Yahoo Health – This Fascinating Chart Tells You How You’re Most Likely to Die

Image: FlowingData.com

Curious about how you will die? Would you take an online test to find out? Most of us would. It’s just too compelling to resist – answers to some of life’s biggest unknowns.

These were some of the questions asked by Yahoo Health reporting on the popularity of this new test based on actuarial data. I was pleased to weigh in on our inherent curiosity about death and mortality, and what we can do that’s productive. To read the article, click HERE.

Why are we so fascinated by these things? It’s because we’re all kind of self-absorbed, licensed clinical psychologist Alicia H. Clark, PsyD, tells Yahoo Health.

“Our curiosity about ourselves seems virtually insatiable, especially when information can help us better cope with our lives and face the future,” she says. It’s not being morbid, she says, we tend to take these tests because we want confirmation that we’re OK, and that we’re likely to continue to be healthy for a long time.

Of course, the topic of death also scares most of us on some level — but tests like this help calm fears. “Death brings up a core human anxiety,” Clark says. “Not know what’s going to happen can drive up anxiety, whereas being able to predict uncertainties can give us a sense of control which can lower anxiety.”

But even looking at a test like this can freak some people out. If you’re one of them, Clark recommends asking yourself what’s really scaring you — and  then doing something about it. “Often when we face death, we worry most about not living the life we want,” she says. “This anxiety can be motivating and productive, challenging us to improve our lives ultimately.”