• Question: If someone dies and someone else told you how would your brain react?

    Asked by lilsimmo to Damien, Rachael, Simon, Suzi, Tim on 20 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Damien Hall

      Damien Hall answered on 20 Jun 2011:

      Hi lilsimmo –

      I hope you’re not asking this because it’s happened to you! If you are, I’m really sorry.

      I don’t think this is a special question about the brain, though. It’s more to do with your mind or feelings, which come from the brain, certainly – but there would be no physical effect on the brain from being told about someone dying. How your mind or feelings react is individual to each person, so you would just have to see how you felt at the time, and it’s possible that no two people would feel the same!

      I really hope this hasn’t happened to you.

    • Photo: Suzi Gage

      Suzi Gage answered on 20 Jun 2011:

      Hi @lilsimmo
      I don’t know much about how the brain deals with shocking information like this. When I’ve heard that people have died I tend to start crying, and find it hard to concentrate. But grief can affect people in different ways. Some people find some clarity and are able to make pragmatic decisions really well, but often this is just a way of blotting out thinking about the sadness they feel.

      Sorry this doesn’t answer your question.

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