View Full Version : Fear of death
I am not sure about the name for this phobia but one thing between many others that I fear is Death.
I might be off my rock or go insane....I dunno.
Has any one had the same fear?
Please reply.
Florence.
Hi Florence,
Dont worry I have the exact same fear as you, I also fear death. I dont know if there is a proper clinical name for it, but Im sure there are more people than you and I that suffer this. I have suffered this for 3 years and I feel at times that I am mad for worrying about dying but I just cant seem to stop these thoughts coming into my head.
I have spoken to the doctors about this and they asked me If I have had any thoughts of killing myself...!!! They just weren't listening to me, I remeber saying.. I am frightened of death not wishing it.
My panic attacks began after I was in quite a serious car accident, and I remember my 1st one like it was yesterday. I was playing cards with my husband whilst watching t.v and my heart just started to pound and then I would have terrible chest pains, my whole body shaked, my head was swarming, I had to go to the loo every 5 minutes, I felt sick, frightened and desperate. I was terrified to go to sleep in case I wouldn't wake up again, in fact I was terrified to be alone. However I just kept on with my daily routine trying to keep everything together as I was ashamed of how I felt.
I never ever thought that I would survive all these symptoms and thought that my heart would quit at any time ot that I would have a stroke because of the stress I am under. I do sometimes still worry that these things will happen but not to the same affect.
I dont know if these fears will ever truly go but I think they do become less severe, when you actually understand what is causing your body to react in a certain way and when you believe that the symptoms are just caused by anxiety.
Let me know how you are and what worries you and I along with everyone else will do my best to help...i do understand!
sadie
Hi Sadie, thanks so much for your understanding and support. It helps me in a way by knowing that I am not the only one.
I've got some sleeping pills at the moment and really hope they will ease my nights.But I keep asking myself why am I so scared and what triggered my fears? I do not know.
Florence.xxx
Florence,
This i think is what make me so anxious. I have a huge fear of death (and how i am going to die). I fear i am going to be allergic to loads of stuff and die!!
Getting there though Florence - starting to feel better
Love
Lucky
There is no doubt that a panic attack feels like you are dying, and I think that only those who have had one can understand what it's like. I started telling my mates about panic attacks, and now they all joke about having them, espescially when they're hungover, but I don't think they really get it. I also find sadie's remark about being ashamed to be very true - a hero dies but once, a coward dies a thousand times - as Shakespeare said. (But if he's so clever, then why is he dead? as Homer Simpson once said.)
Everyone's frightened of death (I could be really contentious here and state "espescially religious people". Maybe that's one way of dealing with it.)A healthy fear of death helps keep us alive. The fact that we all die gives meaning and direction to the life that goes before it. It's dealing with the fear that's difficult.
Jim
chrissie42
01-12-03, 11:08
quote:Originally posted by uryjm
There is no doubt that a panic attack feels like you are dying, and I think that only those who have had one can understand what it's like. I started telling my mates about panic attacks, and now they all joke about having them, espescially when they're hungover, but I don't think they really get it. I also find sadie's remark about being ashamed to be very true - a hero dies but once, a coward dies a thousand times - as Shakespeare said. (But if he's so clever, then why is he dead? as Homer Simpson once said.)
Everyone's frightened of death (I could be really contentious here and state "espescially religious people". Maybe that's one way of dealing with it.)A healthy fear of death helps keep us alive. The fact that we all die gives meaning and direction to the life that goes before it. It's dealing with the fear that's difficult.
Jim
chrissie
chrissie42
01-12-03, 11:15
Hi my names Chrissie I am new here..
I think most of us have this fear, as jim said in the midst of Panic we "Feel" like we are dying so its no wonder we fear it so - when we have a little taste of Dying each time we Panic.
Jim your words at the end of your reply really stood out...
"Dealing with the "FEAR" thats what is so difficult" -
This is what we all want to avoid at all Costs "Fear" and feeling it is that little taste of death - over and over again, who would want to feel that.
Chrissie xox
chrissie
Hi every one i no exactly wot ur goin through i cant stop thinkin bout it.
Do ne of u believe in God? I think my fear started wen my nan died coz i didnt c her dat often n i kept thinkin dat i wuld lose the rest of my family. Wen i woz upset ova my nan i felt this sense of peace cum ova me as though God woz wiv me tellin me evrything woz ok... every nite i started preying 2 him askin Him 2 protect my family, but recently ive been findin it hard n i cant shake off my thoughts of deaths. If i lost my family i wuldnt b able 2 cope it wuld destroy me, ppl say that no parent shuld have 2 bury their child but shuld ne child hav2 bury their parent?
I still cant shake these feelings off n everytime i go sumwhere im constantly preparing myself for an attack or sum,thin makin sure ill b able 2 run after dem.
Im not sleepin 2 well at nite which isnt helpin, thought bout endin it wen ive bin low but i culdnt do thast to my family coz it wuld destroy their lives
if ne 1 feels d same plz reply or email me
Sam
Samantha,
Have you spoken to your doctor or anyone about how you are feeling ?
I know I panick at the thought of panicking which can make matters worse!!
Take care
Love
Lucky
hi thanks lucky
I dont want 2 c my doc though coz i dont like them n i dont want ne 1 2 find out
Sam
Sam if you spoke to your doctor no-one would be told about it as its confidential. Otherwise why dont you try phoning one of the helplines for a chat when you are down - Meg/ Nic you must know some???
Emily
nomorepanic
08-12-03, 21:54
Sam
You could join "No Panic" as they do a telephone recovery group that may help you. Look for the link on my "links" page on the main web site. They charge £10 per year. They can also provide details of any support groups in your area and you get a contact list so you can call people off that too.
May be worth a try - I have been a member for over 7 years now.
Nicola
Prettyface110
08-12-03, 23:49
I know the fear of death but is what I feel a phobia?? I'm somehow convinced that death is kind of "catching" like mass hysteria or something. I've recently had to spend time in the cardiac high dependency ward with my Dad and was in constant fear of anyone having an arrest while I was there. I feel like if I was with someone when they died, that the shock and trauma of it would somehow make me die!!?? How do you un-convince yourself that this will happen??? It's really getting to me and I'm filled with feelings of DREAD!
prettyface110
Hi,
Something started this off idea and if you can identify it , it becomes easier as rationality kicks in.
Meanwhile, write down your thoughts in long hand , leave it a while , then go back to it and re read it.
Contemplate what you've written , get yourself a pen and cross out all the bits that are really irrational and you know to be untrue - ie death is catching and write in something true instead .
Then reread that until you are happy with it, write it all out again and then keep that piece of paper with you at all times and whenever you're worrying, get it out and read it again and again.
