Does anyone have an immense fear of the process of dying, what is after death, the unknown and the concept of not existing on earth any longer? I feel like I have an irrational fear of death to the point that it is affecting me from enjoying life.
This exact thought has plunged me into the worst depression where I have no interest in anything and I feel like every thing I experience has no point in it because I am going to die eventually. I’m literally not able to do anything and wonder if I’m experiencing psychosis? I really feel like I can’t “unknow” this and there’s no way to get better. Please someone tell me they were able to conquer this…
@Sanpelly I am trying to conquer it right now. I have a therapy appointment on Thursday and definitely plan on talking about iy so I will let you know what happens
@jaddj Good luck! Someone made a WhatsApp for us existential folks https://chat.whatsapp.com/GW5LbyPYU5V2MEGCQd8NaP
@Sanpelly I just joined now
@Sanpelly What exactly is this WhatsApp group
I think that is what I kept telling myself today to feel a tiny bit better
YES. Literally today a tik tok triggered me into almost having a panic attack. It is such an uncomfortable and uncanny feeling that feels wrong to feel and is so scary because it is inevitable
@jaddj Yes! Exactly! The unknown and the fact it is out of our control. We all die at some point. It’s suffocating me… the fear is literally suffocating me every day.
@Anonymous I feel the exact same way it is so frustrating because there really isn’t any way to fight the fear other than to except it
YES!! lol it's something that i have fixiated like all my life, and now that im dealing with intense intrusive thoughts that make me question my morals it makes it even worse and i get more scared!!!
@girlyteengirl I don’t know how any therapy can help. This fear is real and debilitating
@Anonymous My therapist just suggested finding what triggers it and feeling that fear until i don’t feel it anymore
@jaddj The thought of leaving behind loved ones or loved ones leaving me behind, just scare me. The thought of not waking up petrified me
@Anonymous I feel you so much it is awful
@Anonymous My thoughts exactly. This is different from how OCD is described as being a fear of the uncertain/doubting things. This fear is a real one. Not irrational at all
@sanpelly and @jaddj Thanks for your comments! It is comforting to know I am not alone with this fear. I have been suffering from this fear for many years.
@Anonymous Oh wow that sounds like a very long time. Is it constant?
@Sanpelly Well! Not all the time. I think a few weeks to a month each year.
@Anonymous How does it go away? On its own?
@Sanpelly Like today isn’t as bad. I think the fear is always there but sometimes I’m so exhausted from ruminating about the fear, that my brain would take breaks from it. Like in denial!
@Anonymous I wish my brain would take a break
@Sanpelly I know it is hard. Trust me! I totally understand how hard it is. I think I will try to find a glimmer of hope or even just keep telling yourself! Hey! Heaven is real and after death is something even better waiting for us!
I struggle with this as well. We can always remember that spikes and difficulties will pass. It’s still really hard in the moment.
Of course we can’t stop the inevitable but with my ocd it’s all I can think about. I’m afraid I’ll be alone for ever and I’ll fear forever. Fear does not stop death it stops life. But how do I stop fear??? I can’t think of anything scarier than the fact that our conscious will vanish for eternity. I am only 20 years old but I mean the last 5 years flew by like nothing.
so i have ocd but this is the main theme ive been dealing with for the last few months, im obsessed with my mortality and i feel trapped by the reality of death. i dont really believe in an afterlife which makes it scarier, not that i dont wanna my brain literally just wont let me. but i have daily panic attacks thinking about death all day, its honestly the toughest thing ive ever dealt with. does anybody have any tips on how they manage this if they have ever dealt with it? not looking for reassurance, just some non compulsive ways to kind of lessen the grip of the fear.
I’ve been perturbed for a couple of months now with incessant thoughts about aging and dying. I really am not sure what to do. This feels like other OCD themes, but also really different, because this time, what I’m afraid of is sure to happen. I will either die, or age and then die. It’s been so difficult to enjoy anything lately. I just want to pull a blanket over my head and wait until death comes. Has anyone else felt this way? I feel quite alone. I am trying to enjoy life, but I just remember that it will all be gone in a flash. Nothing really seems to help me feel better. The only escape I have is in my dreams where I can fantasize about never aging or dying. Or at least being able to rewind the clock to have more time.
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