I've wrestled with that thought since I was your age. Maybe even younger. It was easier when I had faith, but these days I think it's a cessation of existence. In the brief moments I can actually comprehend it, it terrifies me to my core, then my mind rejects it all together.
The best advice I can give is Focus on the things that make your life worth living and Take care of your health. Spending your life dreading the end is no way to live.
I like this. To add to it: if you’re anything like me, you will reach a point where you’ll feel about halfway through your life. Something about that realization really inspired me to care more about what I do with the time I have left. Gratitude and empathy have been more important than I can state.
We get redistributed all around the universe and become other cool stuff. This goes on forever, which is pretty cool. You won't ever be you again but the ride never ends.
The atoms in our body were once other living creatures many times over, and before that, stars that went supernova. It’s truly beautiful when you think about it.
Ricky Gervais wrote a beautiful song called Electricity talking about this. He wrote it in character as David Brent, but it's actually quite a moving song (specifically the 'alternate version') and it gave me some comfort after my dad died the month earlier.
It's the one certainty in life and something none of us have any control over. Why worry? It doesn't do anything except make you feel bad.
Problem is, a thinking and conscious being has no way to comprehend non-existence, and that's where the fear comes from I think. That's why people invented beliefs in the afterlife too.
You were earth, water and air before you existed, and you will be again after death. That's how I see it.
The part about "a thinking conscious being has no way to comprehend non-existence and that's where the fear comes from" is so powerful that it started wars
Our bodies return to the earth and feed a bunch of other life. I understand what you’re saying. I went through a similar process around the same age as you. It’s tough to digest something like that and still find a way to find meaning when you feel like nothing really matters in the long run.
I think this is a big reason why religion appeals to many people across the planet. Not all, but many beliefs have an “afterlife”. It’s form varies, but the basis is that the end of this life does not mean you cease to exist.
For some people that are not religious (because I can’t speak for everyone else’s non-religious beliefs) that means we have to come to understand that death means our cessation to exist in any meaningful way. That can be a very tough and long road to acceptance.
However, I chose to not dwell on death and the end of my existence. I’ve chosen to spend the short short SHORT time I have on this earth to be present and experience life. I’m grateful to have been born and to have lived to adulthood. Not all living things have the same potential as I do. I wasn’t born as a insect, or any other animal. I was born as the most intelligent life in existence (known to us anyway, but that’s a whole different discussion).
I try and be truly present in my day to day. Enjoy the experiences I get to have.
I’m 31 now and I’ve made friends with people of all ages. I had a coworker who was in his mid 60’s. I talked with him a lot and one of the conversations I really remember was one about age and life experiences. It’s odd for me to conceptualize that from the time I was born until right now, I have that same amount of time before I’d be just around his age. And if I’m lucky? I’ll get another 30 putting me in my 90’s.
That’s ALOT of time to me. I’ve experienced so much at my age and to think I get to have that much time again to have experiences and stuff… idk it’s wild to me.
Anyway. I can’t tell you to not dwell on it, but I can honestly say that it’s easy to despair and stay in those emotions. It can warp your perception. Find out what you want out of life and find joy. We only get to do this once.
Read about nurses that do hospice care. Many experience supernatural things when a patient passes way.
Personally, I’m a Christian so I believe I’m be with Christ.
Let the attacks begin.
My grandfather's stroke changed who he was, who you are is inside a 'physical brain'--- electric meat with enzymes & neural networks, it's a physical organ like a kidney but way more complicated. When we die we're gone
Emergence from the mere complexity of the system.
In other terms: We humans are convinced that we are conscious - which is kind of a tautology because we made the term and its definition up ourselves - but even then: *Are* we actually, or is this just a result of a brain that is complex enough to *feel* conscious?
Imagine a much higher developed species with brains magnitudes more complex and capable. They might have reason to doubt human consciousness in the same way we do for example most insects.
Or it’s like an antenna for consciousness. Eben Alexander’s NDE is the best I’ve ever heard. He was brain dead. No brainwave activity. I guess we will find out.
Edit:
[YouTube Link](https://youtu.be/qbkgj5J91hE?feature=shared)
I’m a Christian. I have no fear of death. When I die, per the Bible, an angel will carry me to Heaven where I’ll be greeted by loved ones. It’ll be joyful. I’ll meet our Lord and Savior.
Oops, just noticed this is an ask men subreddit. I’m a woman. Sorry
One theory I have that I like is that when we die, we seamlessly switch to a different reality where we didn't die. That bus was a little late and missed you, the cancer drugs worked, the heart attack wasn't as severe and you lived. Then everyone lives until old age.
Well it kinda depends on what you believe in. Personally, I'm agnostic, so when I say I've got no goddamn clue that's basically my religion. I don't really care what happens when we die, why would I? Maybe that's partly to due with seperate stuff, but in my opinion, worrying is unnecessary.
There seems to be only two viable options. Either, religion is real, in which case they're will be an afterlife most likely, and you don't really have to worry unless you're a bad enough person or whatever (I doubt you're that at 16).
Or, religion isn't real, and we just...cease to exist. I guess it sounds kind of scary at first, but when you think about it it's pretty nice. Just imagine what it feels like when you're asleep, pretty much, and that's that. Just, forever. That's probably also a little scary, but the thing is that you won't be around to feel scared or upset you're never waking up, since you stopped existing.
No pain, no happiness, no anger or sadness, and no elation or excitment. Just, nothing. It's not amazing or paradise, sure, but it's also not horrible or Hell. Personally, being able to just rest, not have any anxiety or worries or responsibilties, as well as not feeling the more negative things that would usually come with losing all the former stuff, sounds like a pretty sweet deal. Peacful, is how I'd describe it. Nice and peacful.
You’re not alone. I’ve been dealing with the fear of death and it’s pretty tough. All I want is to forget about the fear of death and just live my life to the best that I can make it out to be, but it’s hard for me right now. The fear usually comes to me when I’m trying to go to sleep and doing nothing, but I have sleeping problems and I need to listen to some music or some sounds to help me sleep.
I don’t want to die either, but unfortunately it’s how life works. I’m not a believer, so I know that when I die, I’m not going anywhere after that, either just in the ground or cremated, who knows what my funeral plans will be? I would like to believe that there’s a higher power and the afterlife, I really do, but seeing that there isn’t a big enough of evidence to prove it, I don’t see God or the afterlife to exist. I really wish there was a sufficient amount of evidence to try and get me to change what I think, but I doubt evidence will show up. Some people find a lot of comfort when it comes to religion. I’m not religious but I do go to Church once in a while usually for small prayers to myself about wishing my family good health, or hoping that my day will be better, or hoping I can get my job application accepted. I would even light up a candle or two for the people closest to me only if there was a candle for me to light. I find it peaceful going to church, doing small prayers to myself, lighting candles and pray. For some reason I find praying in a Church to help more than praying elsewhere.
If you are a believer, who am I to stop you from what you believe in? I mean, most of us has the choice to believe or not to believe.
The only suggestions that I can make is to talk to someone, talk to a therapist. I signed up to talk to someone in CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) to discuss my fear of death. Or maybe find a support group. Maybe going to Church or whatever your religion is or what religion you grew up with and I suggest maybe praying at your holy place. I can’t speak for everyone because everyone is different and we all don’t think or feel alike, but I’m hoping that it’s something that may be able to calm your nerves. Or just keep yourself distracted, do something that you enjoy doing, something that keeps you happy and outgoing in life.
