Fear of death

[spectraltease]

I am really uncertain about death, and everything that comes with it. I hate sleeping, sometimes I have a panic attack because I have to go to sleep, I don't know why. I always thought I wanted to die, but I just want to die because I can't have a happy life. Im feared of death and I don't want to say it but I think i got some fear of dying or what comes after.

 

[Cryptonite]

Have you tried psychedelics, such as psilocybin or DMT?

 

[FuneralCry]

There is no point to fearing death as after all it's our fate to die, there is no escaping this. Human life is so insignificant and temporary and we very likely eventually won't even exist in the memories of those that continue to stay here, this is all inevitable. I personally find comfort in the thought of death as I've always believed that we just cease to exist and there is nothing for all eternity with not even the awareness that we are dead. This existence is the thing to fear instead for me, and the thought of being dead appeals to me so much as it is freedom from all this and is the solution to all of life's problems.

 

[GlassAlwaysEmpty]

Don't feel weird about what you're feeling they're very natural feelings.
dying isn't it easy, a lot more people on this forum would already be dead including myself if was easy.

Don't rush into anything you are not comfortable with. If you die in a year or 2 years or maybe you'll die naturally in many decades to come, that's okay too.

It's your life and your decision and you can change your mind as many time as you like.

Impersonally love sleep though, it's a great escape!

 

[KlMeNw]

I am really uncertain about death, and everything that comes with it. I hate sleeping, sometimes I have a panic attack because I have to go to sleep, I don't know why. I always thought I wanted to die, but I just want to die because I can't have a happy life. Im feared of death and I don't want to say it but I think i got some fear of dying or what comes after.

Wow, I see you've got ol' Bud Dwyer as your profile pic. Gruesome video and it's sad because he was innocent of what he was accused of, poor guy.

 

[SamTam33]

I think some people fear death because they can't comprehend their non-existence. The human ego is one of the most powerful (and destructive) aspects of our being.

But if you're dead, you can't experience emotions like fear.

 

[Skal]

I feel you. Call me a coward but I've been practicing hanging for like 3 years and still too scared to let go of my conscious and pass out. As you said, I think I'm scared of what comes after - the non-existence. I know it will bring me true peace, but my brain doesn't seem to comprehend it well and is so afraid of it. The solution I'm currently thinking of is to imagine living a happy after life during hanging so it tricks your brain into thinking you're not gonna die. Not sure if this will work but I'll try next time.

 

[tyasma]

As you said, I think I'm scared of what comes after - the non-existence. I know it will bring me true peace, but my brain doesn't seem to comprehend it well and is so afraid of it. The solution I'm currently thinking of is to imagine living a happy after life during hanging so it tricks your brain into thinking you're not gonna die. Not sure if this will work but I'll try next time.

We fear what we cannot "comprehend". As logical as non-existence sounds, we can't be 100% sure there isn't any kind of afterlife. And I kind of hate that, but I personally theorize it to be free of worry, if there really is one. Note the theorize part, since there is no way for me to truly know without dying myself, and so I fear it still.

I like your strategy, might work honestly. Who knows, it might even be the case. What you wrote reminded me of this pic and other similar ones we've probably seen around the internet a thousand times.

 

[releasespieces]

I have a feeling we will all see that there was no need to fuss about dying after it happens and have a good laugh about it. Much of the fear surrounding it comes from religions and the innate need to preserve some form of permanence. Truth is, everything in the universe is constantly in flux so the need for that type of security is a fools errand. I also have a strong feeling that we are dead already anyway, what we perceive and what's a reality are quite possibly two different things. I mean you're moving from one unknown (this life) to another unknown (death), all fear stems from the unknown. So if you look at it that way.. we are moving from two experiences that are one and the same. Courage is the ability to allow ourselves to become fear. Ultimately, we are really afraid of being afraid… in that sense I suppose we have already found the courage anyway. Be brave and allow yourself to be afraid.… it's the resistance to it that creates the conflict within our minds and the turmoil we experience.

 

[bluem00n]

Courage is the ability to allow ourselves to become fear. Ultimately, we are really afraid of being afraid… in that sense I suppose we have already found the courage anyway. Be brave and allow yourself to be afraid.… it's the resistance to it that creates the conflict within our minds and the turmoil we experience.

I agree with this ... when I think about the fear of dying, I tend to see it as my 'organism' that's afraid, not my mind.
My mind is curious, sometimes almost enthusiastic about dying.
I also make a conscious effort to 'objectify' fear, to experience it simply as a feeling, without judging it as good or bad ...
I find a safe place, then deliberately cultivate a sense of fear, then just 'dwell within it', so as to experience and observe it from a detached perspective.

 

[releasespieces]

I agree with this ... when I think about the fear of dying, I tend to see it as my 'organism' that's afraid, not my mind.
My mind is curious, sometimes almost enthusiastic about dying.
I also make a conscious effort to 'objectify' fear, to experience it simply as a feeling, without judging it as good or bad ...
I find a safe place, then deliberately cultivate a sense of fear, then just 'dwell within it', so as to experience and observe it from a detached perspective.

Correct. For those interested in a deeper understanding… I highly recommend the works of Jiddu Krishnamurti, especially his book entitled "On Fear". He's a brilliant philosopher.

 

[theboy]

x2

 

[locked*n*loaded]

People fear death because of the unknown. No one can say with certainty what, if anything, comes after death. I personally believe as @FuneralCry does, in that after death, there is nothingness, but who can say for sure? It's normal for people to cling to what is known. You know, the devil you know - life.

 

[SamTam33]

If something else happened after death, at least one person out of the billions upon billions that have died - would have figured out a way to let us know for sure.

The fact that if you dig up the grave of a dead person and their skeleton is still there tells me that nothing happens. Your body decomposes and that's it.

If the spirits and souls of people who died a thousand years ago are floating around somewhere with nothing but time on their hands... they would've figured out how to communicate with the living by now.

Surely the geniuses who discovered fire and gravity and space travel could figure out how to do it.

 

[Zegers]

I just want to die because I can't have a happy life

doesn't seem enough?

 

[makethepainstop]

I am really uncertain about death, and everything that comes with it. I hate sleeping, sometimes I have a panic attack because I have to go to sleep, I don't know why. I always thought I wanted to die, but I just want to die because I can't have a happy life. Im feared of death and I don't want to say it but I think i got some fear of dying or what comes after.

Then it is not your time to escape, not quite yet anyhow. Maybe your survival instinct can keep you alive. that is what it evolved to do. Much love in you pain.

 

[LaVieEnRose]

Fear is irrelevant when you're dead. I'm just going to focus on the idea that I am simply pressing the fast-forward button, expediting the inevitable. That makes the action more palatable in my mind.

 

[Gustav Hartmann]

I understand you very well. The fear of death has many levels. The lowest level is the pure instict, which makes sense from a evolutional view. Than there is the fear of the unknown, which also helps us to survive. These two points include the procss of dying as well as the state of being dead. On a higher lever is the fear to miss something good.
The above is particularly unfair because we have to age and die no mattrer whether we want it or not.