How to Cope With Being Inside a Morgue

If you are a law enforcement trainee, a medical student or a forensic science student, you may need to visit a morgue as part of your training. The average citizen may also find, sadly, that he must visit a morgue to identify a deceased loved one at some time. If the latter is the case for you, coping with being inside a morgue will, of course, be a lot harder because of the reason you are there. No matter what situation brings you to visit a morgue, here are some suggestions to help you cope with being there.

Instructions

1. Mentally prepare for the odors you may encounter. The primary odor you will usually smell in a morgue is antiseptic cleaning products. Most morgues’ odor is no worse than that of a hospital or nursing home. However, although morgues are kept cool, and as clean and sterile possible, you will sometimes smell an underlying odor of death and decomposition. This odor is less likely in a hospital morgue, since bodies there are usually not kept for long periods of time--though this depends on the city or town and whether or not a separate forensic morgue is available. If you are worried about odors, bring some menthol ointment to put under your nostrils.

2. Relax and breathe normally. You may be tempted to breathe shallowly or even hold your breath—doing so will make you feel even more nervous.

3. Bring a friend with you, if possible. Having a companion there can provide comfort and distract you from disturbing thoughts.

4. Keep focused on the living people, such as the morgue staff, around you. This will help keep your gaze from wandering.

5. Take a break if you need to. Morgue workers will understand if you need to go outside to get some fresh air. You won't be ridiculed for doing so.

6. Ask questions. Morgue staff should be able to answer any questions you have about the morgue. If you engage your intellect this way, you can keep your imagination from getting carried away about spooky or disturbing things.

Tips & Warnings

• Autopsy rooms are usually not left open to view. Unless you are law enforcement or a medical student, it is very unlikely you will view, accidentally or otherwise, an autopsy in progress

• Bring a long-sleeved shirt or a light jacket. Morgues can be chilly, even if you don’t go into the walk-in refrigerator

• Bodies are kept in a special refrigerated room. As a relative of the diseased, you will probably not go to this room. Instead, you will likely go to a separate room called a viewing room. Some morgues have closed-circuit cameras and you may not even have to enter the room to view the body.

• For visitors, the risk of contracting any disease from a body at a morgue is very low.

• Don't attempt to enter any areas unaccompanied by morgue staff.

• If you feel light-headed, tell someone and find a place to sit down for a moment, or go outside until the feeling passes.