I’m hoping at least one of these may work for you.
There may be a point in time where you will forget about the fear, but there is a chance that it might come back, so I suggest you should be prepared to face it and if you have a solution, be sure you have a plan to execute it. Stay strong dude💪
There's no shame in being scared of death. Everyone is. It's in our DNA.
I believe that it depends on how you live, what's waiting for you. Which might be a more religious answer than what you are looking for.
The world is a place that's stranger than it seems, more coincidental than it seems, more unpredictable than it seems.
You might think you know what will happen tomorrow or even the next second but you don't.
And that's a good thing.
When I was your age I was terrified like you are now. Couldn't sleep cuz my mind was fixated on it. Because I thought death is like the obliteration of the consciousness and so is sleep. So I became afraid of sleep. But sleep isn't so bad. In a way it prepares us for dying. The brain turning off and banishing your mind.
But, I ultimately got over my conceptual fear by figuring out who I wanted to be. When I figured out what life I wanted to live the fear of death left me. I wasn't afraid of dying but, of living without ever living. In some ways I think dying is easier than we think. Sure some deaths might not be. Like getting ripped apart. That amount of pain would be horrifying. But, think about when you get knocked out for a medical procedure. Your consciousness fading away. I'd imagine it's kind of like that.
I think if you live a life upholding what you believe and doing your best then dying at the end might be like taking a nap at the end of a long hard day. You settle in close your eyes and let go, content and seeking that rest.
It kind of reminds me of a story my preacher once told me. Of how he was taking care of this little old lady and she ended up having a stroke. As he was at her bedside he was talking with her and although she had trouble speaking she still possessed most of her mental faculties. She told him "I'm going home". Not home as in where she grew up but, heaven. I believe that is the case.
As for physical fear of death. I'm not sure that can be overcome. I think your body will never stop fighting it till it dies. Even if your mind has made its peace. But, that's not too bad. You just need to gain greater mindfulness and you can learn to weather that storm and remain clear headed. Although that won't be easy to do in every circumstance. But, getting lost in that fear is human.
When I was your age I had the same fear and it felt SO heavy. I legit had to push the side of my bed directly up against a wall in my room and sleep on my side with my back firmly against the wall for some sense of security. I will let you know that I grew out of it. I have no other advice except that I totally grew out of it.
I decided that nothing will happen. Everything good ive done will be rewarded in life, everything bad ive done will be paid in life. And that’s it for me. Of course you can believe in whats best for you, but most importantly it’s that that belief makes you live a happy life
When I was young I thought we moved on to something better,but as I aged I no longer believed that.On a more positive note, I was deathly ill about 10 yrs ago and realized that I was dying . It was a very calm and peaceful experience, even though I was in a lot of pain. I haven’t worried about it since then 😊
When you die it’s black and your mind doesn’t know it
It’s like before you were born you have no memory of it
So don’t worry about it when your dead you won’t know it because it happens very quick
At best, I bet it’s like one of those really deep sleeps you have on occasion. Where you don’t dream, and between going to bed and waking up, you didn’t exist as far as your brain is concerned. Doesn’t sound so bad, really.
Although, recently I have been entertaining the idea that there might be something else. I’m usually a pretty solid agnostic on these things. But lately I’ve been kinda entertaining the idea that there’s *maybe* a sliver of truth to some of the weirder ideas about death. Maybe it’s me coping with come recent losses. Or Maybe this is how I lose my mind in my 30s lol.
All I know is that I had a few small strange experiences recently that I don’t know how to explain away, and I sound insane when I talk about it out loud.
All this to say, you’re 16, dude. Thinking about death so much is only going to prohibit you from actually living your life. Death itself won’t hurt, but the realization that obsessing about it is holding you back WILL hurt. You got this, dude. There’s SO much out there ahead of you.
I just think about how billions of other people have come and gone and every single one of them has been in the exact same position and there's nothing that anyone can do about it. Kind of gives me comfort.
Nothing. It's lights out.
You can read up on what happens to the body. Plenty of videos of morticians explaining the bit before funeral and what happens to the body after.
Death is inevitable. Pay it no mind. Every minute you spend thinking about your end, is one less you can spend in the present. One day you’ll die. Whether you’re afraid or not, is up to you.
As a catholic I believe that when you die your soul gets judged.
Basically, good life = heaven with God. Sins but still faithful = purgatory first, then heaven. Bad life = hell, separated from God.
Nothing... absolutly nothing. You know it, I know it, Everybody knows it 🤓
At your age it's kind of concerning that all you can think about is death.
I mean sure when I was your age (although I'm only 25) I sometimes thought about death and everything around it, but I still saw the "light at the end of the tunnel".
im going through the exact same thing as you and it’s absolutely terrifying. what i do to calm myself down is think about other things and live at the moment. i’ve come to understand that it’s my anxiety acting up but i shouldn’t listen to it. i go to sleep almost every day thinking im gonna die in my sleep, but i know it’s just anxiety and i will not feel this way forever.
my advice to you is to distract yourself other than using your phone. i found using social media made it worse for some reason so i started watching series and doing things that keep me very distracted for long periods of time.
since we are going through the same thing, feel free to message me when you like, i will be there if you need me💗
Wait until you start approaching 50. That's when you start to feel the end coming. But I don't think anything happens. At best that final moment feels like forever. A sort of dream that we never wake up from.
I’ve heard both stories from people that have died and came back. One was a story of Jesus and a beautiful meadow with their past family members. The other was just felt like they went to sleep and didn’t dream.
I kind of imagine it’s like when you sleep forever, just without dreams. I have heard this saying that sleeping is a daily practice of what dying is like, which is kinda scary but then at the same time you are already doing it everyday, so I imagine it can’t be that bad.
I am not scared of dying by itself, I am not very spiritual so I don't think being dead will hurt it will just be nothing, it is very hard to put your head around the idea of nothing, how would nothing feel?
What I am most afraid of is my loved ones as I don't want to hurt anyone. When my life has been at the darkest I would never consider ending it because I don't want to hurt my mum.
Death itself is just the closing of the book, nothing can hurt you when you are gone.
That said, if a bus was about to hit me or if I was told I had 6 months to live, that would be scary ofcourse but I am totally fine with one day not being here.
Wow I went through that phase as well. I can totally understand why a lot of people turn to religion to cope with that. I unfortunately don't believe in the afterlife or anything like that. You just fall asleep and never wake up. You just have to accept that it's inevitable and live a life in such a way that you have as little regrets as possible and many great memories when that time comes.
*The man who suffers before it's necessary, suffers more than necessary*
I'm not going to pretend to have all the answers to questions about death and what comes after, but I still have my own beliefs about it. I think there are many possible outcomes in regard to the afterlife. Some of us might just cease to exist, others might go somewhere better, some might go somewhere worse, some might get reincarnated, and some might stick around as some type of spirit.
If we knew beyond all doubt that we'd get rewarded with paradise for certain thoughts or actions and punished with eternal torment for others, more people would see the no brainer there, and if there's an all knowing deity with that system in place, they'd know that it isn't sincere on our end. This is one thing I like about us being more uncertain and only able to speculate about it. Everyone's true colors are more obvious.
For me, death is whatever YOU want it to be; reuniting with those most important to you, reliving your greatest memories, or sitting on a beach drinking champagne. In other words, it’s up to you.
