Symbolic Immortality, Mental Health, and Addictions: A Terror Management Perspective

Abstract

Abstract Terror Management and Anxiety Buffer Disruption Theories suggest that socio-cultural psychological resources, such as self-esteem, attachment security, meaning in life, and group identity, can buffer against death-related anxiety and related psychological problems, by providing people a sense of symbolic immortality. However, no study has tested if symbolic immortality is associated with mental health and problematic substance use or addictive behaviors. Using a large sample of Israelis ( N = 2,912), we found that symbolic immortality, measured as the belief that one would be remembered by others after death, was positively associated with death anxiety buffers (e.g., self-esteem, low attachment anxiety, importance of national identity, meaning in life) and negatively associated with mental health problems (anxiety, depression, PTSD, emotion regulation problems, sleep disturbances), problematic substance use (cannabis, alcohol, prescription drugs), and behavioral addictions (gambling, gaming, social media, internet use, pornography, sexual behaviors). These findings highlight the relevance of symbolic immortality, terror management, and existential psychology to understanding psychopathology and addiction.