Overwhelming fear of death

Hey everyone.
I can't stop thinking about death. I can't stop thinking about the fact that it's inevitable and that I HAVE to die at some point. I'm so scared. It's terrifying that no matter what I do, one day I'm not going to be able to keep it away and it's going to happen. I can't stop thinking about being gone. I'm an atheist, I don't believe in an afterlife. Sometimes I sort of believe in reincarnation, or some kind of transformation, but I think I only "believe" it to make myself feel better. This is a constant, daily terror that is causing me to have panic attacks and be afraid to go out and about for fear of getting in a car accident or getting murdered or picking up a deadly illness or whatever. I don't know why this is suddenly such a problem. Maybe because I'm not a kid anymore and it just hits me that time just keeps going and WILL run iut. Please help me work through this

as for me ive had several brushes with death, nearly five or six. i was in three car and vehicle accidents and in each one i hit my head on a sewer cover. trapped in a car one time too and walking across the street was hit head on.in spite of this and being pronounced dead during a stay in the hospital where i was prounounced dead 3 times too, i found that each time i was in such a peaceful place and when i came to, i was surprised as i thought i would be in that beautiful place forever. im happy here now, looking back, but where i was was so peaceful is what im trying to convey.

That's actually crazy helpful and comforting. Thank you. <3

it is perfectly natural to have a fear of death.

you know, I used to fear that I would just drop down dead, just like that, with no explanation (someone said to me live each day like it's your last, and I took it really litirally)

but... death happens to everyone- it's the bodies way of saying, you know what?. I've had enough now, I'm shutting down

I know you're scared, but think for a moment about all the advancements in medical science.

nowadays, if you're involved in a car acccident, or you get cancer, death isn't always the answer... hospitals don't say, right well, you're going to die now because this happened to you, they can do so much to help you- sometimes the alternatives can be scary too, but so many people these days are lucky to survive these ttypes of things.

plus: we're living in 2018

we don't have the black plague or any of those nasty illnesses we had years and years and years ago

we are extremely lucky in that sense

Hi Brooklyniebee. I honestly don't believe there's anything to be afraid of. Sorry you're struggling with this, though. Does it help you to know that dying is as natural as being born? Yes, it is. Think of all the billions of people down through the centuries, no one even remembers their names, who came and went like clouds of vapor. It's normal. Even little babies have passed away. We all have to leave the Earth sooner or later, just as the tides or the seasons change. It's normal!

When I was younger, I was terrified of death. There were times I couldn't even sleep, I was so scared of not waking up. Now I'm more like when it happens, it happens.

I've seen a lot of death in my lifetime. I guess I'm kind of jaded about it now. Rather than fearing it I now do the things that bring me joy, because I don't get that time worrying about things back.

I think in every person’s life they suddenly realize their own mortality. It is shocking and can be terrifying. This is something that will probably pass.

I feel like this all the time. It begin when I was 13.

I been through it five times!

It start as a toddler got better as I got older and by 10 it start up and by 13 it was really bad for me.