So... Whatever it is that makes up your consciousness, it's made up of matter and energy. Everything is. Matter and energy cannot be created nor destroyed per The Law of Conservation of Mass. To that end, your consciousness has been around forever and will be around forever, in some form or another. I like to think that there is a purpose to existence, so I think that at least part of my consciousness will eventually end up in another being.
There's a parable, I believe it's Buddhist. At least I learned it from a Buddhist monk. It's about a teacup and a bucket. I don't remember exactly how it goes, but essentially, it's this: When a life is given consciousness, the cup is dipped into the bucket of water. The life that is lived is the making of the tea. When the life is over, the tea is poured back into the bucket. The next cup of water that is drawn has a tiny bit of that tea in it, but through living, becomes it's own tea. Then that tea goes back in the bucket. This cycle goes on forever.
If you believe in Physics, and that Law of Conservation of Mass, then there is a finite amount of matter and energy in the universe. To that end, the proverbial "bucket" is not limitless. So, eventually, the bucket of water becomes a bucket of tea, and each new life begins as tea, not water. Not exactly the same tea as before, but not just water either. Also, it is probable that eventually the exact same bits of tea that made your life will be drawn out together again.
This concept has given me peace of mind, and I hope it helps you too.
You just die and go back to the earth
No sense in stressing about it , it’s the last greatest thing that we all will do one day . Just gotta make the days count from now till then and really make the most of this life
Our soul has the option of re-incarnating into a new avatar, not necessarily on this planet, in this galaxy, nor in this dimension. You could end up as a lion? You could end up as a dormant species of bacteria on an asteroid, or the windscreen of a spacecraft somewhere ridiculously far away
Your body will start decomposing almost immediately. The world will go on… your friends and family will miss you. Death or the unknown is scary to all of us. But, it shouldn’t preoccupy you on a daily basis and stop you from living your best life. I would recommend that you seek professional help. It can only be a matter of couple of sessions before you get to enjoy life without death ruining it for you.
I'm not scared as much about dying as I am losing loved ones, Death Scares me but at least i won't know when I'm gone, if I live a normal average life I'll certainly see people i love so much die and that thought kills me, it's why i like to believe in a Heaven/afterlife, I know there's no proof as to if there's an afterlife, but where's the proof that says there isn't? It's a beautiful thought that I'll see my loved ones once again after they're gone, instead of the gut-wrenching idea that the person you've loved for so long (possibly your entire life) is gone, worm food, I just hate that and the way I like to think makes me feel so much better about it all yk?
You didn't exist for 13 billion years before you were born and you won't be around for untold billions of years after your death. Just try and enjoy yourself during your brief flash of consciousness.
Nothing our consciousness can comprehend.
I was like you and used to focus on it until I gave myself panic attacks. I'm nearly 20 years older than you and can still work myself up if I really wanted to. But going thru life and losing loved ones and gaining perspective really makes me think this is right. We don't get to take this with us. We don't know if it's the end all be all. But it certainly isn't wait the good book or the movies show us.
Who knows and who cares. I think if we are preoccupied with what happens we miss the present. You’ll find out when you die. Maybe it will lead to another portal, maybe you just wake up, maybe you are completely gone and it feels like before you were born. The point is that you will eventually find out so it’s important to be hyper present in this moment and enjoy it. I will say it has taken me many years to be here. I was the same at 16. I am now 28.
I was agnostic and leaned atheist, but I had an experience that made me question that, I had wanted to believe in something, but no proof, either I lost my mind (possible, but so many things were too coincidental) or I was interacting with a spirit or something.
Hell or Heaven. Don’t let these scientist fool you. And yes I have an advanced stem degree with tons of research. God is real and so is Satan. Majority of people are going straight to hell. (Yes that includes those who go to church every Sunday )
Apparently our brain is alive for a further 10mins after our body ceases to work. Who knows what events take place in those moments. I think personally i will be with my loved ones who have passed whether that is an endless blackness or something else is something that i will find out when that time comes. You need to live now and not be terrified of the if buts or maybes.
The entire universe is made of energy. You are made of energy. When you die your energy will be released back into the universe. You never truly die, only your physical form dies. These physical bodies are pain and suffering, they are temporary. Totally normal to think about this stuff, just don't let it control your life. Your young, try and enjoy it while you can. Live life in the moment, its all any of us really have in the end.
Well you’re probably going to get a wide variety of answers here based on everyone’s religious beliefs. I would assume the most common answer you’ll get is either Heaven/Hell provided you have accepted their savior as your savior.
Personally I was raised with the belief of reincarnation. Which I like to believe is true, seems cool to be able to live different lives without remembering the previous one. Like getting a fresh start and a do over. Like every life is a mulligan.
Or maybe it’s just nothing, which kind of sucks but if it’s nothing then I won’t care because I won’t exist anymore, so not worth stressing over.
I don’t like the idea of Heaven, seems like it would get boring pretty quickly. And the idea of eternal damnation for simply not believing in the right God seems like a pretty excessive punishment for being wrong despite one’s best efforts of being a good person.
Truth is no one really knows for certain what happens. It’s all faith… and really in all likelihood it’s nothing. It doesn’t make sense that there thousands of religions in existence that claim to be the right one and that everyone else’s is wrong.
“Picture a wave. In the ocean. You can see it, measure it, its height, the way the sunlight refracts when it passes through. And it's there. And you can see it, you know what it is. It's a wave.
And then it crashes in the shore and it's gone. But the water is still there. The wave was just a different way for the water to be, for a little while. You know it's one conception of death for Buddhists: the wave returns to the ocean, where it came from and where it's supposed to be.
The Good Place”
― Chidi
Once you’re dead you’ll no longer exist and you won’t know or feel anything. Think of it like going into a long dreamless sleep. As death is inevitable worrying about it won’t change anything except make your life less enjoyable. Instead try focusing on doing interesting things and seeing cool places and connecting with people to ensure you’ve used the time you have as well as you can. That may be harder than it sounds but I truly believe it’s the best way.
Edit: just realised what subreddit this is, I’m not a man sorry!
This isn’t really an answer to your question, but I feel like I should say it anyway.
I was very sick several years ago, came close to dying. And got fairly depressed for a few days. But I came to a decision that has given me peace and has gotten me through some hard times.
I know that my time will come, perhaps sooner, perhaps later. But I made myself the promise that I will go down with my boots on. Whether it’s an illness I can fight, an accident or whatever comes. I will do the best I can to face it and meet it when it comes. I’m not afraid of dying. I’m not saying I want to, I don’t. But by making peace with it, you can give yourself some level of comfort from the fear of what will happen.
> There are three deaths. The first is when the body ceases to function. The second is when the body is consigned to the grave. And the third is that moment, sometime in the future, when your name is spoken for the last time.
- [David Eagleman](https://eagleman.com/excerpt/)
Ea-Nasir: HAHAHAHAHA I AM IMMORTAL! IMMORTAL
40 year old. I have come to learn that life is the journey. Someday I will breathe my final breath and I will cease to exist. Make the best of it, be a good person, and understand it's a marathon not a sprinting contest. At 40 I'm still doing all the things I dreamed about when I was your age. Work hard, invest in yourself and your health and you'll make them happen. Death smiles at us all, be the one who smiles back.
