@necrodancer hi I feel this way all the time and I haven't met anyone who understands it. Feel free to message me :)

@butterfly1829 if you're keen to it, I would actually like to talk more about it with you because I truly feel lost and isolated

@butterfly1829 Unfortunately 7 Cups does not allow members to message each other, but you can continue to discuss your feelings here in the forum, of course.

Charlie

@necrodancer I don't feel that way myself but I kind of agree.

I don't really see how the concept of eternal oblivion relates to religion, although I'm not an expert on either. Aren't religious beliefs generally in denial of oblivion?

I'm particularly surprised that therapists, of all people, bring religion into the conversation. Is it because they themselves secretly share your fear?

There must be therapists out there who would be more respectful of your feelings about it, and who would work harder at trying to understand from your point of view.

Charlie

@RarelyCharlie The connection they always seem to relate it to is that my lack of religious presence is "why I feel this way" and subsequently I end up quitting therapy because they don't seem to get it unfortunately. I've been in therapy for years because this fear came at a young age, following depression among many other things but growing up in a catholic home, and having these thoughts now have given me a deep sense of religious guilt. Feeling bad that I don't believe in god, heaven or hell and that due to that fact I am "forsaking god" and will thus end up in hell. I've sort of gotten over the religious guilt part but the eternal oblivion scares the hell out of me to be honest and close family and friends are supportive but don't seem to understand. The closest I have gotten to understanding or even conversing about it is in a subreddit about atheism and that has only made the panic attacks and nightmares worse.

@necrodancer Atheists would not immediately think in terms of religious presence, I suppose. So I wonder whether you can find an atheist therapist somehow.

I Googled it and found there's a Secular Therapy Project. I don't know anything about them, but I suppose they might be worth checking out.

By the way, if you'd like to chat to me about the issue, feel free to click on my profile picture and message me.

Charlie

@RarelyCharlie Thank you so much for the much needed advice and for the resources. I'm going to check out that link and if you truly don't mind, I might take you up on the offer to discuss it a little more. For some reason, talking about it helps and I have little support and limited funds for therapy and other devices right now. Thank you.