Can't stop thinking about dying

[onetwothreefour]

I have the same problem. I have obsessive compulsive disorder. I think about things like death, what is the earth, what is the universe, what are human beings, I think about things so much until they have no meaning left and the world just feels really confusing. I think everyone would feel that way if they thought as much as I did. The only thing I know of to fix the problem is distraction. And not to worry and beat yourself up about worrying.

I can offer one other thought but I am not sure at all it would help. There is a book I have been reading called The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hahn. One meditation he suggests it to meditate on death. You are supposed to mediate on your body dead and decomposing until there is nothing left but dust. And you are supposed to meditate on this until it no longer bothers you and you see life as being very precious and all human life as precious.

The way in which I imagine it might help is that rather than always flirting with the idea of death you really face it head on in such a mediation. I can't say that I have tried this though, and I can't say it would help. I only offered it because it seemed like a strange coincidence I had just read about such a meditation and then seen your post.

I also have your same problem--so if you find something that relieves your tension, let me know!

 

[HartfordGuy]

Unfortunately we all die. I think what bothers us most is that for everyone else, life goes on.

I look at old buildings and huge trees and think.. Gee these things have been around for generations. Or I'll think of what great leaps in technology we've had and wonder what a person from 100 years ago would think of today.

I guess I just want to see what will things be like in another 100 years. But i know I won't be here to see it.

 

[kevbo]

Death is a natural thing, so of course a curiosity is bound to arise. My friends think I'm weird because I tell them that I wouldn't mind if I die tomorrow, just to see what happens after death. I would never kill myself, though.

 

[Raven03]

I am back again

I was at work today and again thought about it. Totally freeking myself out AGAIN.

It is the thought of me not being ANYTHING for ETERNITY. In any shape or form. Thats if there is no such thing as life after death.



I really need to get out more LOL

I have fear as well.

The fear of the unknown.

 

[Raven03]

I have participated in religion however not as much as I used to. Apart of me believes that there is an after life however at the same time I am not to sure.

 

[KölnElch]

Well I'm not addicted to the thought of dying, but of other uncomfortable thoughts. Thoughts that are not my wish. But I think about it again and again, it chases me, and I can't get rid off it, and I don't want to say what it is.

Now, I just let it be there and do as if it was a mosquito.

 

[Christopher123]

Its almost as if i can't stop thinking of it. However stupid that may sound

Doesn't sound stupid. I do it all the time. I just don't tell many people that.

Like you, it's not in the suicidal sense, but I think it's more of a fear. Sometimes I really dwell on it. I even went through a period where I was checking my own pulse all of the time. I don't even know why.

Every single day I think about it. Sometimes even at night when I'm lying in bed I think to myself man, what if I don't wake up?

People in my family die young (from disease) and I've lost quite a few friends, so maybe that's why I obsess over it so much. I mean, sometimes I'm literally pre-occupied with thoughts of death. And it's not because I WANT to die, I certainly don't. But, I don't know, it's just one of those things, I guess. I think it's also because I don't really believe anything else is out there. When you're dead, you're dead. It's over. There is nothing more.

And that scares me.

 

[Newbie_69]

I'm assuming you want to forget about it huh?

Well first, the mind is at the most dangerous state when its left alone.

When you don't have anything to entertain, you'll entertain doubt. When you dwell on it, it will lead to negative thinking and lastly, it MIGHT lead to extreme depression that it MIGHT possibly cause suicide.

To cure, don't let your mind to be alone. Get something to entertain. It could even be listening to music. But the best is still reading positive book. I find it has helped me alot in going through life. My friends find them really useful. Yes, at first its hard to start if you're not a reader. But eventually, if you want to have satisfaction in life, you just need to read. Leaders are Readers. Ask yourself, what would an important person do? If I'm an important person, should I start reading? What would Oprah do? What would Donald Trup do? What would Mother Theresa do? If they are readers, do you think they would be someone who thinks about Death all the time?

 

[ElMmSM]

I know how you feel. You're not suicidal, but you get these thoughts of death and wonder to yourself, what the hell happens to me after I die? Do I keep thinking somewhere?

I don't know, But it scares the crap out of me though

 

[colemanshs]

I think about dying all the time as well. It's no the actual dying part, it's just that I worry that I won't get to do some of the things that I really want to do (like travel the world), I wonder how my family will go on without me (my niece loves me to death for some odd reason so I worry about her a lot), and how I will die when the time comes.

I think it's okay to wonder about these things as long as it doesn't interfere with your daily life. After someone that I know dies, I usually think about death for a few weeks after just wondering about things. But after that, I kind of just pick up where I left off. I don't think you should worry too much.

 

[Matthew-]

I am a kind of person who likes to plan for every possibility of my future. And since I am 100% sure that I will die one day, I sometimes think about it. Its no big deal, I just imagine all the different way in which I might die. But I think of all the other things that might happen to me, so its no big deal.

 

[Mitsukuni]

Hey NoSignalReceived:

I'm new to the forum and I stumbled on this thread. I hope you are doing better. I had the same problem, still do to some extent. I guess it happened to me when I was about turning 20. The whole thing from going from a teenager to a 20 year old. The attackd on the WTC had just happened a few month earlier. I remember how it happened I was alone in my house my mom and brother had gone out on an errand. I was watching NOVA on PBS, they were talking about galaxies and whatnot. Some how this triggered something inside of me. I just started to think about death and what happens when you die. I started crying uncontrollably and from what I know now I had a panic attack. To some of you it might sound crazy but at that moment nothing would make me calm down. My mom got home soon, and well she asked me what was wrong. She tried her best to calm me down.

It was terrible, I was really depressed and had panic attacks at night. ( I still get these at night when my mind is not occupied.) I would wake up at night screaming. It felt like me heart was about to burst. I think I went a year like this. Slowly but surely things got better.

I've learned to keep my panic attacks under control. Talking with my friends and reading a lot online. I have found that many people have the same reactions. I don't know how old you are, but I call it "the quarter life crisis". I guess it happens because you are no longer a kid and are faced with being an adult. I mean when you are a kid you are to busy with playing outside with your friends.

I don't want to start on the religion aspect of it because this will be too long of a post. You just have to realize that there is no way of getting out of it. (death) I guess it gets better as you grow older and wiser. I sometimes meditate on things that bother me, and it has helped.

Sorry if this was such a long post

Peace

 

[Shepherd 2]

One of the things I have learned over the years as someone who is very comfortable when I talk about death and my own mortality, that very few, especially those right around me have any desire to hear me talk about it.

Therefore, I congratulate you for initiating this thread. Ironically, I believe this is your ninth post and probably your first thread. This is a good way to raise the subject. It might a number of things causing it. Sometimes a time of transition can bring it on. Other times it may be some depression which happens sometimes for no apparent reason. Still others it is because it just comes to mind, either triggered by the death of someone close to us, or someone injured in an accident, or the lyrics to a song we enjoy, you name it.

Hopefully this thread will help you to move on. Welcome to JUB and thanks again for the thread.
Shep+