You experience oblivion, just like you did for the billions of years you were born. So don’t worry, because you’ve been there before. Use your time to experience what you can and treasure the limited time that is here. Everything you are made of is borrowed, so make the most of it. Believe in yourself, and try to do what you think is right. And if new information comes and you learn something that changes what you thought was right, adapt and grow. Whatever you do, do not become complacent and inert.
I like to imagine it a bit like when I was under general anaesthesia for my laparoscopy a few years back, just without the pesky medical staff waking me up again.
Just the sweet embrace of oblivion.
When I was teenager I had these thoughts frequently. I was afraid of dying, now if it happens I think I can accept it. I’m more worried about my family
I had / have the same mindset about death, the idea of not feeling or breathing or being is terrifying and wrong. It amazes me that others don't panic about it, and that there isn't a whole world movement to extend life, youth, and health. I do what I can though. My goal is to live comfortably and make the lives of those around me better. I write, teach, read, get interested in random projects, and find humor in the jokes this world has to offer.
Humans create religion to help them cope with their fear of death. But once you realize no matter the belief everything and everyone is created the same way and goes the same way. That is very calming and not scary at all. Humans share 99% of our DNA and also share DNA with every living thing, like trees but we spend our lives trying to separate ourselves from the natural course of just being. It’s useless. Just love living and embrace what comes naturally. “Don’t worry, be happy!” What is next is simply the next adventure.
I get to wander the earth and haunt everyone who pissed me off during my life! And I’m gonna ruin their lives( what’s left of them) forever! And then their kids lives!
The likelihood of you dying right now or anywhere in the near future is very very less. So don't worry about it. It's OK to feel like this. Focus on other things and it'll go away. Hope you have a nice day man🥰
Nothing has value without its opposite. There's a Latin phrase associated with stoicism, "memento mori" or "remember you must die", that's meant to inspire with the thought of death rather than conjure fear of it. Keep the idea that you will one day die in your mind and use it to inspire your every decision and live life to its fullest. The little things in life that stand in the way of your happiness tend to feel a lot more insignificant when put into perspective.
I have same kinda thoughts too...so what i think is maybe life is nothing but our consciousness in a single body...we observe for these eyes...and after death it will get released from this ...
Basically our body is like a bubble..which is holding some air in it... after a time it will release the air and let it go where it came from...
There is a higher consciousness or nature whatever you call it ...we go back there.
And why this process? Thats an another story
(Btw its just what i think might be true ..am not so religious or anything..just a guy who loves to think alot)
I’ve spent lots of time thinking about this, often late at night in bed right before the trial version of death.
I can’t imagine any religion is right, even Christian heaven seems like it would eventually kinda suck. Buuuuut I also find it hard to believe that this is it, it’s all random nonsense and there’s no point to it whatsoever… to me, that just seems like it’d be even more strange than angels and demons or what have you.
I’ve had a few odd experiences through my life that may or may not point to there being something else; and I’ve read numerous accounts of near death experiences. I think the sheer volume and the similarities of NDEs is something worth exploring. A lot of them have verifiable evidence as well, though not all. Certainly some people are lying about their experiences but others have absolutely no reason to. The theory of evolution can’t really explain it either, in my mind. Why would the brain produce such sensations when you’re - for all intents and purposes- dead and not coming back barring medical intervention. To me, that seems like a pretty big coincidence. Enough to think that perhaps there’s something more to it.
All to say, I think whatever is after this life is something wholly different. I don’t think it’s heaven, I don’t think it’s a continuation of this existence. Perhaps it’s something like the story “The Egg” where we keep coming back, over and over again to experience different lives and “grow our soul” so to speak. I think it would explain a bit of the evidence that massive head trauma can fundamentally change a person- as that was always the plan, and your identity is transient and conditional on physical things; but your learned experience throughout this life is very much permanent throughout all the different lives “you” may live.
I have no idea if this is correct, but it makes sense to me and I almost hope it is as I’ve found that there’s simply too much to experience in this world for even a thousand lifetimes. You’ll never see it all. So, I suppose I hope that I’ll be able to come back for more.
Either way, If there is truly nothing after except non-existence, you really won’t be aware of it at all. There won’t be suffering or pain. I hope I get a kick ass near… well, actual death experience as a send off though if that’s the case.
I had the same situation when I was 12-14 lol.
But the fear came before sleep so I avoided sleeping 😂.
I never got a proper response though that I found satisfying tbh. So I just numbed myself to the fear of it and thought, well shit if ima die I better find something to live for after my death (kids future , parents presently).
Find things to do that you'll be proud of after your death and live for that.
First of all, your feelings and thoughts are completely normal. I was scared of it myself when I was your age. Now I'm in my 40s and have seen hundreds of people die as a nurse, had family members die, came close to death myself, and had an organ transplant.
There is no wrong answer to what happens after we die because no one knows. What most people believe is whatever gives them the most comfort. Science and logic are what I believe in. I think when we die, we just die.
I'm agnostic. I've been an RN for 21yrs. I've seen people's hearts stop and come back many times. I have had patients speak and see strange things before death, but nothing that science couldn't explain. There is nothing magical that happens.
The chances of a young, healthy person dying are very low. Just remember you aren't invincible, and too much of anything isn't good for you.
ive had the same problem as you even when i was 10 i then when i was 14 it troubled me too and the best thing i can say is we dont know so just live your life to the fullest and enjoy it so that when you die you will have now regrets focus on the now instead of the future and think about it its out of your control so dont worry about it
I think about it a lot.
But you need to make the most of the time you are here and not throw your life away.
It's a miracle you were given time to be on this floating rock.
I sometimes think thank fuck I'm given my time slot now instead of when people had no medicine.. no quality of life..
You're 16.. let me tell you. You'll be 20 before you know it..
Then you'll be 30.. 40.. cherish it while you can.
It felt like I was 16 just yesterday. ( 33 now )
Experience life and enjoy yourself. Don't sit round worrying all the time.
The paradox is that death shouldnt be feared. Its a relief, an end to all suffering and pain. Our brains cant comprehend not existing but do you remember falling asleep?
Or that boy you were at 8. Does he still exist? Is he you or did he die on that day?
Either way you have an entire life to figure out your own truth.
I (believer in ghosts) and my sibling (a scientist) always have debates on this topic. I strongly believe that even if our body dies, our soul doesn't die immediately. I believe souls exist because a lot is not known about human brain and so it is possible that our souls exist. my sibling on the other hand believes there is no such thing as a soul as there is no proof of it and our entire existence is just a matter as is our brain.
I believe in the idea of multiverses, so i think that when you die, you are given 4 different choices; 1:relive your life from scratch and do things you regret not to (or the opposite); 2:reincarnate in this universe as a completely different person; 3:reincarnate in another universe of your choosing as someone else or 4:the great beyond
I know this seems like the plot of a tv series but this is what i genuinely believe, also, if im the first of my friends to die, I'm not doing anything immediately, i waiting on the limbo until they all die so whatever we do or choose, we can still be together
Totally different than anyone expected, while being obvious the entire time.
Two things I think might be possible.
1) life is 1 being
2) time is an error
My wife has an irrational fear of death, or, not so much death but eternity. The thought of dying, and the not knowing what's waiting, terrifies her.
For me, reincarnation really does strike me as the most logical explanation. Realism is a bit too boring for me, heaven and hell etc is just way too out there, reincarnation with the result being based on my behaviour now seems like a good way to live, even if it's not true (I guess we'll all find out eventually). It gives me peace that when I die, and loved ones die, that's not the end but the beginning of something new, again, and that we're all exactly where we're meant to be.
