Death Vs. Being Permanently Away With No Contact

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   Phil Perezposted 10 years ago

   What is the psychological difference between someone you know who died and someone you know who you know is alive that moved to Mars (let's say)?
   
   I understand the physical difference that you know they're alive compared to not being alive, but has anyone ever thought of if your friend or family member disappeared, you don't know what happened to them, however, you know for a fact they're alive and not hurt physically. What would go through your mind for these two differences ? Would they be similar? Opposite? I'd like your opinion on the matter!

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      Kathryn L Hillposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I think you will just be wondering for the rest of your life. I guess you would feel like they might as well be dead. You could just decide they are dead for the sake of closure... It is hard to wonder for the rest of your life.
      For instance, I have a friend who's mother left the country and went to live with a man in Spain. She has totally lost touch with her mother. I told her she probably did die. She doesn't know what to think.
      I think wondering is worse than not knowing for sure. For me, I would would tell myself they are alive until proven otherwise. Then at least I would die before they do.

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      1. 61

         Phil Perezposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Yeah, I agree, that makes sense. I mention that hypothetically, they're alive and not hurt. So that's closure in, in of itself, isn't it? Being dead and knowing someone is alive and not hurt are both ways of closure. They're both very similar, but how do both make anyone feel?
         
         I haven't thought about it completely yet, but just thinking about it makes me feel like nothing much would change if one of those two situations would occur.

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