To ask if you are not scared of death - what is your reason?

[Vilanelle]

For me, I am petrified of the idea. I wouldn't say it consumes me but if I do think about it, a wave of panic goes through me.

Do you think it is like birth - you don't know about it?

I had a dream last night that I was in a car accident and it felt like I could feel the life drawing out of me.

I can't wrap my head around the thought of not having any thoughts and just being nothing.

I would like to become more at peace with the though of dying, after all no one is getting out of here alive!

Tell me about your thoughts on death?

It’s just a stage of the life cycle like birth, sexual maturity, ageing etc. I don’t believe in an afterlife, and all evidence suggests consciousness is an effect of brain activity and ceases with it, so we simply cease like any animal. I think my job as a parent is to bring my child up to be independent of me. My only concern is to have done this before I die. And to write some more books.

I like the idea of an afterlife, and those you've lost looking out for you.
If I'm wrong and there's nothing, so what, I won't know about it.

If nothing else, pictures and my memories of those I've lost have endured years later.

I like headstones. When living memory has slipped away, it's a final public reminder that you existed. I suppose there's public records for the enthusiast too

I think it's fear of the unknown for many, as nobody truly knows what happens.

We do know what happens. We've studied death in great detail for centuries, and we know exactly what happens.

Millions of people can't cope with the answer so like to add on loads of extra stuff that kicks in after the event, and if that nonsense brings them comfort, then good for them. But that doesn't mean we don't know what happens, because we do. You cease to exist. Completely and totally.

You are just like you used to be before you were conceived.

www.poemhunter.com/poem/let-me-die-a-youngman-s-death/

This sums up my philosophy on death! Bring it on, I say!

I don't fear death because it's proof that I have lived. Every year that goes by I'm grateful that I've had time, time with the DC, time being loved, time being happy. As a child I rarely felt happiness or love, so as an adult they feel very much like a blessing.

I don’t fear death as I am a stage 3 cancer survivor. That’s when I realised that not seeing my children grow up was what was scaring me, not death itself. Youngest dc just finished GCSE’s today. I’m nearly there!

Yes and no.
I’m a nurse and have had the privilege of looking after many people as they are dying, and can honestly say that when it is ‘expected’ I genuinely believe that every patient has been comfortable and restful at the moment of passing. Even those in traumatic situations didn’t seem to be suffering as we worked to save them, and actually some of those we did save have gone on to suffer more as a result of their injuries. Some of those that pulled through have reported that they felt no pain but a strange, surreal feeling where they were there but not there. So, the process of dying itself, no I’m not scared.
As for what comes after I just don’t know. I’m an atheist but part of me believes that all this energy inside us, the presence that we have when we walk into a room, the memories and the emotions, has to go somewhere. I know that’s very vague, I can’t explain why or how, but I know that when someone dies their body is there but their presence is not. So, as to what happens after death, yes, I am scared of the unknown.

When I'm in the throes of bad anxiety or depression it's all consuming. I literally cannot think of anything else.

I google death rates, progressions in prolonging lifevetc.

But normally it unnerves me but I can get on ok with day to day life. It's the fact I'm fairly sure it is like when I didn't exist. The idea of existing then not existing is petrifying to me when in that mindset.

But to be honest I'm more scared of living forever and seeing those Ivlove die, the world change etc. So ultimately, I just feel it will happen and hopefully I won't be aware.

I am fairly anxious but funnily enough when I was in danger with both my labours/births I was kind of chill. It's amazing what our bodies can do to help us.

Also if you're scared of death don't binge watch 1000 ways to die. Personal experience

Fairylea, I'm the same. Even reading this thread my heart has been pounding in my chest. I had therapy but it didn't help, but I hope it does you.

Also same that I had some traumatic bereavements at a young age. My best friend killed herself at 16 and my dad died horrifically at 19, then growing up I've had 2 more close suicides and a friend murdered. I can't feel at peace or ok and since I've had my son it's been much more acute.

