The satisfaction of the finish line: The final stages of the life-cycle.

Jack R. Davis

PSYC&200 DE1 2926

Professor Geoffrey Richie, MS

December 8th, 2021

The satisfaction of the finish line 1

There is a moment that every human's life is moving toward. A linear event,

unavoidable, and yet shared by all, but experienced by only oneself. Death, the experience

before conscious existence ceases is the human species' culminating moment. Cultures around

the planet for the entirety of known history regard the event with; ceremonies, rituals, special

communities, stories, songs, and monuments that have stood for over a millennium(Schwartz, C.

2019). The passing of human life from living into deceased is commonly known to invoke a

myriad of sad, fearful, and anxiety inducing emotions. The collective lifetimes of humans are

spent trying to ease the dread of death; forming religions, seeking fountains of youth, even

freezing the physical body in hopes of reanimation. In recent years, following the writing and

teachings of ancient cultures, modern psychiatric research is burgeoning with relief from the

mental anguish of death(Dutta, V. 2012). Psychiatric administration of therapeutic psychedelics

in combination with guided sessions can stabilize and increase the satisfaction and quality of the

acceptance of the final stages of human life.

The diverse set of cultures that dot across planet Earth’s surface all embrace this end-of-

life stage differently. Human lives are viewed as a single linear experience. The arrow of time is

constantly racing toward the next stage of life and during the flight the only perspective is

hindsight, a solitary rear-mirror perspective. At the end humans walk right up to death's for a

lucky few, holding hands with family and friends all of whom are loved dearly. Examine the

Hmong people, according to Hmong tradition, the mere mention of dying “will unlock the gate

of evil spirits,” so when a person enters the terminal phase of life no one is permitted to discuss
The satisfaction of the finish line 2

that fact. However, when death is imminent, the family becomes intimately involved. Relatives

flock around and dress the ill person in the traditional burial garment-- a black robe or a suit.

After death arrives the Hmong lovingly wash and groom the corpse, preparing it to be viewed.

(Belskey, J. 2019) Tibetan Buddhists illuminate the concept of impermanence: nothing is

permanent, and everything is in a constant state of flux. Tibetans traditionally use two methods

of burial ceremony due to the lack of available ground for internment. Cremation in which a long

procession of friends and family follow the body to the cemetery, speak with the body before the

cremations as Tibetans believe the dead can still hear them for several days. The sky burial

method of which there are two variations, the first in which the body of the deceased is lashed to

a pole and left exposed to the elements for several days allowing it to decompose naturally and

be picked by vultures. The second in which the body is prepared into smaller pieces by a

mortician and mixed with stones and rocks and left in an open field to further accelerate the

decomposition process. These processes are all considered very generous by the family and are

an honored tradition. (Redmond, J) In western culture death for a long time was considered a

failing of the scientific progress that curative medicine had made. The sudden death in a

sterilized ICU unit of a hospital quickly packaged bodies and removed them to conceal the

devastating diagnosis. Little in the way of a support system rooted in healthcare for the dying

and the survivors existed until around 1980. One critic referenced the time period by saying

“Death had become disgusting, abnormal, never discussed.”(Belskey, J. 2019) Its no wonder that

in the final stages of life depression becomes recurring and even more common as people age.

The loss of one's ability to maintain health, to take care of oneself, more time spent in institutions

such as hospitals, long term care, or exceedingly more frequent doctor visits puts the final stages

of life in perspective that death at this stage is a common occurrence. (Altay, B. 2019)With the
The satisfaction of the finish line 3

western model of the death process being removed from a direct confrontation with mortality,

the negative emotions set in and quality of life drops rapidly. Researchers are now beginning to

employ psychedelics like psilocybin and are able to document a significant reduction in anxiety

around the one to three months mark after diagnosis.(Grob, C. S. 2011) The diverse cultural

landscape on this planet is littered with vestiges of the different approaches to the end stages of

life that each society used. A common and shared experience, using psychedelics to provide

perspective on one's end and to enhance acceptance and minimize depression is now incurring

into western cultures that prohibited it.

Humans long for the tight and warm hug of a loved one. A deep chuckle followed by a wry

smile when one completes a triple word score in a game of scrabble with family and friends.