Eventually you will change your thought pattern.
Meg
Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...
thanks nic, em, ill giv it go
Sam
Good idea Radar
I think I will try that too when i start to feel that I'm going to die of a heart attack....etc
sadie
My fear of death is strange it seem to be where all my anxiety stems from.
Not just being scared of dying but being preoccupied by how I might die (posted re theory b4) and to top it off someone has just told me another foodstuff that can cause anaphalaxic shock (oh dear!)
That is it I just fear analphalaxic shock and think everything will give me it!! (|I think it has something to do with the throat tightening at the 'beginning' of my bad anxiety.
I am trying not to avoid things but what i would like is not to have these 'daft thought in the first place
Love
lucky
hi lucky,
glad your head colds better!
as you know,recovering from anxiety,is a long hard road,and your doing so well,but you will recover quicker,if you surround yourself,with positive people,and discard negative people,such as whoever told you of another food to avoid.
keep thinking good thoughts my friend...best wishes..bryan.
Hi Lucky
I too worry about that..although mine seems to be predominantly about dying of a heart attack, brain hamerrage or a stroke. I can sometimes actually see myself falling to the ground in pain dying...morbid and weird I know but it just seems to happen.
I dont think I have these thoughts to the same degree as I did when my panic attacks first started to happen, but I did stop doing certain things which I thought would bring on one of these things to actually happen.
Its not good to do this as it just makes the problem a whole lot worse and will give yourself more things to deal with in the end. Dont stop yourself eating anything in the fear of an analphalaxic shock, the likelihood of that happening is very minute.
If it would make you feel any better you could get a food intolerance test, just to put your mind at ease. Although i really dont think you need one.
Take care
sadie
I don't have a fear of death, but I have an over riding curiosity to know how many people would turn up at my funeral, what they would say, and how many would miss me!
Lucky - have you got any basis for your nut phobia? Or is it just one of those things that develop.
Charlie
Hiya,
I have no basis at all for my nut theory!!
I don't know why I even thought of it. I just know when I was getting symptoms of anxiety (mainly throat tightening) I somehow (in my strangee messed up head) thought of nuts making your throat close (if u are allergic!!) and have barely been unable to be near them since (I have managed on a couple of occasions though)
I am not allergic to any foodstuffs to my knowledge but maybe I will get an intolerance test (just out of curiosity!!)
It argue with myself in my head you know - I know I'm not allergic to them but WHAT IF this time!!
I know this sounds crazy but I can't help it.
The person who told me of the other food that causes anaphalyxic shock has no idea of my 'condition' and it was brought up in a conversation that his grandson has it so they need to be careful!!
love
lucky
Dear Lucky
No its not crazy, I suffer from IBS, and when my tum is bad, there are loads of things I couldn't eat, cos I thought it would make it worse.
Now I've realised that its my anxiety levels NOT the food that make me like this. I could eat anything, and it wouldn't really have an effect, its the being anxious all the time that does! So I do know what you mean.
There were times (particularly when my mum was away so I had to buy, prepare and cook my own food) that I lived off fish and vegetables every night!!!
Charlie
Do u know what I would take the panic attacks (for no apparent reason) and I would take the anxiety symptoms
If only these BL***Y thoughts would go away
Tell me about it!
I've lost track of the number of times I have sat in a pub with my friends, ordering a meal, and I am panicing, because there aren't any SAFE meal options for me to have.
Then I pick the lesser of the evils, and pick at it.
The thoughts are the worst - because they are what make me anxious half the time!
Love
Charlie
Vicious circle though isn't it Charlie !!
I'll take the anxiety but not the thoughts. the anxiety wouldn't be as bad if I never had the thoughts!!
I had the anxiety symptoms b4 tyhe thoughts and I had the panick b4 the thoughts but the thoughts make them worse !!(oh dear)
lucky
No that's given me something to THINK about!!!!!
Don't know which way round they were in me - think it was anxiety - thought and back again!!!
Think you're right
Love
Charlie
I agree with Lucky that something triggers anxiety and/or panic and that any thoughts are not apparant at this time. It just happens.
Your adrenals and nervous system goes into freefall. You do need to heal from this.
Then once you're realized that you're afraid - then the thoughts kick in fast and furious.
I do hope you ladies are taking a good Vitamin B and C complex ....
Meg
Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...
Meg
Have just bought a B complex today. How long before I should notice a difference? Didn't know about Vit C. Will go and buy a complex today!
Charlie
Dear Charlie,
You can get an all in one from www.questvitamins.co.uk
Vit B is the essential one in healing your nervous system and Vit C is an antioxyidant for your smoking and general wellbeing!!
There won't be a massive difference but helps the healing process. Putting good fuel in the car that will help maintain it instead of something that will just make it tick over and bounce down the road.
Meg
Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...
Hiya Meg,
i've got the Vit B (once u convinced me it was safe!) but will get Vit C cause of the cigs
lucky
nomorepanic
13-12-03, 21:56
Meg
I went to the site to order some but there are a few - is it the multi B complex one that I should get?
Nicola
I too have a phobia of death, and do tend to get very preoccupied with it.
Both my fear of death and panic attacks started when I was really young - about 7 or so I think. I used to lay awake at night wondering what was keeping my heart beating. Just reading a kid's book about the human body would make me come over all panicky! Since then, the PAs have come and gone. I got them badly again when my Nan was diagnosed with cancer. She lived 5 years after this but strangely enough, when she died, the attacks didn't particularly reappear.
However, they've come back with avengance now during the Christmas holidays, and for no apparent reason! No one's died or anything like that - the only thing I can put 'em down to is my stressful job - I'm an Exams Officer at a college.
When I mentioned to my doctor about my fear of death, all he could say was: "we all die - you're going to have to get over it". Like, cheers mate! :(
Hi Dawn,
Your doctor sounds like a very supportive guy!!! What kind of treatment did he offer or did he not even bother at all?
I too have this phobia and yes we do all die at some time in our lives but its not healthy to worry about it everyday.
I think you should go back to your gp if your not happy with the treatment and ask to speak toa different doctor...explain how you feel etc and ask to get transfered for some counselling or CBT which will help you get over your fear.