I’m not scared of death. I’ve been through a lot more traumatic experiences than death will be, and at the other side there will either be nothing and I am gone or there will be all the ones I’ve loved and lost and I will be reunited.

Hopefully I will just go to sleep and never wake up. I think people are more scared of HOW they will die than actually the event itself.

I’ve lost both my parents and I’m sure they were released of their suffering and I won’t truly be gone, for as long as I leave those who I leave behind with love and memories I will live on in them.

I fear leaving my children before they reach adulthood, but if I can get them raised, and independent then I will be happy to go when my time comes. I don’t have a faith, and I don’t believe in any sort of afterlife so I don’t worry about that. I have lived a fairly good life, my biggest mistakes hurt no one more than they hurt me, so I am at peace.

Since my daughter died my outlook on death has changed, I can't bear to think of it being bad from her point of view so I don't feel as negative about it now. Possibly influenced by the very small possibility of seeing her again.

I almost bled to death after I had DD and I knew if I closed my eyes I wouldn't open them again.
It wasn't scary, it felt warm and it was peaceful, my vision went slightly blurred and I couldn't speak properly. I knew what was happening and knew I couldn't let it because of my 1/2 hour old DD. I think if I didn't work in health care and have seen death in others I wouldn't have known I was going and would quite happily have gone to sleep.

There was nothing scary or uncomfortable about it at all, that's why I don't fear it, it felt as though you literally do just slip away.

I'm not frightened of death just of dying in pain. My DS is now a grown man so I no longer worry in the same way I used to about leaving him.

I just want to die like my 84 year old dad, sitting on our terrace in the Spanish sun having a coffee. Awful shock for those of us left behind as he seemed fit and very active but what a way to go.

I don’t welcome death, I have a lot of life still to live and enjoy.

But I am not scared of it as a concept. Mainly because I don’t believe there is anything after death so I won’t know what’s going on or feel any pain or loss.

It's not that I'm afraid of dying. I just don't want to be there when it happens.

I don’t fear death itself but dying in pain or dying while my son is young.

I just want to die like my 84 year old dad, sitting on our terrace in the Spanish sun having a coffee. Awful shock for those of us left behind as he seemed fit and very active but what a way to go

^ that’s the dream

My relatively fit and healthy gran died at home, sitting in her chair and still holding a letter she was going to go and post later.

I think as a pp said is right, I don't think I am scared of death; I am scared of HOW I die.

I am petrified of becoming ill and have been diagnosed with general health anxiety.

I am convinced I have cancer even though scans and blood tests have confirmed my pain is not cancer.

Dying doesn't frighten me. Dying slowly with dementia terrifies me having seen my grandparents go through it and if I'm ever lucky enough to understand that I have early on set Alzheimer's I'll be first on the flight to dignitas if our stupid country hasn't understood that dying with dignity should not be just for those who can afford to make the trip (and should be allowed to in their own town/home). I'm scared of leaving my children while they are young but actually dying, no.

What is there to be scared of? There won't be a me to be afraid, feel pain, or suffer. I don't want to die in pain and I don't want to leave my children while they're young, but I fear living in a crumbling brain much more than I fear being dead. I genuinely can't understand what there is to fear in being dead. You just aren't there any more. So you won't feel anything.

As long as I can slip away peacefully, in my sleep, I'm fine with it.

I'm not so keen on the idea of being in pain or struggling for breath.

And I've seen enough of the end of life to know that death can often be a blessing and a release.

I don’t want to die in pain of say cancer, I’ve seen that and that scares me the pain.

However my life being over and me no longer being here, no doesn’t scare me. I’ve had a good life, a fun life and we are all going to die it’s the one guarantee we’ve got in life.

I just want to die like my 84 year old dad, sitting on our terrace in the Spanish sun having a coffee.

I'd like to die like my dad, peacefully in his sleep, and not screaming in terror like the passengers on the coach he was driving.