Dr. Heshmat and I talk about death, a subject so many try to avoid. What do humans do to avoid thinking about death? Is death the core of all anxiety? What decisions do people make in the face of death and uncertainty? Is some degree of existential dread healthy?  What daily practices can be done to lessen the fear of death? What is Terror Management Theory?   How does the fear of death relate to addiction?Shahram Heshmat, Ph.D., is an associate professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Springfield with a Ph.D. in Managerial Economics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He specializes in the Health Economics of addiction and obesity, applying the insights and findings that emerge from behavioral economics research to the decision processes underlying addictive behavior, obesity, and weight loss management. His most recent book is Eating Behavior and Obesity: Behavioral Economics Strategies for Health Professionals. He is currently working on a new book, Addiction: A Behavioral Economics Perspective, to be published by Routledge/Psychology Press.The Sanity Sessions: Exploring Mental Illness And Maladaptations is a biweekly podcast featuring interviews with leading experts in the field of psychology and mental health.   Clint Sabom is Creative Director of Contemplative Light. He lived in Budapest, Hungary in 2003 as a Gilman Scholar. He speaks English, Spanish, and Portuguese. In 2007, he lived for six months in a silent monastery.. He holds bachelor’s degrees in Religious Studies and one in Spanish literature. He has traveled extensively through Europe and South America. He has spoken and/or performed at Amnesty International, Health Conferences, High Schools, and art galleries across the US. He has studied and done in his own work in Advaita Vedanta, Buddhism, Shamanism, NLP, and hypnosis.   Clint offers a powerful audio mini-course on emotional release, with powerful techniques you can use the rest of your life.  Learn more here: https://contemplativelight.teachable.com/p/emotional-release