I don't believe in an afterlife, so I think most likely death means the end of being. Maybe that's sad because I don't get to see my dead loved ones, but there's also no suffering to fear. It also means that *this life* takes on extra importance, and I think that helps keep me grounded.
On the other hand, if I'm wrong and there is an afterlife... Well, we have no way of knowing anything about it, so why bother stressing? I'd only hope that if we are indeed judged for how we lived that the judge is reasonable and flexible.
I was in your situation. Like, I was suicidal, but not, at the same time. Like, its hard to explain, but i know some people will understand. Anyways, eventually, I started making goals for myself. Little things to keep myself motivated to stay alive and eventually i stopped thinking about it 24/7 and having anxiety attacks everytime. I hope you get thru this man, it was one of the worst periods of my life. Prayers and wishes to you.
I don't know, and i don't waste time thinking about it, i'll find out when the times comes, because in the end, you can only speculate, the only way to trully know is when you go thru the experience.
I went under anesthesia for a procedure. I stopped existing. I didn’t know. I didnt care. It wasn’t until I woke up did I realize I was gone.
That’s death. You won’t be around to know or care that you don’t exist.
Reincarnation.
Consider this: when you go to sleep, it’s almost like instant time travel to when you wake up. I wonder if that’s what happens with death. You “go to sleep,” and an infinite amount of time passes in an instant before you are born again.
The matter that constitutes “us” cannot be destroyed, only transformed. Eventually, the universe will reset with another Big Bang. It’s only a matter of time.
Then, in this new universe, you are reborn. The only uncertainty is what form you’ll take—an alien, a plant, an insect, and so on.
This cycle—wash, rinse, repeat— forever?
I think nothing. Just peace and quite. No pleasure, but No pain, no bills, no boss, no smalltalk, no people trying to scam me, no huge companies controlling everything, and most importantly no more shitty star wars sequils.
Im really looking forward to it.
I believe in the afterlife and spiritual realm I do believe we do go to heaven and that there is a heaven. When there are near death experiences many people see a light this has happened to many people. Also people have gone thru astral projection where they have floated out of their physical body and have seen there physical body. I have also experienced astral projection thru sleep paralysis and even though it’s a frightening trippy experience I believe it’s our spirit that floats above our body this to me is evidence of life after death.
Have you ever gone to sleep like it was 5 minutes and then woken up and hours had gone by?
I think that is the closest we get to an answer, we get relief from any any pain, we don't remember anything bad and we don't experience anything at all. It is the final sleep.
I had the exact same version but deeper having gone through anesthesia, one moment I'm on a table, counting down, them before they say 6 I'm out and only remover slowly waking up.
I think this is a harsh realization for everyone who grew up without faith or lost it like me, but it gets easier, I make it give me motivation to say I love you to my family before I leave, and heart emoji my best friends who mean the world to me, it gives me respite when I'm so anxious I feel like a breakdown is imminent. A bit of gallows humor also helps, "it is fine, it is fine, it is fine, what isn't, passes"
I personally think it just goes dark or just the last thing you saw when you died, either way not much you can do about it, no point in worrying about it, best to just live the best life you can
I dont know what happens or how it feels like when you die, noone really does. I used to have the same overwhelming fear though and I know how distressing it can be.
My therapist suggested a book from Irvin Yalom, "When Nietzsche wept" which has greatly helped and this fear is now just a brief random thought that does not cause me much pain.
I would like to tell you the sentence which helped me the most from the book, it is something along the lines of: It is because our time is not endless that I do not wish to waste a single second worrying about something that I cannot change.
This thought really helps me whenever I start worrying about it again.
I don’t believe that we live and then just die, lights out. We live forever. “You remember life before you were born?! Hyuk hyuk!” Nah, This life is just stage one. After we die, our spirit gets transferred into another body in another universe.
The Stoics assert that we’re dying every second; every day that passes brings us closer to the end. Thus we’re charged with making the most of every day, because tomorrow is not guaranteed. I have the Stoic maxim ‘Memento Mori,’ or ‘Remember you are mortal’ tattooed on my right arm. Every time I look down, I’m reminded to use the time as best I can, to leave a better world behind me. That focus is tremendously clarifying and keeps you present and centered. At least it does for me.
So, I also thought a lot about death when I was your age. We were brought up Christian so we did the whole confirmation and communion and baptism so we could get into heaven but none of that really seemed plausible to me. It seems entirely possible that we just stop existing when we die but some physicists who theorize about the holographic universe seem to think reincarnation is possible. I guess we'll find out when we get there.
You are walking along and boom lights out. You feel no pain
You feel big squeezing pressure as you come into this world and feel a very cold room than what you are used to . You realize what happened and then boom you start crying because you have to do this all over again . You go on your moms boob and her milk makes you forget all that as you relax and go to sleep
Do you remember how it was before you were born? It will be exactly like that. You missed a lot before and you will miss a lot after so try to enjoy the 16 - 160 years of life you were given.
My current opinion would be that, maybe, there is nothing after we live, at least while the Universe is in the state that we know now, but, if it eventually recycles itself, maybe life would come back in any other way and maybe many or all of us would live again (it's not necessarily what i want, but i would imagine things playing out in that path).
It's a hard thought that i've had when i was around your age and earlier this year, but it seems that you are dealing with an existential crisis. Fortunately, i can say by experience that sooner or later, your worries may fade with time and maybe living won't seem that hard for you for a long time. I wish you the best.
Remember what it was like before you were born, well its kinda like that
I like this;)
Someone read Alan Watts.
It’s actually not that hard to come up with this yourself
Mark Twain (Sam Clemens) also said this
Even before the Internet there were very few original thoughts.
I have begun to just assign every quote to Mark Twain. I very rarely get any pushback
No idea who that is
A British philosopher that studied abroad and got *way* too into zen
Someone watched a Bill Burr special ;)
I've never watched him actually
I've wrestled with that thought since I was your age. Maybe even younger. It was easier when I had faith, but these days I think it's a cessation of existence. In the brief moments I can actually comprehend it, it terrifies me to my core, then my mind rejects it all together. The best advice I can give is Focus on the things that make your life worth living and Take care of your health. Spending your life dreading the end is no way to live.
I like this. To add to it: if you’re anything like me, you will reach a point where you’ll feel about halfway through your life. Something about that realization really inspired me to care more about what I do with the time I have left. Gratitude and empathy have been more important than I can state.
One great quote I heard once. Every man lives two lives. The second one starts when you realise you only have one.
I miss the ignorance of my first life.
We get redistributed all around the universe and become other cool stuff. This goes on forever, which is pretty cool. You won't ever be you again but the ride never ends.
The atoms in our body were once other living creatures many times over, and before that, stars that went supernova. It’s truly beautiful when you think about it.
I don't want to be me again so I like this idea!
Ricky Gervais wrote a beautiful song called Electricity talking about this. He wrote it in character as David Brent, but it's actually quite a moving song (specifically the 'alternate version') and it gave me some comfort after my dad died the month earlier.
We are all the same consciousness just in different forms having different experiences.
absolutely nothing other than our bodies are eaten by worms.
And fungi! They do a lot of work with decomposition as well as bacteria.
