Does anyone else experience obsessive fear of the universe?

[Bexx1]

Hi everyone
I have always been really into physics and I use to watch loads of documentaries about the universe and thought it was amazing. Now I just find it terrifying. I just find everything so scary. I always ask myself questions like how is the universe even here and what, if anything created it? how can it be infinite? what is the point in life and why does it have be so cruel and selective? what is the point in evolution? etc I am a sort of agnostic/atheist in that I don't believe in a Christian God or anything but I recognise I can't prove that a higher power created the universe. Are any of you atheists and how do you deal with these sorts of fears? I find they come and go. Sometimes I adopt a can't change it why worry attitude but then I have phases where new questions arise and I worry again.

[James244]

I'm an atheist, but when I'm depressed or suffering from my panic disorder I often do think alot about the meaning of life and get stressed by it all. I sometimes wonder why anyone bothers to live when we don't even know why we're alive or if life was just a random accident, I often stress over why killing and suffering is an essential part of existence, carnivorous animals, natural selection, survival of the fittest, extinction ect. Why is the natural world such a cruel and horrible place where animals kill each other every day, why can't life be the sort of paradise that religious people believe the afterlife is?

I sometimes envy religious people and wish I was because they don't fear death and believe there's someone looking after them, it really must make you feel better, if only the nice parts of religion were true.

I suppose the best one can do is simplify things and remember the universe is only ever our experiences of it. Everyone can find their own happiness and (as much as my depression makes me believe it at times) there is no destiny deciding whether you have fortune or misfortune, so you're free to control your own life, which I think is a much nicer thought than the idea that someone else has planned your future.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I'm an agnostic.

I do experience these thoughts more often in my low periods, as James said, and in my case I find myself concentrating on the fact I have achieved nothing, never will, every day is the same = whats the point, etc. I do sometimes find this expands into rumination on larger issues like this though, although its much less an issue for me.

I don't think we will ever know the reasons behind it all but at the same time does it really matter? If we determine why, what does that change? Its like another thread about a relationship ending where one person did the leaving and the other is confusing as to why when they thought it was a good relationship. But does knowing the reason why change your current situation and you future one. No.

I think you have to learn more acceptance, less judgement and be more relaxed in your own skin. For this I would recommend Mindfulness meditation which will help you let thoughts float through without reaction or judgement.

[Bexx1]

You described my thoughts perfectly James. I think that what you have said is also very good and I suppose at the end of the day acceptance is the only way to fully embrace everything. Everything is just so... weird haha! Thank you both :)