Anxiety about death

@sailormoon97

It's understandable to feel anxious about the unknown and the possibility of death. It's a common fear that many people experience. Here are a few tips that may help you cope with this anxiety :

Educating yourself on this subject : Learning more about different beliefs and perspectives on death and afterlife can help you gain a better understanding of the different possibilities and may help you find a perspective that feels more comforting to you.

Practising mindfulness : Mindfulness techniques such as meditation or deep breathing can help you stay in the present moment and reduce anxiety.

Talk to someone : Sharing your feelings and thoughts with a trusted friend or family member, or considering talking to a therapist or counsellor, can help a lot. They can provide support and guidance as you navigate these feelings.

Finding meaning and purpose : Reflecting on the things that are most important to you, and focusing on living your life in a way that aligns with those values can help you find a sense of purpose and fulfilment, which can be comforting in the face of uncertainty.

It's essential to remember that it's normal to have questions and fears about death, and there is no one right way to think about it. What's most significant is that you find a way to cope with your anxiety that works for you ❤️

You said it is the uncertainty of what will happen that makes the anticipation of death scary to you which is a common and valid fear in regards to death. Ask yourself what about the uncertainty you find anxiety-inducing. Would you feel better if you knew for sure it was one way over the other? Or is there one possibility that you fear more than the other? Ask yourself what about each of these two possibilities scares you, so you can explore them more deeply and come to your own insights. For example, what about the thought of no longer having consciousness scares you? Or, what about there being an after life do you think would scare you?

In addition, you could also try reading or watching near death experience accounts from people who have died, experienced an afterlife, and came back to tell the tale – some of which had no prior belief of an afterlife before the experience or were even hard skeptics. There are plenty of books and videos on YT on the subject. This puts some people at ease.

If you would rather fully embrace the belief or possibility of there being no after life, then ask yourself what you would need to make peace with that.

I’ve experienced existential dread myself and understand how panicky and awful that feels. At one time, I never thought I’d get to a stable place inside myself again because of it, but I came out on the other side better than ever. I know you will too.