Take care
sadie
Dawn,
I agree with Sadie, try and get an appointment with a different doctor. It is very difficult to understand anxiety unless you have been through it (I mean life changing anxiety)(on saying that bryan on this forum doesn't have an anxiety problem but is very supportive - hurry up and graduate Bryan!!) but it is your doctors job to help u overcome the problem
I don't know where us anxiety sufferers get out irrational fear of death - I can't pinpoint mine to any particular event in my life. and as your doctor says we all die but it is not good for our mental health to dwell on it 24/7
There is some great advice on these boards re relaxation, exercise, diet, diary keeping etc that will help you get back on track have a scout around it is definetly worth ago
Let us know how you get on
Love
lucky
Cheers for the replies. Yeah, can't say I was that chuffed with my doctor's help - or lack of it! He told me to see how my panic attacks went for the next 3 months and then come and see him again. But where i've been so bad the past 2 weeks, i made an appointment with another doctor the other day, who wasn't much better! He gave me some anti-depressants for a month and more or less sent me on my way! I'm gonna see how I go this month, then probably make another appointment and demand some proper help!
Hi dawn
Good for you for going back an demanding that a gp offers you some proper help. Do go back in amonths time and ask for counselling or CBT as medication is not a long-term fix.
Take care and keep posting
sadie
hi,
ive got an overwhelming fear of dying as well,i dont worry about how i'll die but i have great difficulty just trying to imagine not been here and knowing that one day i wont be.
i also have problems with certain foods,my favourite food is pesto on pasta but since i found out it was made with pine nuts i cant eat it,if i do i feel i cant breathe properly and that my throat is closing in around a great big lump stuck there. i made it for my kids a few days ago and got some of the pesto on my hand and even though i washed my hand umpteen times i still had an itchy spot on my hand for hours. at the moment im doing ok with the food as im on a diet so im eating loads of fruit and veg.i dont drink alcohol either for the same reason,i had a baby in may 02 and ever since then ive been unable to drink more than a glass of wine watered down with lots of lemonade,too be honest im not that bothered about not drinking alcohol but ive been in situations where other people have put pressure on me to drink more than i want to.
anyway glad to know im not the only one, emma x
Emo,
I too have the 'nut' thing!!
I think it stemed from the anxiety symptom of my throat feeling as if it was closing into a thought that I may develop an allergy to nuts!! (Ate them all my life with no ill effects!!)
I am taking it slowly trying to get back into 'nut eating' but I avoided them for so long it is very very difficult. Please try to avoid avoidance as it only makes the problem alot worse. I know it is very difficult though
Love
Lucky
quote:Originally posted by DawnUK
I too have a phobia of death, and do tend to get very preoccupied with it.
Both my fear of death and panic attacks started when I was really young - about 7 or so I think. I used to lay awake at night wondering what was keeping my heart beating. Just reading a kid's book about the human body would make me come over all panicky! Since then, the PAs have come and gone. I got them badly again when my Nan was diagnosed with cancer. She lived 5 years after this but strangely enough, when she died, the attacks didn't particularly reappear.
However, they've come back with avengance now during the Christmas holidays, and for no apparent reason! No one's died or anything like that - the only thing I can put 'em down to is my stressful job - I'm an Exams Officer at a college.
When I mentioned to my doctor about my fear of death, all he could say was: "we all die - you're going to have to get over it". Like, cheers mate! :(
I am always worying about death and how I am going to die. Every day all day really sometimes to the point of where I feel I am going mad! [xx(]
If I get any aches or pains my anxiety kicks in and I start imagining I have something seriously wrong with me and start thinking of how awful my death will be, I try to stop these thoughts but it is so difficult. I too worry about the foods/drinks that I consume, worrying if they will cause any reaction!!
I think that this irrational thinking was sparkded off when I saw an elferly man die form a heart attack a few years ago and realised how quickly he went from being alive to suddenly being dead....right there in front of my eyes, that was very difficult to come to terms with and it caused me to realise my own immortality and that no one lives forever but I never thought I would end up like this and worrying about every little ache and pain and cold or sniffle!
If I don't have anything to worry me about myself I start to worry about losing poeple close to me, its as if I have to worry about something! Crazy I know, Does anyone else feel like this?
Angie :)
x
Hi Angie,
This is very common indeed. Good that you know where it came from.
As you say, for you this is about accepting your own and your families mortality and although people do die unexepectedly - it's truly a very low incidence.
You might like to try 'Cruse',CBT or work it through yourself.
What started as a very normal reaction is now just playing havoc in your mind and so far you are feeding it nutritious thoughts so its going to stay until you starve it of food for thought .
So distrct yourself totally , immerse yourself into a project, a conversation, music, art anything that needs total attention.
Once you can do that and prove you can have periods of forcing them away then move to tackling the thought.
Take each one - pick it apart as though it were a debate and you are in the 'against' team and come up with all the reasons why your thoughts are invalid.
Then incorporate them into every day thinking each time you have an old type though - switch immediately to a new rational one .
Meg
Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...
hi angie,
i can really relate to what you're saying although i dont worry about people close to me dying,i do worry about what my kids would do without me,it makes me cry when i imagine them being sad about me dying.
i just find it so hard to come to terms with me not been alive one day,im constantly trying to work out how far through my life i am whether im half way through it or maybe a third of the way through it,it drives me mad and i feel that my life is been wasted by all this worry of when im going to die.
love em x
Thank you very much, what you say makes a lot of sense and I will try the debate thingee!
I have had cognitive behaviour therapy (I think that is what you meant?) and it seemed to work for a while but then i just started all the bad thoughts again every day and could'nt shake them off. Sometimes I feel like I have to continue this bad thinking as if I don't then something horrible will happen - its a vicious circle, I am constantly scaring myself outta my wits!!!
Anyway thank you very much for your reply, I appreciate it. :)
april tones
17-03-04, 23:34
hi, i have all theswe problems. When there was chicken flu scare i stopped eating chicken, there was fuji flu about and i was so frightened, any one else like this?
apriltones
For some people including myself I think it is the unknowen of what happens after death and not haveing any controll over it.And worring about it and trying to avoid things that might put us at greatter risk of death is our way of trying to take controll of it.
Brill XXX :)
Hi everyone.
I have the biggest fear of death. I've had it since I was quite young. I used to have nightmares about me, my mum and dad all dying in a car crash and leaving my brothers and sisters behind with no-one to care for them. Horrid dreams they were. As I've got older, my fear is more focused on my own health. Everytime I get a pain in my chest I think its my heart or lungs, if the pains in my head, I think its a stroke or a tumour. Talk about hypochondriac! Yet I can't stop these irrational thoughts. My phobia definately got worse after my mum comitted suicide when I was 15. Death seems to be foremost in my mind most days since then. I know my panic attacks get worse when I'm convinced I'm dying. Hard to break the vicious circle when your brains doing overtime though. Ah well. I know what the problem is, its just fixing the bl***y thing! Its taken me a long time to get this bad, so I don't suppose I'm going to get better overnight. Patience and positive thinking. Doesn't stop me being TERRIFIED of dying though. Even the looking word makes me shudder. Yuk.
