Fear of my own death

[AJ77]

Hi everyone,

I suffer from Thanatophbia. It's the fear of my own death.

It started when I was really young. I'm not sure what triggers it, but it's usually when I'm alone and it's night time. I have panic/anxiety attacks. My heart races, I heat up and sweat excessively, I hyperventilate and can barely speak when someone is trying to calm me down.

When the panic happens, all that races through my head is- where am I going? I'm here now, but one day I'm going to just not exist and there is NOTHING I can do about it. What is the meaning of life, why do people live and then die?

I can't wrap my head around it, I can't come to terms with the circle of life. It's getting worse, daily. I can't get to sleep, I can't be alone. I'm worried about my health.

Is there anyone out there with the same problem who has some advice?

[Whitetrash]

I think a lot of us here fear death... Do you feel it's irrational?

[Fishmanpa]

On the subject.... Death has been a question (and fear) of humanity since the beginning of man.

I watched a documentary last night on the Tibetan Book of the Dead. VERY interesting!

While watching this documentary, I noticed those that follow the teachings are quite at peace with the prospect. I'm going to research it further and read this book just to gain a better understanding.

Personally, having faced death intimately several times, I don't fear it. That being said, We all wonder about it.

Positive thoughts

[summer82]

I know exactly what you're going through. I suffer from it too. The worst part is that unlike a lot of fears, this isn't something unfounded. We will all die one day, and we don't know what happens afterwards until it happens to us. I try to combat it by ignoring it, keeping myself busy and thinking about everything I DO have and get to experience now.

I also tell myself that no matter what happens to us when we die, we never truly disappear. We're matter.

[AnxietyDJ]

I know exactly what you're going through. I suffer from it too. The worst part is that unlike a lot of fears, this isn't something unfounded. We will all die one day, and we don't know what happens afterwards until it happens to us. I try to combat it by ignoring it, keeping myself busy and thinking about everything I DO have and get to experience now.

I also tell myself that no matter what happens to us when we die, we never truly disappear. We're matter.

Pretty much exactly what summer said. I have days where all I can think about is my death (and the death of others close to me), but if I keep myself busy and try to 'live life' so to speak, it definitely keeps it at bay.

You're definitely not alone in worrying about it a lot!

[Yossino]

Saying F-it and not caring really helps. Takes a while to mostly become apathetic, and really it still never fully goes away.

[ItShouldGetBetter]

Unfortunately it's like being afraid of rain.. You just can't avoid it! I take solace in the knowledge that science is improving, and convince myself that immortality will be within the clutches of humanity before my time is up. I mean, no one has said to me 'hey Joe, here's a bunch of scientific evidence against prolonging lives.' Quite the opposite!
I may be running from the fear of death, but if I run fast enough it won't catch me!

[JustJay]

I too am scared of death, I believe it stems from control, and death being one thing you cannot control. Perhaps sometime in your life you've been exposed to a situation that was unpleasant and you could not control what was going on? I guess we all question our own mortality, but I've come to realise this, yes I'm going to die, it's inevitable, and I cannot control it, only try to postpone it by living better, so I'll be damned if I'm going to let anxiety steal a second of what I have left.