Tiny sincere moments that surround the end stages of life that are appreciable and what humans

strive for once the anxiety and depression have subsided. The use of psilocybin is rapidly helping

people progress through the final seven stages of the death process and leave them with a lasting

and significant impact on their engagement with loved ones. In a study published in 2011 it was

noted that patients who participated in the study experienced appreciable improvement in their

mood for two weeks after treatment with psilocybin, with sustained improvement on the Beck

Depression Inventory or BDI. The BDI or Beck Depression Inventory is a 21-item, self-report

rating inventory that measures characteristic attitudes and symptoms of depression (Beck, et al.,

1961). This study showed patients maintaining significant benefits from the treatment at the 6-

month follow-up point.(Grob, CS. 2011) Survivors, friends, and family are all watching the end

stages of a loved one's life unfold in real time and how families handle it can be reflective of the

dying person's mood. A brief moment of joy in the dying person can provide levity to the grief
The satisfaction of the finish line 4

process for the family. Consider that epidemiological studies have found that the death of a

family member increases vulnerability to premature illness and death for survivors(McGoldrick,

M. 2004) At times the patients may not want to talk to care providers. The knowledge alone of

the experience of death being imminent can cause the patients to languish in anger or depression,

a physician has written on it “If I get a signal from a patient that they are not ready to talk about

it, I back off. If they dont want to hear about that, well I am going to try and be where the patient

is at.”(Belskey, J. 2019)It is not just families and friends' own mortality being brought up and

presented in an unavoidable way. Physicians and care providers are all people who may struggle

with the impermanence of the human lifespan. The patient's outlook can weigh heavily on

medical staff and how information is communicated with the patient. Psycopharmacalogical

therapies that increase the quality of the final days of life can provide waves of relief throughout

the family, extended family, and even care providers.

The profound existential anxiety and despair that often accompany advanced-stage cancers has

recurring common themes that are reported by people who are given the ability to interact

clinically with psycho-assisted therapies. Western culture and psychiatric medicine is exploring

the depths at which existential anxiety and despair can be alleviated by these burgeoning

treatments. Subjects in some of these studies report powerful empathic changes with close

friends and family members and re-examined how conversations around the topic of limited life

expectancy were approached. In the analysis of follow up discussions new perspectives were

gained during the psilocybin treatments. (Grob, CS. 2011)Ancient cultures with customs passed

down through generations had an immutable link with psychedelic use during the end stages of

life. Some of these customs survived the passage of centuries and are still present to this day.
The satisfaction of the finish line 5

These inherited ceremonies provide a sense of embrace for the passage from life to death,

allowing the family to grieve with a reduction in anxiety and pervasive depression. (Dutta V.

2012) Western medicine is beginning to decouple from the sterile environments of hospital

death. Transitioning from the narrative that medicine has failed the living and they are now

being punished with death. To a more generous and realistic message that the time for reflection

and preparation begins.

The multi-act stages of the death process are alleviated to a significant degree by the use

of the psychopharmacological therapies and the reprieve provided from depression, anxiety, and

fear. This benefit of a shifted perspective gives dying people a chance to enjoy crossing the

finish line rather than a state of constant dread. Cultures around the globe provide a historical

roadmap that can be used to co-exist with these substances. Applying modern analytical studies

and therapeutic knowledge will increase the value that survivors and the dying are able to glean

from the final stages of life and final moments with loved ones. It will allow those humans who

are fortunate enough to gain satisfaction in a life well lived and perspective gained, a sense of

purpose reached and fulfilled, the satisfaction at reaching the finish line and the ability to reflect

upon the journey.

The satisfaction of the finish line 6

References

Altay, B., PhD., Yilmaz, Tuba,R.N., Msc, & Rizalar, S., PhD. (2018). Geriatric

depression and death depression in older individuals that are provided with care in the

hospitals located in northern anatolia. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 11(2),

851-859. https://lowercolumbia.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/

scholarly-journals/geriatric-depression-death-older-individuals-that/docview/

2148644311/se-2

Belskey, J. (2019). Experiencing the life span. Retrieved November 14, 2021.

Dutta, V. (2012). Repression of death consciousness and the psychedelic trip. Journal of

Cancer Research and Therapeutics, 8(3), 336-42. http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/0973-

1482.103509

Grob CS, Danforth AL, Chopra GS, et al. Pilot Study of Psilocybin Treatment for

Anxiety in Patients With Advanced-Stage Cancer. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2011;68(1):71–

78. doi:10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.116

Grob, C. S., Danforth, A. L., Chopra, G. S., Hagerty, M., McKay, C. R., Halberstadt, A.

L., & Greer, G. R. (2011). Pilot study of psilocybin treatment for anxiety in patients with

advanced-stage cancer. Archives of General Psychiatry, 68(1), 71-78.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.116

McGoldrick, M. (2004, April). Living beyond loss : Death in the family (edition 2)

(paperback). Ebooks from Google. Retrieved November 15, 2021, from

The satisfaction of the finish line 7

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Living-Beyond-Loss-Death-in-the-Family-Edition-2-

Paperback-9780393704389/2486708?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101004036.

Redmond, J. (n.d.). Fascinating Tibetan death rituals and beliefs. LoveToKnow.

Retrieved December 8, 2021, from https://dying.lovetoknow.com/Tibetan_Death.

Schwartz, C. (2019, Oct 17). Psychedelics in the golden years: [style desk]. New York

Times https://lowercolumbia.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/

newspapers/psychedelics-golden-years/docview/2306033500/se-2?accountid=38839