I fear death and wonder whats going to happen to me. It really scares me. I think this is why I have my health anxiety, because I know it will happen oneday, so as soon as I get something wrong with me, I fear the worst and think its my time.
Im not sure if this makes sense, but if it does, has anyone else overcome or learnt to deal with their fear? If so has anyone got any advice please.
Emma xx
Hi
Hey , nice to see that my topic has still some replies!!! Altho not the best topic huh?
<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">so as soon as I get something wrong with me, I fear the worst and think its my time. </td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">
I have the same problem, it is difficult not to think about it! But I intend to change that! I want to accept it and not to fear it as much.
I know a quote saying ****Some people are so afraid to die that they never begin to live.**** and i think its true !!! I am tired of living with fear, feeling half alive. I want to be able to enjoy the years, the months or days I still have in front of me. Otherwise, when I'll know that its time for me to go, I'll think "oh what a waste, all this years I've spent worrying ." Definitely not worth it.
If we support each others , we can get thru it :) and lead a better life.
Take care.
Florence.
**To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.**
You have some good points there Florence, Ill have to take a step back and think about it. Im sitting here now, thinking whats wrong with me? It is really annoying, as I know I do it.
Take care
Feel free to PM me, if you want to talk.
Emma xx
Keep focused, keep positive.
LooksLikeRain
27-11-05, 08:13
I used to think about death when I was younger and it scared me. I felt a strange sensation in my chest, and I didn't know what it was.
Nowadays, if we were talking about death in school in class and going into details and everything, I just feel really upset and scared. Then anxiety kicks in.
We Don't Have To Live In Fear No More
Yes, I agree, it is a very scary subject, and like you , if I think about it , I'll definitely enter in panic mode.
I try my best to focus more on my life, and just enjoy the ride, altho I do still have my ups and downs...
LooksLikeRain , how are you coping lately?
Florence.
*He who loses money, loses much; He who loses a friend, loses much more, He who loses faith, loses all.*
Hi,
im very new to this, but I am suffering from a severe fear of death and pain.
I imagine myself having a heart attack, and get panicky! I also pray every night that my girlfriend and family never die.
I once watch "LIVE AUTOPSY" on TV, and as soon as I saw the body and the knife came out, I started shaking and was sick.
I am terrified of hospitals, needles, operations, blood......and if I had to go into theatre for an operation, I genuinely do not think I could cope.
DOes this ring bells with anyone, and can anyone help me?
Much appreciated,
Nairn from UK[V]
jojothepixie2006
07-02-06, 18:32
i suffer from the fear of brain haemrodges dont know if thats how u spell it but its taken big control over my life right now and i dont know what to do i think im going to die suddendly and thats wat scares me the most that i could be standing there or sittin in the bath etc and then suddendly jus die.
Hi Jojo
I can relate totally, but you know , this is just a fear, a thought...Anxiety can make you believe the most dreadful things... I know how scary it is.
You'll find that there are many people like us two, Jojo, on this website, I am sure you ll find some support.
I wish you well.
Florence.
*** Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't, I give myself reasons why I can. ***
carldourish
07-02-06, 20:48
Many people fear death; it is the ultimate loss. Loss of life. This keeps us safe: It stops us taking stupid risks. Fear of death only becomes a problem if it preoccupies your thoughts or makes you anxious. Fear of death is similar to other worries about the future, but here we know that eventually it will come true. We just do not know when.
Denying death gives it the power to frighten us and means we may be unprepared. Death is a fact of life. Everyone will die, and this is what gives life its meaning.
One we can do to reduce the fear of death is to make it an adviser to tell us what is the most important thing for us to do in the present. Here is one skill you can use that will make the idea of death enrich your life right now.
Best to do this NLP technique in a quiet place in a relaxed frame of mind:
Imagine yourself in the far future, looking back on your life now.
What do you what to have accomplished by this point?
What important goals do you have that remain dreams?
What would it feel like to have accomplished these things?
Is there anything you need to do now to prepare for the time when you die and are no longer here to take care of people and do the things you enjoy doing?
What advice can you give to the you now, from this place in the far future?
How important are the worries of your present self from this distant point of view?
What is the most important thing that you need to do now?
Come back to the present moment, and reflect a little on what you have learned.
Carl
i have read this for the first time and really feellike a am reading about myself.
i have had a fear of havin a heart attack for 4 years and due tot the anxiety, have developed all the symptoms of one. i cannot seem to shake this feeling and am worried that the anxiety itself will now cause what i fear the most. you are all right, it is a deep desire to live for ever and decide our own destiny which is not the way it happens.
any help and tips would be really appreciated as i would really like to live without fear. i would really like to just live. i want this more than anything
jackie
I want to contibute to this because I am different!! I dont fear death but fear physical disabilty- I am terrified of having my ability to do things taken away from me!!! I have gone to the extent that on my medical records I have written not to ressusitate me if I am near death through fear of being a 'vegtable'!! Anyone else feel this way??
But I dont think about it much- life is the biggest gift and if you dont live it to the fullest you can, you will regret it for all eternity when it is over!!!!
Ammegxx
great replies you lot. thanks to nigel for his sense and to florence for writting it soooo well. ammeg you are right this fear is a waste of time yet it seems beyond my control to fix it. today because i feel so sore and a different thing is happening i feel that my texts may be a waste of time because i am dying.
sorry you lot, just afraid today, hope i live to not be afrasid any more. keep the good vibes going, it can only help us in the long run.
again sorry just really afraid of the pains today not feeling great
jackie
Hey jackie!!
New symtoms are scary but try not to worry (hard I know), I think we have all felt like we could die from the affects of this stupid illness but you WILL be fine!!
We are all here for you (and anyone else having a bad time), So you dotn have to deal on your own!!!!
Ammegxxx
Hi Nigel
<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">I think it’s not so much a fear of dying but rather a fear of not being alive anymore. A fear of not having enough time to do everything we wanted to do. A fear of not having enough time to find happiness.</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">
What a sensible message, I think you're spot on !!
Hi Jackie
<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">and to florence for writting it soooo well.</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">
Thanks. [:I]
Sorry to hear you're not feeling great lately, are you feeling a bit better ?
Florence.
*** Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't, I give myself reasons why I can. ***
florence just havin a bad day, have five kids and 4 of them are 3 and under, so most days i get on with it but it is always there, other days i get something new and the fear increases. this post started 3 years ago florence, how did it start with you , are you fine now?
just curious hope you dont mind
jackie
Hi Jackie
Wow , 5 kids !! You have to put up with a lot !! This surely must be very stressful, I sometimes struggle just with one !!!