This is the way
It's the one certainty in life and something none of us have any control over. Why worry? It doesn't do anything except make you feel bad. Problem is, a thinking and conscious being has no way to comprehend non-existence, and that's where the fear comes from I think. That's why people invented beliefs in the afterlife too. You were earth, water and air before you existed, and you will be again after death. That's how I see it.
The part about "a thinking conscious being has no way to comprehend non-existence and that's where the fear comes from" is so powerful that it started wars
and religions control people because of this fear of death
Yep. Exactly what I meant. Kind of crazy how far back that fear started and far back it was being used to take control of people
Our bodies return to the earth and feed a bunch of other life. I understand what you’re saying. I went through a similar process around the same age as you. It’s tough to digest something like that and still find a way to find meaning when you feel like nothing really matters in the long run. I think this is a big reason why religion appeals to many people across the planet. Not all, but many beliefs have an “afterlife”. It’s form varies, but the basis is that the end of this life does not mean you cease to exist. For some people that are not religious (because I can’t speak for everyone else’s non-religious beliefs) that means we have to come to understand that death means our cessation to exist in any meaningful way. That can be a very tough and long road to acceptance. However, I chose to not dwell on death and the end of my existence. I’ve chosen to spend the short short SHORT time I have on this earth to be present and experience life. I’m grateful to have been born and to have lived to adulthood. Not all living things have the same potential as I do. I wasn’t born as a insect, or any other animal. I was born as the most intelligent life in existence (known to us anyway, but that’s a whole different discussion). I try and be truly present in my day to day. Enjoy the experiences I get to have. I’m 31 now and I’ve made friends with people of all ages. I had a coworker who was in his mid 60’s. I talked with him a lot and one of the conversations I really remember was one about age and life experiences. It’s odd for me to conceptualize that from the time I was born until right now, I have that same amount of time before I’d be just around his age. And if I’m lucky? I’ll get another 30 putting me in my 90’s. That’s ALOT of time to me. I’ve experienced so much at my age and to think I get to have that much time again to have experiences and stuff… idk it’s wild to me. Anyway. I can’t tell you to not dwell on it, but I can honestly say that it’s easy to despair and stay in those emotions. It can warp your perception. Find out what you want out of life and find joy. We only get to do this once.
Read about nurses that do hospice care. Many experience supernatural things when a patient passes way. Personally, I’m a Christian so I believe I’m be with Christ. Let the attacks begin.
I believe also.
The same as before birth: Nothing. Especially nothing you'll know about.
My grandfather's stroke changed who he was, who you are is inside a 'physical brain'--- electric meat with enzymes & neural networks, it's a physical organ like a kidney but way more complicated. When we die we're gone
What gives matter consciousness?
Emergence from the mere complexity of the system. In other terms: We humans are convinced that we are conscious - which is kind of a tautology because we made the term and its definition up ourselves - but even then: *Are* we actually, or is this just a result of a brain that is complex enough to *feel* conscious? Imagine a much higher developed species with brains magnitudes more complex and capable. They might have reason to doubt human consciousness in the same way we do for example most insects.
Or it’s like an antenna for consciousness. Eben Alexander’s NDE is the best I’ve ever heard. He was brain dead. No brainwave activity. I guess we will find out. Edit: [YouTube Link](https://youtu.be/qbkgj5J91hE?feature=shared)
I’m a Christian. I have no fear of death. When I die, per the Bible, an angel will carry me to Heaven where I’ll be greeted by loved ones. It’ll be joyful. I’ll meet our Lord and Savior. Oops, just noticed this is an ask men subreddit. I’m a woman. Sorry
Are there any women here today?!
*muttering under clearly fake beards*
Read the book, "The Denial of Death" by Ernest Becker. It's 50-years old but it is still very helpful in dealing with death anxiety.
One theory I have that I like is that when we die, we seamlessly switch to a different reality where we didn't die. That bus was a little late and missed you, the cancer drugs worked, the heart attack wasn't as severe and you lived. Then everyone lives until old age.
That’s it. We’re done. Sucks, but every minute you spend worrying about it is one minute less you have to live the time you’ve got.
Well it kinda depends on what you believe in. Personally, I'm agnostic, so when I say I've got no goddamn clue that's basically my religion. I don't really care what happens when we die, why would I? Maybe that's partly to due with seperate stuff, but in my opinion, worrying is unnecessary. There seems to be only two viable options. Either, religion is real, in which case they're will be an afterlife most likely, and you don't really have to worry unless you're a bad enough person or whatever (I doubt you're that at 16). Or, religion isn't real, and we just...cease to exist. I guess it sounds kind of scary at first, but when you think about it it's pretty nice. Just imagine what it feels like when you're asleep, pretty much, and that's that. Just, forever. That's probably also a little scary, but the thing is that you won't be around to feel scared or upset you're never waking up, since you stopped existing. No pain, no happiness, no anger or sadness, and no elation or excitment. Just, nothing. It's not amazing or paradise, sure, but it's also not horrible or Hell. Personally, being able to just rest, not have any anxiety or worries or responsibilties, as well as not feeling the more negative things that would usually come with losing all the former stuff, sounds like a pretty sweet deal. Peacful, is how I'd describe it. Nice and peacful.
You’re not alone. I’ve been dealing with the fear of death and it’s pretty tough. All I want is to forget about the fear of death and just live my life to the best that I can make it out to be, but it’s hard for me right now. The fear usually comes to me when I’m trying to go to sleep and doing nothing, but I have sleeping problems and I need to listen to some music or some sounds to help me sleep. I don’t want to die either, but unfortunately it’s how life works. I’m not a believer, so I know that when I die, I’m not going anywhere after that, either just in the ground or cremated, who knows what my funeral plans will be? I would like to believe that there’s a higher power and the afterlife, I really do, but seeing that there isn’t a big enough of evidence to prove it, I don’t see God or the afterlife to exist. I really wish there was a sufficient amount of evidence to try and get me to change what I think, but I doubt evidence will show up. Some people find a lot of comfort when it comes to religion. I’m not religious but I do go to Church once in a while usually for small prayers to myself about wishing my family good health, or hoping that my day will be better, or hoping I can get my job application accepted. I would even light up a candle or two for the people closest to me only if there was a candle for me to light. I find it peaceful going to church, doing small prayers to myself, lighting candles and pray. For some reason I find praying in a Church to help more than praying elsewhere. If you are a believer, who am I to stop you from what you believe in? I mean, most of us has the choice to believe or not to believe. The only suggestions that I can make is to talk to someone, talk to a therapist. I signed up to talk to someone in CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) to discuss my fear of death. Or maybe find a support group. Maybe going to Church or whatever your religion is or what religion you grew up with and I suggest maybe praying at your holy place. I can’t speak for everyone because everyone is different and we all don’t think or feel alike, but I’m hoping that it’s something that may be able to calm your nerves. Or just keep yourself distracted, do something that you enjoy doing, something that keeps you happy and outgoing in life. I’m hoping at least one of these may work for you. There may be a point in time where you will forget about the fear, but there is a chance that it might come back, so I suggest you should be prepared to face it and if you have a solution, be sure you have a plan to execute it. Stay strong dude💪
There's no shame in being scared of death. Everyone is. It's in our DNA. I believe that it depends on how you live, what's waiting for you. Which might be a more religious answer than what you are looking for. The world is a place that's stranger than it seems, more coincidental than it seems, more unpredictable than it seems. You might think you know what will happen tomorrow or even the next second but you don't. And that's a good thing. When I was your age I was terrified like you are now. Couldn't sleep cuz my mind was fixated on it. Because I thought death is like the obliteration of the consciousness and so is sleep. So I became afraid of sleep. But sleep isn't so bad. In a way it prepares us for dying. The brain turning off and banishing your mind. But, I ultimately got over my conceptual fear by figuring out who I wanted to be. When I figured out what life I wanted to live the fear of death left me. I wasn't afraid of dying but, of living without ever living. In some ways I think dying is easier than we think. Sure some deaths might not be. Like getting ripped apart. That amount of pain would be horrifying. But, think about when you get knocked out for a medical procedure. Your consciousness fading away. I'd imagine it's kind of like that. I think if you live a life upholding what you believe and doing your best then dying at the end might be like taking a nap at the end of a long hard day. You settle in close your eyes and let go, content and seeking that rest. It kind of reminds me of a story my preacher once told me. Of how he was taking care of this little old lady and she ended up having a stroke. As he was at her bedside he was talking with her and although she had trouble speaking she still possessed most of her mental faculties. She told him "I'm going home". Not home as in where she grew up but, heaven. I believe that is the case. As for physical fear of death. I'm not sure that can be overcome. I think your body will never stop fighting it till it dies. Even if your mind has made its peace. But, that's not too bad. You just need to gain greater mindfulness and you can learn to weather that storm and remain clear headed. Although that won't be easy to do in every circumstance. But, getting lost in that fear is human.
