As death nears, it’s very common for people to withdraw from social interaction. They may speak very little, even to loved ones, and may seem uninterested in what’s going on around them. Some family members describe this as the person just fading away.

Social withdrawal is a natural part of the dying process and is not a judgment on others. It’s often related to profound weakness and limited energy that affect the ability to remain alert and to communicate with others.

Withdrawal also may have an emotional or spiritual basis. It may be how people acknowledge that they’re going through the greatest change of their lives, that life as they know it will soon be gone. This realization appears to make many people turn their focus increasingly inward.