And you know , stress in itself can add a lot to your anxiety and fears.
Yeah, my post is more than 2 years old, I cant believe it, I am surprised it still gets replies.
But I have had that fear since 1996, so its not new! How did it start, hmm... my first operation I think, I had a huge fear of the general anaesthetic, I feared not waking up... That's where it began really.
I still fear it to be honest, but I manage in a better way than I used to, I still have acute anxiety now and again, but its not permanent, its on and off. The thing that really works for me is distraction, keeping busy and ignoring the bloody thing.
I wish you well.
Florence.
*** Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't, I give myself reasons why I can. ***
thanks for 5the replies. still helping people 2 years on thats some going.
at the beginning it is a terrifying fear isnt it? yet with understanding i have improved, but the desire for the magic wand to make it dissapear or have it never happened is sooooo great.
need to forget these fantasies and get on with the real job of getting better. i want that sooo bad, i no everyone does here.
thanks again, it is so good to have this post it makes me feel less insane
jackie
I am totally petrified of dying - actually I am not sure it's dying I am afraid of, more the actual being dead - which sounds stupid because I know that I won't know anything about it!
I find it terrifying to think that one day I won't be here anymore and the world will carry on. I think the fact that 'I' (or my conciousness and thoughts) are the centre of my world makes me feel that it wouldn't acutally happen to me, does that make sense?
Anyway I spend so much time over the last few months being eaten up by anxiety about death that Iwas having a miserable time living so I have made a concerted effort not to think about dying and to concentrate on living and doing the things that I want to do.
I think Carl's post was very good - it gave me a lot to think about with regards to what I want to achieve :)
Annie x
Hi Jackie
You're right, it is petrifying at the beginnning.
i really hope that you'll get better Jackie, and you're definitely not insane, if you were , you'd probably not notice it.
Take care.
Hi Tomimo
I understand exactly what you're saying, and yes it is terrifying.
You 're right, Carl's post is very sensible , we should try to focus on life itself and live it to the fullest.
Hope you'll succeed with what you want to achieve.
All the best.
Florence.
*** Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't, I give myself reasons why I can. ***
Thanks Florence,
It's just reassuring to know that I am not the only one who worries about these things :) Every time I have mentioned my fear to my DH or family, they act surprised that I am scared of it - I am amazes at how easily they accept the inevitable. I am taking a leaf out of their book.
I hope you achieve your goals and dreams too :)
Annie x
Hi Annie
<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">Every time I have mentioned my fear to my DH or family, they act surprised that I am scared of it - I am amazes at how easily they accept the inevitable.</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">
Yes I can understand, I tend to think that way too... But I was once one of them too... No fear, no anxiety, no irrational thinking, just normal [Sigh...], I'd give anything to be that way again.
Florence.
*** Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't, I give myself reasons why I can. ***
annie, my dad had a heart attack 12 years ago and talk of heart and blood pressure rolls of his back like water. i feel they are all so brave . and when people talk to me about god or reincarnation is say no i dont want into another family i want to stay with this one. i find it all soooo scary to leave. i want no one in my family to die which is soooo unrealistic
you are so not alone to have this fear. i feel it is a fear because i love my family so much that the thought of them leaving or me leaving scares me so much. if i was sure there was a god who brought them or me to heaven to wait for us all then i would be happier, but the uncertainty worries me
does this ring a bell with you or am i just mad
jacklie
Hey Jackie
<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">does this ring a bell with you or am i just mad</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">
You're not mad at all, You're just very loving , caring and compassionate. Which makes you very sensitive at the thought of being departed from your loved ones. I think its a quality, altho I agree it can be painful.
Take care.
Florence.
*** Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't, I give myself reasons why I can. ***
Jackie,
It definitely rings a bell with me. I feel exactly the same. My son was crying in bed last night asking me what would happen if we didn't get sent to the same part of heaven when we die and I just felt awful for him. Of course I reassured him that we would (he's only 7) and not to worry about it but at the same time I felt like a hypocrite because I have all the same fears and I have no idea about what (if anything) is there after death.
Like you it's the uncertainty that causese the fear. I often think that it must be very comforting to have a strong faith and concrete beliefs about the afterlife/reincarnation, etc.
Annie x
Hi
I live in constant fear that I am dying, I have ran into the doctors convinced that I am due to die at any second, have rang my mother in the middle of the night and A&E on numerous occasions!
In addition I have now started to be convinced that I am loosing my mind and will end up in a mental health ward!
These are the wost feelings in the world - at last people who understand how I feel and dont think im either attention seeking or wierd!
I have just started medication which at the moment is making me worse with tingling in my fingers I am convinced that I am going to loose the use of my hands
Hope this will soon get better
Wendy x
Hello Wendy,
I hope you are feeling reassured fomr some of the posts you have read - you are not alone at all, we have all been there :)
Annie x
annie is right wendy you are not alone and although we are all going through good and bad days its so good to no weve got eachother. feel so good to no you lot even if it is through my fear
jackie
annie you are sooooo right. i have a friend who has a really strong faith and i envy it. i would be like her but i dont want to use it just to get better cause i struggle to believe.
this girls husband used to fear death then his renewed faith in god took this fear away. wouldnt that be good. but i am the same as you , fear the uncertainty of it all, would love somebody to guarantee me but that isnt gonna happen. actually i am always loking unrealistic guarantees.
jackie
hey everyone
just read through this entire thread and i think its great we have all found this site so we know we are not alone.
Ive had a fear of death since i remember. Never had any big loss or death in my family. A friend of mine died about a year ago, which did just make the fear worse.
What most distresses me is not actually dying, or pain... its being empty. Its being dead forever, not being hear, not being anywhere just in total darkness. When i think about 'eternity' well its a mind boggling amount of time. We live in such godless times, i really wish i had a strong faith, and that something carried on after we die. I have a great fear of having a heart attack, because its instant and random and not in control I dont worry about getting cancer because its drawn out and theres always hope. Im only 19 and constantly think ive got a heart defect. I get so affraid and feel like im walking through thick fog, dont know who i am, dont recognise the people around me, even my parents. I just suddenly wonder where the heck i am, how did i get hear? Why am i me? Whats this insane world infront of me? I dont know it sounds crazy! Certain things make me think 'stronger' about the subject, certain films, certain places, certain memories... when watching or studying history ill suddenly get like a newflash and i start thinking 'imagine if i was born in these times? i would of been dead for so long now, and no one would remember me'... then i think whats the actual point in being remembered? Your not contious of it. Also someone said that they think about what stage there at in there life, this is how i think... and look forward like... 'when im 40 blah blah how long is it til then?'
