Usually I don't feel comfortable of the idea of death, but today, after lunch, I tried to take a nap, and just before I could close my eyes, the idea of me vanishing and die set a strong fear in me, and my heart began to pound very hard, and I kind of panicked. So, I had to get up. This happens to me from time to time.

Is it normal to feel this way? Does anyone else feel the same way sometimes?

[divine1966]

When my daughter was younger I was mortified I would get sick and die and leave her motherless. Now I am more afraid that other people would die. I lost a lot of friends last few years, cancer or heart attack so I am afraid people keep dying. I was in a horrible freak car accident last year and now afraid to die in accident. I am also constantly afraid something is going to happen to my fiancée. Yeah fear of death, mine or others is there. Not enough to stop functioning but it comes and goes

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I think it is normal to fear death, otherwise, we wouldn't survive, right? I also sometimes fear about the death of others more than myself.

But what happens is that, in "normal" times, when I think of death, I find the idea unpleasant, but the thought lasts for relatively longer time, with less intense emotions, and even I talk back to the idea with logic: "at the end, this is life, it is unpredictable, and no one will live for ever, anyway!".

But sometimes, and this happens to me at least 3-4 times a year, I feel this sudden, short, and intense surge of emotions that I will be literally shaken and panicked (usually it happens when I am about to fall asleep). I think this is related at some level to the idea the I keep thinking about most of the time when I am not engaged in something distracting my thoughts, that life is slipping away from my hands; that I am not living it with all that it can offer to me. So, I am afraid to die before I have the chance to do so, and then be forgotten forever.

[MountainHikes]

Originally Posted by Nickname

Usually I don't feel comfortable of the idea of death, but today, after lunch, I tried to take a nap, and just before I could close my eyes, the idea of me vanishing and die set a strong fear in me, and my heart began to pound very hard, and I kind of panicked. So, I had to get up. This happens to me from time to time.

Is it normal to feel this way? Does anyone else feel the same way sometimes?

Fear of death is fear of the unknown; practice guided meditation in which you do intergalactic travel and enjoy the ride in the midst of the energy of cosmos which essentially: All humans are energy of the cosmos, you will feel right at home and fear shuld diminish
Some fears are normal, fear of death is normal also, is a surival mechanism

[Pikku Myy]

I don't fear death. I have learned it is part of reality, being human. When I was a bit younger, I thought death was something horrible, that one should be scared of. Death like birth is being alive, part of our planet earth. It is natural all of us will die one day.

[DechanDawa]

Originally Posted by Nickname

I think it is normal to fear death, otherwise, we wouldn't survive, right? I also sometimes fear about the death of others more than myself.

But what happens is that, in "normal" times, when I think of death, I find the idea unpleasant, but the thought lasts for relatively longer time, with less intense emotions, and even I talk back to the idea with logic: "at the end, this is life, it is unpredictable, and no one will live for ever, anyway!".

But sometimes, and this happens to me at least 3-4 times a year, I feel this sudden, short, and intense surge of emotions that I will be literally shaken and panicked (usually it happens when I am about to fall asleep). I think this is related at some level to the idea the I keep thinking about most of the time when I am not engaged in something distracting my thoughts, that life is slipping away from my hands; that I am not living it with all that it can offer to me. So, I am afraid to die before I have the chance to do so, and then be forgotten forever.

You are not alone. I have the exact same experience as yourself. My mother died when I was in my early 20's. I remember feeling as you described back then even though I was young. I always think that on the positive side it means that life is precious, even if difficult.

[DechanDawa]

Originally Posted by Nickname

Usually I don't feel comfortable of the idea of death, but today, after lunch, I tried to take a nap, and just before I could close my eyes, the idea of me vanishing and die set a strong fear in me, and my heart began to pound very hard, and I kind of panicked. So, I had to get up. This happens to me from time to time.

Is it normal to feel this way? Does anyone else feel the same way sometimes?

About 6 months ago I kept having panic attacks right before going to sleep at night, and immediately when I woke up in the morning. Forget about naps. I had panic attacks when I tried to nap. It was terrible. I went to the library and took out guided meditation tapes, and listened to them for an hour every day. I did this every day for about six weeks and gradually the panic attacks went away. I might feel a little anxious when I wake up every now and then, but the heart pounding went away. Some other tricks when a panic attack comes on...drink a glass of cold water, if it is possible take a hot bath or shower, do deep breathing, listen to guided meditation tapes, or make a cup of herbal tea. My heart pounded so hard I really thought there was something physically wrong with me. But there wasn't. It was caused by anxiety and I had to reduce the anxiety. It is really frightening, and my heart goes out to you. PS My sister died two years ago this month so yes, I have thought more about death. Has someone close to you recently died? That can definitely cause us to feel anxious, but once the grief settles so does the anxiety, I find.

I have this fear off and on. I am not sure why it comes and goes, because I dont really have panic attacks. I think for me, it is some type of GAD.

Do you have anxiety disorder?

Originally Posted by Pikku Myy

I don't fear death. I have learned it is part of reality, being human. When I was a bit younger, I thought death was something horrible, that one should be scared of. Death like birth is being alive, part of our planet earth. It is natural all of us will die one day.

I agree, death is like birth, they are both natural, but I think my fear of death stems from the fact that I might die tomorrow, while I haven't lived in life. I don't know if you are saying this because you've experienced life enough, but for me, I am still fresh in life.

Originally Posted by DechanDawa

... Has someone close to you recently died? ....

Not really. I mean people are dying in my town, but not one of them is a closed relative of mine.

Originally Posted by ValentinaVVV

I have this fear off and on. I am not sure why it comes and goes, because I dont really have panic attacks. I think for me, it is some type of GAD.

Do you have anxiety disorder?

Toward the end of my sessions with a psychiatrist who was trying to pinpoint the correct dose for my possible ADHD, he said I have anxiety and he refereed me to a CBT center, which called me after 6 months. I didn't go. So, I guess, yes, it is possible that anxiety magnifies my "normal" fear.

[BlueEyedMama]

Last year my husband had major surgery and for 5 weeks up to the surgery I was having horrible nightmares where I was lost and alone and couldn't find him anywhere. Every night I had a similar dream. We spoke of it and thought it is the fear of the unknown about the surgery and fear of him not making it but we assured each other that everything would work out.

He came out of surgery fine but it was I who got gravely ill the first night we were there. I ended up talking nonesense, not knowing what year it was, and had I high fever so my husband's nurse took me to the ER. I ended up with Sepsis and acute kidney failure and simply put had we NOT been at the hospital for his surgery I would NOT be here today. I would have gone to bed instead of to the hospital and my kidneys would have gone into full shut down.

I don't think I fear death but I hold what is dear much closely now. He faces a similar surgery in a month and I have some anxiety built up around it even though he came through the last one with flying colors and so far I've not had any of those nightmarish dreams.

I think an occasional fear of death is quite normal but if it becomes constant and is interfering with your life I would talk to someone about it. Best wishes!!