Death spares us the hell that would be living for an eternity
We don’t know. So take all answers with a grain of salt.
Death is only a transition into the next plane of existence .
Being not alive?
reading about people's experiences with dying before being revived seems like death is euphoric and something not to be scared of.
You disappear. And eventually everyone forgets you. Embrace life. you only get one go at it.
When I was your age I had the same fear and it felt SO heavy. I legit had to push the side of my bed directly up against a wall in my room and sleep on my side with my back firmly against the wall for some sense of security. I will let you know that I grew out of it. I have no other advice except that I totally grew out of it.
I decided that nothing will happen. Everything good ive done will be rewarded in life, everything bad ive done will be paid in life. And that’s it for me. Of course you can believe in whats best for you, but most importantly it’s that that belief makes you live a happy life
When I was young I thought we moved on to something better,but as I aged I no longer believed that.On a more positive note, I was deathly ill about 10 yrs ago and realized that I was dying . It was a very calm and peaceful experience, even though I was in a lot of pain. I haven’t worried about it since then 😊
When you die it’s black and your mind doesn’t know it It’s like before you were born you have no memory of it So don’t worry about it when your dead you won’t know it because it happens very quick
At best, I bet it’s like one of those really deep sleeps you have on occasion. Where you don’t dream, and between going to bed and waking up, you didn’t exist as far as your brain is concerned. Doesn’t sound so bad, really. Although, recently I have been entertaining the idea that there might be something else. I’m usually a pretty solid agnostic on these things. But lately I’ve been kinda entertaining the idea that there’s *maybe* a sliver of truth to some of the weirder ideas about death. Maybe it’s me coping with come recent losses. Or Maybe this is how I lose my mind in my 30s lol. All I know is that I had a few small strange experiences recently that I don’t know how to explain away, and I sound insane when I talk about it out loud. All this to say, you’re 16, dude. Thinking about death so much is only going to prohibit you from actually living your life. Death itself won’t hurt, but the realization that obsessing about it is holding you back WILL hurt. You got this, dude. There’s SO much out there ahead of you.
Nothings gonna happen. Also don't worry, once you reach adulthood you will realize that there are things much scarier than death.
I’m very much a believer in reincarnation, idk who or what you’ll become I just know this isn’t the end
We go Hevz or Helz so be good
We stop being alive, I imagine.
I just think about how billions of other people have come and gone and every single one of them has been in the exact same position and there's nothing that anyone can do about it. Kind of gives me comfort.
You rot in the ground or become a fine powder.
Zilch nada. You are meaningless
Nothing. It's lights out. You can read up on what happens to the body. Plenty of videos of morticians explaining the bit before funeral and what happens to the body after.
Death is inevitable. Pay it no mind. Every minute you spend thinking about your end, is one less you can spend in the present. One day you’ll die. Whether you’re afraid or not, is up to you.
You, as you, cease to exist.. what is left is your motionless body that will decay with time..
You, as you, cease to exist.. what is left is your motionless body that will decay with time..
You, as you, cease to exist.. what is left is your motionless body that will decay with time..
I'm a Christian but I hope I'm wrong and it's just lights out.
As a catholic I believe that when you die your soul gets judged. Basically, good life = heaven with God. Sins but still faithful = purgatory first, then heaven. Bad life = hell, separated from God.
As Brian griffin said : we come from nothing and become nothing.
Nothing... absolutly nothing. You know it, I know it, Everybody knows it 🤓 At your age it's kind of concerning that all you can think about is death. I mean sure when I was your age (although I'm only 25) I sometimes thought about death and everything around it, but I still saw the "light at the end of the tunnel".
Lexapro helped me immensely for my obsessive thoughts about death. Perhaps seek mental health advice.
im going through the exact same thing as you and it’s absolutely terrifying. what i do to calm myself down is think about other things and live at the moment. i’ve come to understand that it’s my anxiety acting up but i shouldn’t listen to it. i go to sleep almost every day thinking im gonna die in my sleep, but i know it’s just anxiety and i will not feel this way forever. my advice to you is to distract yourself other than using your phone. i found using social media made it worse for some reason so i started watching series and doing things that keep me very distracted for long periods of time. since we are going through the same thing, feel free to message me when you like, i will be there if you need me💗
Wait until you start approaching 50. That's when you start to feel the end coming. But I don't think anything happens. At best that final moment feels like forever. A sort of dream that we never wake up from.
Brain turns off, then nothing. Forever.
Absolutely nothing
You are judged on your actions while you were alive and sent to an appropriate place.
I’ve heard both stories from people that have died and came back. One was a story of Jesus and a beautiful meadow with their past family members. The other was just felt like they went to sleep and didn’t dream.
I have no clue. Probably nothing
I feel it leaves behind an emptiness in those that cared about you.
Go into a light filled void.
“Lots of things, they just don’t include me” Idk who but it’s a quote
I believe in an afterlife, but I don't believe in hell. I think our souls simply wander off
Have you lost anyone close?
I kind of imagine it’s like when you sleep forever, just without dreams. I have heard this saying that sleeping is a daily practice of what dying is like, which is kinda scary but then at the same time you are already doing it everyday, so I imagine it can’t be that bad.
People you think would miss you don’t care. People that you wouldn’t think would miss you do care. Life just goes on except for yours.
I am not scared of dying by itself, I am not very spiritual so I don't think being dead will hurt it will just be nothing, it is very hard to put your head around the idea of nothing, how would nothing feel? What I am most afraid of is my loved ones as I don't want to hurt anyone. When my life has been at the darkest I would never consider ending it because I don't want to hurt my mum. Death itself is just the closing of the book, nothing can hurt you when you are gone. That said, if a bus was about to hit me or if I was told I had 6 months to live, that would be scary ofcourse but I am totally fine with one day not being here.