Its very disturbing, I dont want this to go on forever or i'll end up going insane and not have a clue whats going on.
Never say never, opps said it twice..
Hi Badchip
Sorry to hear about your friend.
I was 19 when my anxiety started and felt pretty much what you're describing. Feeling very detached from reality and scared to die at any minute.
Just like you , its the nothingness that terrifies me.
i hope you 'll feel better in yourself soon, have faith. :)
Florence.
*** I saw a light at the end of the tunnel and it wasn't a train. ***
MasterJPK69
01-01-07, 06:52
Hello i am new here. I have read alot of stuff about anxiety and this forum has really shed some light on this. I have to say that i think the reason i have panic attachs is cause of my fear of dying every time i get nervous i start to think that i an done for especially when i have a palipation it really makes me wig out. My first real attach was hell and i ended up in the hospital and you know being there actually made it worse so i left. I eventually went back and they told me i was ok there was nothing wrong i even had a stress test done and that was good. Even after all that i still think i am dying. as far as the religion thing that is what scares me the most is worring where ill end up when i do die. I just hope Jesus is as forgiving as the bible says so. It is hard to deal with the fear of it. I am on xanax and i dont want to have to take it but it to a degree calms me down. Any way this forum is great i have gotten alot of useful info it is comforting knowing i am not the only one with this going on.
claireypoo
03-01-07, 00:19
I am so the same - i'm hoping CBT will help!
I want to LIVE not wait to die!!!
Claireypoo
Oh wow! SO glad to know I'm not alone!
I used to have little...erm...attacks? when I was little just thinking about death, and they've seemed to return.
It's the thought of what comes after...that there might not be anything, that sends me over the edge. I've started having anxiety attacks again this year because of that.
I was also recently in a car accident, but by some miracle no one was hurt. If the tiniest thing had been different, however, we could have all been killed...and my anxiety has been even worse because of it.
Tomimo..that's me exactly! Lately it's hard to function every day....I've been pretty depressed, and no matter what, I can't stop thinking about how one day my life will end....I can't get rid of the anxious feeling anymore!
I've always had a strong faith...never stronger than this year...and it's always comforted me when it came to my fear, but now it just can't anymore. My amount of faith remains the same...it's just that the amount of anxiety has grown.
gah...every day I wish for some miracle medicine or something that could remove these thoughts from my mind....
wow. this was a long post. I'm sorry...I just started rambling.
To All,
I have gone through all of the six pages on Fear of Death and am surprised this fear is still so real to so many people. I myself had my first attack of Fear of Death when I was sixteen years old. I had had the Asian Flu back in 1958 when people by the dozens were dying of it. I myself thought I was going to die. For over forty something years it robbed my life from me. Panic attack first, agoraphobia, afraid of people, afraid of everything. Some told me back in the 80' that I must be afraid of God. I answered, "No, I'm not afraid of God. I go to church every Sunday and pray everyday." How could I be afraid of God? I found out only when I took care of someone who was dying inch by inch each day of Alzheimer's, that I was becoming cured. After fifteen years as a caregiver and wanting to die myself, because of the pain the other person was going through. I found it cured me of my fear of death. What a way to find out you're not afraid to die? I found these past few years being around people who are dying can change a person point of view on death and give you more respect for God and the plan for you in life. I felt so devote about this I wrote my own book, Fears Flutterby. For you that are so afraid of death, be around it and help someone else, you will inturn find your own SELF. God bless you all.
Rose
http://www.rmlamatt.com
Don't walk in front of me I may not follow.
Don't walk behind me I may not lead.
Just walk beside me and be my friend
I'm completely terrified of it. Even more so than panic attacks and anxiety. In fact more than everything in the world. I think the problem is I have to face up to the fact that it WILL happen one day whether I like it or not. This seems to be behind almost every fear - not being in control of the subject of the fear. A bit like the panic as well. When I can control things I can do them when I'm ready, if not then I feel anxious about it. This fear of something else controlling you is, I think, behind 99% of phobias.. which is why learning to control it is often so effective. But beneath it all is our human loathing of not being able to control something, and the reason death is so scary is because it's the one thing we know is a definite certainty.
Its not abnormal to fear death but it is abnormal to be thinking about it all the time and overreacting. My husband had chest pains about a year ago and we ended up in A&E. Thankfully it wasnt a heart attack, but he did have a stent put in a narrowed artery. Up till that point Id think about death every now and again and feel thoughtful/sad and then carry on my normal business. Thats normal! Now I wake up anxious about it and get upset about any sign of loss, even if its a tree that blew over. I have three kids and the idea that I wont be with them one day is almost more than I can bear. Sometimes I feel like killing myself so I dont have to suffer the pain of the fear of losing my children. I know that sounds odd. Im having CBT and he is treating my fear like any other phobia. ie that I have to expose myself to thoughts of it, then suffer the pain and to see that I can deal with it. I guess the idea is that with repeated exposure I will see that I can cope with it. Im not sure that it is working very well, but he seems to think so. So does my husband. I dont show outward signs as often as I used to, and the physical signs of anxiety are less, but I still think about it too much. I panic that I havent got any time left, that its too late to try to accomplish anything and Im just waiting for my kids to leave me, for me to get old and ill and then to die. I feel terrible when Im not doing anything because I fear Im wasting time. I cant read a paper or watch tv without getting upset because everyone on tv or in the paper (ok I will admit not everyone) is so young and most people over 40 are shown in a negative light.
A year ago I felt full of life, I felt like a member of the human race. Now I feel like Im ancient, decomposing, out of time and doomed. I feel like Im just biding my time until I die, even though I do lots of things, nothing seems to make much difference. No matter how good a time I have, I always revert to this.
In a little over three weeks' time it will be the second anniversary of my father's death, so it seems maybe fitting that I should tell you all a little about how I learned about death and what it actually represents. In short, death can (in some cases) be a blessed relief from not being dead.
I absolutely adored my Dad and I hated seeing him suffer. He really was my best friend and even though we had a really good innings together (he was 85 and I was 38) I can't say I was ready to lose him. Having said that, the stroke caused him to linger, in a near total paralysis, for a further five months before pneumonia finally carried him off. During that time I knew he was going to die but until he did, I was d*mned if I was going to sit there by his bedside and mope. I mean, goodness he really needed that, didn't he? He was well miffed to have survived that stroke and I was well miffed for him but armed with a special beaker and a series of nods I still managed to give him his favourite ale and we still did the Times Crossword together, ignoring the bits that no longer worked and just concentrating on the bits that did.
