Death is one of the only certainties in life, yet in many cultures we avoid talking about it entirely.
In a recent episode of Life, Loss & Legacy, I spoke with psychologist Donna Cameron about why this silence exists and whether it helps or harms us. The conversation was grounded, compassionate and deeply thought-provoking.
The takeaway was simple. Not talking about death doesn’t protect us. It just leaves us unprepared.
A culture that avoids the inevitable
In Western culture, death is often treated as something to be hidden. We protect children from it. We avoid it in everyday conversation. We wait until it is right in front of us to even begin engaging with it.
According to Donna Cameron, this avoidance creates more harm than we realise.
“Most of what I see in my clients is based around fear. As humans, we don’t like what we don’t understand.”
That fear builds in silence. It leaves people unsure of what to say, how to feel or how to support others when someone dies. And when grief does arrive, it often feels isolating and overwhelming.
What if we treated death as something natural?
Donna Cameron raised an important point. What if, instead of avoiding death, we treated it as a normal and inevitable part of life?
What if we introduced children to the concept early, spoke about it openly and celebrated the lives of those who pass?
In cultures where death is acknowledged and ritualised, people are often more willing to talk, more prepared to plan and more comfortable with expressing grief. Death becomes part of life, not something to fear or avoid.
It is not about being morbid
Talking about death does not mean fixating on it. It means respecting it. It means creating space to understand our emotions, prepare our wishes and support the people we love.
At Planning Solo, we believe these conversations matter.
We work with people navigating major life transitions. Whether it is divorce, retirement or the loss of a partner, our role is to help people feel less alone and more prepared.
And that starts with talking.
Final thoughts
As Donna Cameron explained, we do not fear what we understand.
Silence makes grief heavier. Conversation gives it shape.
If we can start normalising death — not in a grim way, but in a human way — we may find that it brings more peace, more clarity and more connection than we expect.
