Has your panic / anxiety made you more conscious of your own mortality?

[Dazza]

My attacks have mad me acutely aware of my own mortality, at times I felt like i have been staring death in the face.

It's funny, i used to be quite philosophical about death, almost buddist about it, ie: when we die, we are buried, turn into soil, then we are reincarnated in the form of flowers etc that have fed from the soil where we are. Dying almost seemed romantic.

But, I have to say, that I did not expect to be facing death at my age (even if it is only in my head). And to be honest, it terrifies me.. dying at my age (I'm 35), leaving my partner behind, my friends etc.

Is this a common feeling among fellow sufferers?

[Captain America]

it is for me. i can't go a day without seeing my kids and thinking what would happen if i were gone. it sucks.

[LeeBee]

I think for some people it's thinking about death in the first place that brings on the anxiety. I would have said that most health anxiety, in particular, was rooted in a fear of death. Which is to some degree natural - most people (and other animals) don't want to die, and will do whatever they can to avoid it.

The main reason I think I'm afraid of problems with my health and fear premature death is that I don't feel like I've made enough of my life. I'm worried about ill health taking over my life, or cutting it off before I've done the things that I think I should do, like have kids.

I've imagined that I might be going to die in my worst panic attacks. Oddly, for a few seconds at the peak of the attack, and the thing that starts bringing me out of it, is a sort of wave of "oh well, this is it then" - a sort of fatalism. Like it's going to happen and there isn't any more I can do about it. Once I stop fighting it, I start to calm down. Not sure what that means, really...

[Captain America]

leebee you have hit it right on the head. before having children i was really care free, felt that i had accomplished everything and my attitude was 'so what'.

now, i want to help my kids grow, be there when they have hard times, see them grow up, etc. so yeah my health anxiety is rooted in this fear of death because there is so much that i want to live for now.

and like you, when i finally do say, 'okay if this is it then so be it', i finally calm down and my symptoms subside.

odd isn't it? that you almost have to be willing to die to feel like you can live again?

[HeatherMc]

This is so true
Heather

[purplehaze]

Hey

I think we are more aware of our mortality because of what we go through and our thoughts can flow towards those we love at the time of a panic attack or fear of death. I suppose if anything good can come from this, then it may be we spend more quality time with our childern and others we love.

I had the mother of all attacks yesterday and I had not had anything for awhile but thankfully I talked myself out of it and was still able to drive..milessssssssssssssssssssssssss from my "comfort zone"

Good post
thaanks

[claire1983phillips]

im always thinking about me going and leaving my hubby and kids, i know its in my head i just wish i can stop thinging about it

[CONS]

Mine is constant fear, stems not from my daughter, but from the fact im probably going die alone.

Sounds selfish but my daughter has a good network around her.

Interesting topic,

CONS

[ricric]

I have had my own issues about my mortality. I realised that it wasnt the death that worried me, it was the abandonment issues. I worried that no one would turn up at my funeral. I wouldn't be remembered. I would nt be mourned.

These were all irrattional. I know I will be missed.

Death isnt the root cause of any of your Anxieties. how can it be. No one knows what it will be like..

The question should be... Are you afraid of dying!. And yes, my last few breathes will probably the most terrifying ever. But. Im not alone!!

Wil our families be ok?

[Meewah]

In a good way.

I have always buried mortality deep. If anyone died around me I would either try to ignore it or busy myself.
Now I have addressed it and feel enlightened. I feel much better as a person for getting a chance to live a relatively disability free existence and see so many wonderful things and meet so many inspirational people. The best people I have met have had there lives ended early in my eyes and that makes my meeting with them so much more important.
I have now realised that our time in this mortal coil is short and to try to live in the moment.
Slow your lives down and you find that less is more. The material things mean nothing, the people you meet and the things you experience are what makes life worth living.

Enjoy every day like its your last.

Mee,