I didn't go, the day he died. I had thought to, and felt a little regret that I didn't say goodbye that one last time but how on earth is one to know? Anyway, he slept a lot that last day and I hated far more, in retrospect, that had I gone he might have been hanging on waiting for me to leave, so it didn't happen in front of me so I'm glad that it happened as it did.
Because we spent so many fun days together (that is the important part) I have no regrets at all - only happy memories and the satisfaction of knowing exactly how to send him off, which, if he was looking down from his cloud he would have loved. We'd always joked about bringing him into his particular favourite pub on the way to his funeral and he chuckled his head off at that idea so we had the pub open especially, an hour earlier than usual, simply so we could plonk his casket down on the bar, toast him with a last pint (just a secret society of five people including the barman) before snatching him back up again as we realized we had but two minutes to make it down to the church, thus making him late for his own funeral through being down the pub with "offspring" (his pet name for me) again. That part wasn't planned but we laughed all the way down the street, me sitting in the back with Daddy's casket on my knee wiping off the odd drip of beer with my hanky so the vicar wouldn't guess (I don't think he was fooled for a minute).
Dad's buried with his baby sister in the special, special churchyard whose clock has the number 13 on its face in place of a twelve, so when we buried him at midday it was technically impossible not to be late. He is surrounded by the graves of his ancestors and the lovely gentleman who dug the hole even nudged him up gently with his shovel so there's room for me to join him in due course. I LOVE looking back on that and just feel so strongly that all that was absolutely perfect.
I did see Dad before the undertakers collected him, and he was arranged so nicely by the nursing home. He just looked so peaceful and as I kissed his head he wasn't half as cold and clammy as I had thought he would be. I just kissed him and told him I'd see him later. It was such a relief to know he wasn't stuck in that tedious limbo any more. Death really isn't bad, you know, as long as you have plenty of life crammed in beforehand.
Whatever happens after death I DO know that it's the same for all of us so if Dad's gone anywhere at all then I know he's ok and so will I be too and I hope he's put a pint in for me behind the bar. If, on the other hand we just cease entirely then that's fine as well because we'll none of us be aware of it! Dad lives on always in my memory (not to mention my genetic makeup) so I'm not scared of dying at all - I'm only conscious that I don't want to languish on with a long illness because to be terminally ill carries the idea of pain and discomfort and
i to no how you all feel i have had this fear since the age of 12 i am now 51 so i say i have not lived just suvibed evry day with the fear of it being my last and there is not many days that it as not pooped into my head makeing me suffer with anxiety panic and agraphobia the worst thing is some one woth a broken leg you can see whats wrong with them but when you try to explain to some one or even your doctor because on the out side we look fine but inside your falling apart always say wish there was a pill that could change the way i think but tried things over the years nothing can change my mind only me i guesss and thinking this way so many years i get scared that i will end my days never haveing a good day haveing said that there is alot more help around now unlike me back in the 60s so grab all the help you can somthing is bound to work bye for now trish
Cupofpoison
02-02-07, 17:29
I think I agree with some of you others - it's the dying part I fear more than death. Like, being confined to a hospital bed in pain and discomfort, being forced to see my loved ones pining over me, knowing I'm going to die, and knowing that I am going to lose them and knowing they're going to lose me. It seems like such sadness and pain, such a terrible ordeal to go through.
=( - Jamberry
Don't let life get the best of you; instead, give life your best.
What can be done about this phobia?
It got better for me for a bit, but lately my anxiety's been back even worse(I had the worse attack of my life where I thought I was going to die at any minute). There are nights where I'm afraid to go to sleep, because I know that when I wake up I have one less day to live. It's stupid, I know....but it has so much control over me and I honestly don't know what to do anymore. I'm 16 years old, and I know that that's young, and yet I can't help but feel like my life is going to end soon....it's something that's been bothering me every single day....I just can't make the feeling go away.
Is there anything I can do?
munchkin555
01-05-08, 21:52
hi
what sadie said made me laugh, i have the sam fear of death and was explaining it to a councilor and she asked me if i wanted to kill myself.
i couldnt believe what i was hearing, there i was pouring out my fears to her and she's asking if im suicidal even though i've just told her i'm petrified of dying and never want to die
some ppl just dont listen!!!
xxx
angeloutahell
15-05-08, 02:13
hello i have the same fear of dieing it scares me really bad i worry about the world ending aswell i worry if the winds to bad or if it rains to hard i worry if i hear of an earth quake or volcano or hurricane etc
Hi Florence!
I too have a fear of dying. Just recently it has been overwhelming and life controlling. I am currently on citalopram and awaiting CBT in an attempt to deal with it.
My mum died very suddenly when i was 16, since then (for 14 years) i have suffered with panic attacks and the fear of dying.
I have two very young children. And i think my own experience has made me even more frightened that I'm going to leave my children behind before I get to see them grow up.
But all the while I'm having these thoughts I'm not enjoying them!
I'm determined to change all that!
Keep me posted.
Kelly
i am really pleased to have come across this website, and how there are more than me with the fear of dying. all the people i talk to dont understand its like people with a fear of bananas i suppose nobody gets it.
what is the fear you have? i have many ie the way im going to die, when, what will happen to me when i die, will i be remembered, i havent lived life to the full. i think the worst is what will happen when i am not here.
i have 2 small girls and the thought of leaving them behind is worse feeling in the world, i am a full time mum. i hope we can all support each other xx
thankgod I'm not the only one! I constantly worry about death. I fear "not being" the thought of there being nothing after we die scares the c**p out of me. Does nothing to help my panic attacks I can tell you lol x
befuddled1
14-03-09, 12:14
I have been utterly terrified by death. The fear 'took' me again recently. This is a good thread. I honestly don't understand why there is not some kind of fear-of-death forum somewhere. Could we make it a sub-forum? It does keep coming up as a topic.
I don't understand, in fact, why people don't talk about it in everyday life more. Is it still taboo? Or is it just not what interests people, or what they think about?
There are a one or two other things I'd like to say but my fear and how I control it stops me.
I hope this post does not cause anyone else to feel bad or worse. Actually, at the moment, I feel pretty calm, I don't dare say 'happy' though.
edit: actually, just realised how old this thread is!! and yet it still keeps on going, there's a post or more on it for every year since 2005...
