such as morphine or fentanyl are injected into the spine.

Many people who suffer from severe pain fear that they will become dependent on painkillers. However, addiction rarely occurs in terminally ill people. If your condition improves, you can slowly stop taking the medicine to prevent dependence.

Painkillers can be used to manage the pain and help keep it at a tolerable level. But sometimes painkillers make you drowsy. You can only take a small amount of medication and therefore endure little pain and still remain active. On the other hand, maybe weakness doesn't matter to you. of great importance and you are not bothered by drowsiness caused by certain medications.

The main thing is to take medications on a specific schedule, and not just when “the need arises.” But even if you take medications regularly, you may sometimes feel severe pain. These are called "breakthrough pain." Talk to your doctor about what medications you should always have on hand to help manage breakthrough pain. And always tell your doctor if you stop taking your medicine. Sudden cessation may cause serious side effects and severe pain. Talk to your doctor about ways to relieve pain without using drugs. Alternative medical therapy can help some people relax and get rid of pain. You can combine traditional treatment with alternative methods, such as:

Acupuncture

Aromatherapy

Biofeedback

Chiropractic

Imaging

Healing Touch

Homeopathy

Hydrotherapy

• Magnetotherapy

• Meditation

For more detailed information, see section Chronic pain

Emotional stress

While you are learning to cope with your illness, short-term emotional distress is normal. Depression that lasts more than 2 weeks is no longer normal and should be reported to your doctor. Depression can be treated even if you have a terminal illness. Antidepressants in combination with counseling from a psychologist will help you cope with emotional distress.

Talk to your doctor and family about your emotional distress. Although feelings of grief are a natural part of the dying process, this does not mean you have to endure severe emotional pain. Emotional suffering can make physical pain worse. They can also have a negative impact on your relationships with loved ones and prevent you from saying goodbye to them properly.

Other symptoms

As death approaches, you may experience other symptoms. Talk to your doctor about any symptoms you may experience. Symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, constipation or shortness of breath can be managed with medications, special diets and oxygen therapy. Have a friend or family member describe your symptoms to a doctor or emergency services worker. It can be helpful to keep a journal and write down all your symptoms.

Reflections on the topic of life and death have always occupied the human mind. Before the development of science, one had to be content only religious explanations, now medicine is able to explain many of the processes occurring in the body at the end of life. But it’s impossible to say for sure what a dying person or a person in a coma feels before death. Of course, some data is available thanks to the stories of survivors, but it cannot be said that these impressions will be completely similar to the sensations during real dying.

Death - what does a person feel before it?

All experiences that can occur at the moment of loss of life can be divided into physical and mental. In the first group, everything will depend on the cause of death, so let’s look at how people feel before it in the most common cases.

1. Drowning. First, laryngospasm occurs due to water entering the lungs, and when it begins to fill the lungs, a burning sensation occurs in the chest. Then consciousness goes away from the lack of oxygen, the person feels calm, then the heart stops and brain death occurs.
2. Blood loss. If a large artery is damaged, it takes several seconds for death to occur, and it is possible that the person will not even have time to feel pain. If smaller vessels are damaged and no help is provided, the dying process will drag on for several hours. At this time, in addition to panic, shortness of breath and thirst will be felt; after losing 2 out of 5 liters, loss of consciousness will occur.
3. Heart attack. Severe, prolonged or recurring pain in the chest area, which is a consequence of oxygen deficiency. Pain can spread to the arms, throat, stomach, lower jaw and back. The person also feels nauseous, shortness of breath and cold sweat. Death does not occur instantly, so with timely help it can be avoided.
4. Fire. Severe pain from burns gradually subsides as their area increases due to damage to nerve endings and the release of adrenaline, after which pain shock occurs. But most often, before dying in a fire, they feel the same as when there is a lack of oxygen: burning and severe pain in the chest, there may be nausea, sudden drowsiness and short-term activity, then paralysis and loss of consciousness occurs. This is because fires usually cause deaths from carbon monoxide and smoke.
5. Falling from height. This may vary depending on the final damage. Most often, when falling from 145 meters or more, death occurs within a few minutes after landing, so there is a chance that adrenaline will blur all other sensations. A lower height and nature of the landing (hitting your head or your feet - there is a difference) can reduce the number of injuries and give hope for life, in this case the range of sensations will be wider, and the main one will be pain.

As we see, often before death, pain sensations are either completely absent or significantly reduced due to adrenaline. But he cannot explain why the patient does not feel pain before death if the process of leaving for another world was not quick. It often happens that seriously ill patients get out of bed on their last day, begin to recognize their relatives and feel a surge of strength. Doctors explain this as a chemical reaction to injected drugs or as a mechanism of the body’s surrender to the disease. In this case, all protective barriers fall, and the forces that went into fighting the disease are released. As a result of disabled immunity, death occurs faster, and the person feels better for a short time.

Now let's look at what impressions the psyche “gives” during parting with life. Here, researchers rely on stories from people who have experienced clinical death. All impressions can be divided into the following 5 groups.

1. Fear. Patients report a feeling of overwhelming horror, a sense of persecution. Some say they saw coffins, had to go through a burning ceremony, and tried to swim out.
2. Bright light. He is not always, as in the well-known cliché, at the end of the tunnel. Some felt that they were in the center of a glow, and then it died down.
3. Images of animals or plants. People saw real and fantastic living beings, but at the same time they experienced a feeling of peace.
4. Relatives. Other joyful sensations are associated with the fact that patients saw loved ones, sometimes dead ones.
5. Deja vu, top view. Often people said that they knew exactly about the subsequent events, and they happened. Other senses were also often heightened, the impression of time was distorted, and a feeling of separation from the body was observed.

Scientists believe that all this is closely connected with a person’s worldview: deep religiosity can give the impression of communicating with saints or God, and a passionate gardener will enjoy the sight blossoming apple trees. But to say what a person feels in a coma before death is much more difficult. Perhaps his feelings will be similar to those listed above. But it's worth remembering different types such a state that can provide different experiences. Obviously, once brain death is recorded, the patient will no longer see anything, but other cases are the subject of study. For example, a group of researchers from the United States tried to communicate with patients in a coma and assessed brain activity. A reaction arose to some stimuli, resulting in signals that could be interpreted as monosyllabic answers. Probably, in the event of death from such a situation, a person can experience different conditions, only their degree will be lower, since many functions of the body are already impaired.