Discussion The fear of being buried alive

[wisp]

How did you overcome the fear of waking up post-mortem? There are several cases, even today with different medical technologies, that declare you "dead". But then you see the scratches inside the coffins, as if the person had been reborn and then subsequently died in a state of anguish and claustrophobia

 

[SecretDissociation]

I've never had this fear so maybe my reply will seem lackluster but if I wear to wake up postmortem I would probably simply panic and run out of oxygen and that thought is enough for me to understand that I would die anyway so why fear a second death? That and also, my family is broke so I would probably be in the human fridge for a long time before I am embalmed. Or even, I think I would probably die again from the embalming... In any case I just think of another death and this fear because more irrational for me.

 

[AshClouds]

in the 19th century, they used have bells attached to ropes which someone inside a coffin could pull on if they were buried alive. That was if medical examiner incorrectly discerned that someone has died.
The possibility that a medical examiner today would incorrectly pronounce someone dead today is nil.

 

[Abyssal]

Does that actually happen that often? Well let's hope I don't awake to my own cremation lmao.

That said, I feel pretty confident that won't happen if just by the fact that my family cares enough to check. And if they don't check, well…I'm probably better off not existing in the same life as them anyways lol.

 

[Slow_Farewell]

I wondered what it would be like when I was younger.
But thinking about it now, i'm kind of torn, i guess.
I mean, if I was there as a result of a failed CTB then i'd just wait it out.
if not, would probably try what the protagonist did in Kill Bill Vol 1. It's not like I have anything else to do in the mean time.

 

[Redacted24]

Heh heh, one of the ways I'm considering is exactly this. No mess, no bother, I already did the work and am literally returning to earth unnamed and unknown.

 

[Morte]

In most cases they will perform an autopsy on you, so it is certain that you will be dead. Cases of being buried alive are such a rarity that it's not worth getting neurotic about it.

 

[Orange Cat]

When I a kid my grandfather told me that when he was a boy one of the neighbors died and he went to the wake with his father. His father was friends with the funeral director and hung around after the wake. Most of the people had already left and only a few people in the immediate family were still there. Suddenly the deceased man sat up and asked what was going on. I was never sure if he was joking or not. He insisted it was a true story though.

It wouldn't be very likely that someone would be buried alive today. They embalm your body before burial. Once they embalm you, you can't come back.

 

[outrider567]

How did you overcome the fear of waking up post-mortem? There are several cases, even today with different medical technologies, that declare you "dead". But then you see the scratches inside the coffins, as if the person had been reborn and then subsequently died in a state of anguish and claustrophobia

Premature Burial(1962)

The Pit And The Pendulum(1962)

 

[cartdog]

I work full time for a crematorium/mortuary care center. Speaking from experience (as far as U.S death care goes), it is extremely unlikely that you would be buried alive.
It's untrue that most bodies receive autopsy, but if someone is being buried with a service, it's very likely they will be embalmed. If by some slim chance that someone is still alive and nobody notices when pulling them onto a gurney, carrying them out of the house/hospital/etc., driving them, moving them into container/mortuary space, performing I.D checks, visual I.D check from family days later, (the list goes on-) AND someone isn't woken up by being cut into for autopsy- mmmmmmm you know what I'm trying to say haha.

Off the top of my head when I hear about "scratches on coffins" I think about places in the world where "someone died? okay check for a pulse, no? bury them. done."

Cremation too. I wouldn't worry.. I think the average turn around time for cremation is 2 weeks if there's no delay in paperwork/payment to the funeral home. From pick-up to going in the retort. The funeral home has to get permits approved along with payment/approval by next of kin. There's tons of times a body is visually checked for identification throughout the process.
It's a valid thought to be afraid of, but I honestly wouldn't worry about it being a reality. If you want to avoid all possibility, every tiny possible chance, just state in your will that you want to be embalmed.