Hi
I am glad I am not alone in worrying about this...I never used to have a fear of death at all. I thought of it as a long rest - not sure if that makes sense? Anyway my dad died suddenly a few weeks ago in late December and from then on I have been worried about death, and all the gloom and doom of it, until I got on Citalopram which does help ease the worry somewhat. My dad passed away suddenly and peacefully in his sleep with no pain and the look on his face was so serene. It is only natural for other peoples deaths to make you think about your own mortality. I honestly did not know that so many people worried about death but they do regardless of whether they suffer with anxiety or not and in our society it is still one of those subjects that is not discussed openly for fear of people thinking its morbid. I am trying to now think of ways to deal with this fear even though it has lessened. I am really trying to live my life now after the events of the past few years and so hopefully when it is my time to leave the world behind I can be satisfied and contented with how I led my life. People who have terminal diseases often pass away peacefully too at the very end and just slip away, - they dont always die screaming in agony as a lot of people tend to think,so I am trying to get my head around the fact that when it happens then it is my time, and I will let nature take its course. I hopefully will be remembered by the people who mean the most to me just as my dad is remembered by all his family who love him. Quote: 'To live in memories we leave behind is not to die'
I have had anxiety all my life and one thing is for sure is that I am not going out of this life worrying about the next life! I will leave all this anxiety and fear behind in this life.I believe in another life after this but this is my just my view - I dont believe that this is all there is and I suppose that takes the edge off the fear, in the same way that having religious beliefs must.
hi poppy im new to this site and think its amazing like yourself i have a fear of dying I think to some degree most people do I have lost a lot of family members three brothers and my mum and I think its the most natural thing with grief and sadness to fear death.The important thing is the love you had for the person whilst they lived and the good times you shared.We are all living with our own mortality every day we just dont concentrate that much on it till we lose someone we love I hope you find the answers you want because its a fear more people than we could believe are afraid of take care tracieann
kaleidoscope_eyes
28-04-09, 13:39
I also have a terrible overwhelming fear of death. It's the nothingness that terrifies me. I usually have my panic attacks at night, so when my doctor gave me beta-blockers (which can cause night terrors!) I had to decline them.
I have found something that helps me when I have one of these attacks though. Pure Lavender essential oil dropped onto a tissue and inhaled. It seems to work a lot quicker than anything else I've tried and it also works 99% of the time. Sometimes it only takes a couple of inhalations at the start of an attack and when I have a really bad attack, it can take up to 15 mins to work.
I hope this will help any of you looking for a safe, natural and cheap option.
Hi!
Thanks for your lavender oil tip. I am going to give that a try. :)
I never know where to buy the best oils from and I was once told that a lot of places sell weak oils and so I dont where to shop for the best ones.
You say you fear the 'nothingness of death' Everyone has their own beliefs about an after life. Do you have any - religious or spiritual? I read quite a lot about this and I do find it very comforting. There is no guarantee that after we have died there is nothingness as well as no guarantee that there wont be, however we will not be aware of the nothingness if that is all there is.
I often think well we didnt know anything before we were born and maybe we had another life before being born...who knows...and maybe we will have another life after we die.
I tend to believe this life is not all there is for us but thats my personal belief, however I find it has helped my fear of dying massively.
I dont have a fear of death....ive always thought why fear somthing thats inevatable.....but i do have a fear of how i die......like panic attacks make u feel like ur having a heart attack and going crazy and all body go's numb.....i dont want to go like that! I also have a fear of dieing and being forgotten about 2 weeks later.
But i actually dont fear the actually death part.... i rekon alot of people can waste alot of time in their lives fearing somthing that has to happen.... sorry if this may seem straight forward in any-way.
Million_Moments
30-04-11, 21:14
Hi,
I've always been prone to occasional panic attacks about death. They were a bit like what you had when you were a child and you first realised what dying was. Normally I would wake up often just after getting to sleep, or sometimes just in the middle of the night, filled with panic and crying about being afraid to die. Then over the past few month, these panic attacks started happening more often - like at least once a week when they used to be 3 times a year. Because they happened to often, it got to the point where I started worrying and getting worked up about whether I would have and ended up panicing about dying anyway.
Now it's snuck into the day time too. Things like an elderly person or a report of a death on the news can set me off. I don't think I'm going to die anytime soon mind, but I am worried I'll feel like this for the rest of my life.
I know I need to go see a doctor, but I am worried about what they'll say. Fear of dying is very natural, it's an instinct, so I am concerned there isn't anything that can be done. I've read through a few of the posts, but I am still not sure what to expect. Has anybody recieved medical treatment for any kind of phobia and feels better now?
I fear dying everyday and it's certainly not normal at 17! But I know how horrible it can be. For me it's symptoms that make me worry as they are undiagnosed and it is always the most harmful life threatening thing I think I have. I have thought I was dying since January however and I'm still here so I think back how long I've had this fear and then tell myself I'm still here, nothing has happend. And think of how silly I sounded back then.
x
I too suffer with this and have done since I was 10. I just feel sick to my stomach thinking about what happens next, is there anything after this life? I say I believe in God but then I think my faith is not so strong that I fear death. The panic just makes it so much worse. Wh would think a panic attack could cause so many other symptoms. I think I'm dying everyday, a pain to me is a blood clot or a heart attack, a headache is a brain tumour, pins and needles are a stroke! It's lke I'm so scared that I'm on high alert for all illnesses and diseases. It does give me some relief that others are going through the same, I was so embarassed it took me 8 years to tel my own Mum. I've had all kinds of meds and therapies but nothing works, it's difficult to think this could be my life forever :weep:
singinsammy
24-06-11, 21:28
Hugs to you Florence :hugs:
Its true, I think all of us on here fear death in some way, shape or form.
I myself fear death, I don't worry about sudden death such as in a car accident or having a heart attack etc, my fear is suffering some terminal illness...I'm convinced that the BIG C will get me whilst I'm still young????? I haven't a clue where it comes from, but I know I'm not alone in feeling this way.
Yup, I agree, its the FEAR of dying that we struggle to deal with
xxxxxxx
DontPanicMrMannering
25-06-11, 02:31
Hugs to you Florence :hugs:
Its true, I think all of us on here fear death in some way, shape or form.
I myself fear death, I don't worry about sudden death such as in a car accident or having a heart attack etc, my fear is suffering some terminal illness...I'm convinced that the BIG C will get me whilst I'm still young????? I haven't a clue where it comes from, but I know I'm not alone in feeling this way.
Yup, I agree, its the FEAR of dying that we struggle to deal with
xxxxxxx
If we didn't fear death then we would all be being run over and falling off ladders etc etc, its just a natural survival instinct, the problem comes when we obsess about it, the fact is we have been born and given life and wasting time worrying about the end is not productive, live your life and search for the answers to the questions that you seek, you may just find the answers.
I have a huge fear of death :(
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