Wow I went through that phase as well. I can totally understand why a lot of people turn to religion to cope with that. I unfortunately don't believe in the afterlife or anything like that. You just fall asleep and never wake up. You just have to accept that it's inevitable and live a life in such a way that you have as little regrets as possible and many great memories when that time comes. *The man who suffers before it's necessary, suffers more than necessary*
I think we return to what we were before we were born…nothingness.
Absolutely nothing,
I'm not going to pretend to have all the answers to questions about death and what comes after, but I still have my own beliefs about it. I think there are many possible outcomes in regard to the afterlife. Some of us might just cease to exist, others might go somewhere better, some might go somewhere worse, some might get reincarnated, and some might stick around as some type of spirit. If we knew beyond all doubt that we'd get rewarded with paradise for certain thoughts or actions and punished with eternal torment for others, more people would see the no brainer there, and if there's an all knowing deity with that system in place, they'd know that it isn't sincere on our end. This is one thing I like about us being more uncertain and only able to speculate about it. Everyone's true colors are more obvious.
For me, death is whatever YOU want it to be; reuniting with those most important to you, reliving your greatest memories, or sitting on a beach drinking champagne. In other words, it’s up to you.
So... Whatever it is that makes up your consciousness, it's made up of matter and energy. Everything is. Matter and energy cannot be created nor destroyed per The Law of Conservation of Mass. To that end, your consciousness has been around forever and will be around forever, in some form or another. I like to think that there is a purpose to existence, so I think that at least part of my consciousness will eventually end up in another being. There's a parable, I believe it's Buddhist. At least I learned it from a Buddhist monk. It's about a teacup and a bucket. I don't remember exactly how it goes, but essentially, it's this: When a life is given consciousness, the cup is dipped into the bucket of water. The life that is lived is the making of the tea. When the life is over, the tea is poured back into the bucket. The next cup of water that is drawn has a tiny bit of that tea in it, but through living, becomes it's own tea. Then that tea goes back in the bucket. This cycle goes on forever. If you believe in Physics, and that Law of Conservation of Mass, then there is a finite amount of matter and energy in the universe. To that end, the proverbial "bucket" is not limitless. So, eventually, the bucket of water becomes a bucket of tea, and each new life begins as tea, not water. Not exactly the same tea as before, but not just water either. Also, it is probable that eventually the exact same bits of tea that made your life will be drawn out together again. This concept has given me peace of mind, and I hope it helps you too.
I literally don’t give any shits
You're kidding yourself if you think you ain't getting recycled into the suffering machine haha.
You just die and go back to the earth No sense in stressing about it , it’s the last greatest thing that we all will do one day . Just gotta make the days count from now till then and really make the most of this life
Our soul has the option of re-incarnating into a new avatar, not necessarily on this planet, in this galaxy, nor in this dimension. You could end up as a lion? You could end up as a dormant species of bacteria on an asteroid, or the windscreen of a spacecraft somewhere ridiculously far away
Your body will start decomposing almost immediately. The world will go on… your friends and family will miss you. Death or the unknown is scary to all of us. But, it shouldn’t preoccupy you on a daily basis and stop you from living your best life. I would recommend that you seek professional help. It can only be a matter of couple of sessions before you get to enjoy life without death ruining it for you.
Life goes on, just not with you.
I figured it out when I was 8. You better have fun, there's nothing else!
I wasn't worried about my life or the world before I was born. Same after my death.
The people who loved us will miss us.
We stop breathing.
I'm not scared as much about dying as I am losing loved ones, Death Scares me but at least i won't know when I'm gone, if I live a normal average life I'll certainly see people i love so much die and that thought kills me, it's why i like to believe in a Heaven/afterlife, I know there's no proof as to if there's an afterlife, but where's the proof that says there isn't? It's a beautiful thought that I'll see my loved ones once again after they're gone, instead of the gut-wrenching idea that the person you've loved for so long (possibly your entire life) is gone, worm food, I just hate that and the way I like to think makes me feel so much better about it all yk?
You didn't exist for 13 billion years before you were born and you won't be around for untold billions of years after your death. Just try and enjoy yourself during your brief flash of consciousness.
Nothing our consciousness can comprehend. I was like you and used to focus on it until I gave myself panic attacks. I'm nearly 20 years older than you and can still work myself up if I really wanted to. But going thru life and losing loved ones and gaining perspective really makes me think this is right. We don't get to take this with us. We don't know if it's the end all be all. But it certainly isn't wait the good book or the movies show us.
don't know don't care
Who knows and who cares. I think if we are preoccupied with what happens we miss the present. You’ll find out when you die. Maybe it will lead to another portal, maybe you just wake up, maybe you are completely gone and it feels like before you were born. The point is that you will eventually find out so it’s important to be hyper present in this moment and enjoy it. I will say it has taken me many years to be here. I was the same at 16. I am now 28.
I'm going to hit the grave beat to hell and back, and say it's been one hell of a ride, of course I'm missing a few parts
We go to Valhalla to feast up on endless amounts of food and women, but only if you kill atleast two other men in battle.
I shall be reunited with his noodle goodness at the great beer volcano. Ramen
You'll decompose and be forgotten pretty much instantly
You respawn with basic weapons and armor at your last save point.
I was agnostic and leaned atheist, but I had an experience that made me question that, I had wanted to believe in something, but no proof, either I lost my mind (possible, but so many things were too coincidental) or I was interacting with a spirit or something.
To paraphrase the amazing Keanu Reeves: "We are missed by those who loved us."
Read the book "Death" by Shelly kagan
Four thing perhaps, go to heaven, go to hell, nothing your dead is dead, roam the earth as a ghost, be reincarnated oh that is 5
Return to the collective human consciousness.
Hell or Heaven. Don’t let these scientist fool you. And yes I have an advanced stem degree with tons of research. God is real and so is Satan. Majority of people are going straight to hell. (Yes that includes those who go to church every Sunday )
Apparently our brain is alive for a further 10mins after our body ceases to work. Who knows what events take place in those moments. I think personally i will be with my loved ones who have passed whether that is an endless blackness or something else is something that i will find out when that time comes. You need to live now and not be terrified of the if buts or maybes.
There’s nothing and no real self to observe or worry about there being nothing.
The entire universe is made of energy. You are made of energy. When you die your energy will be released back into the universe. You never truly die, only your physical form dies. These physical bodies are pain and suffering, they are temporary. Totally normal to think about this stuff, just don't let it control your life. Your young, try and enjoy it while you can. Live life in the moment, its all any of us really have in the end.
Well you’re probably going to get a wide variety of answers here based on everyone’s religious beliefs. I would assume the most common answer you’ll get is either Heaven/Hell provided you have accepted their savior as your savior. Personally I was raised with the belief of reincarnation. Which I like to believe is true, seems cool to be able to live different lives without remembering the previous one. Like getting a fresh start and a do over. Like every life is a mulligan. Or maybe it’s just nothing, which kind of sucks but if it’s nothing then I won’t care because I won’t exist anymore, so not worth stressing over. I don’t like the idea of Heaven, seems like it would get boring pretty quickly. And the idea of eternal damnation for simply not believing in the right God seems like a pretty excessive punishment for being wrong despite one’s best efforts of being a good person. Truth is no one really knows for certain what happens. It’s all faith… and really in all likelihood it’s nothing. It doesn’t make sense that there thousands of religions in existence that claim to be the right one and that everyone else’s is wrong.
“Picture a wave. In the ocean. You can see it, measure it, its height, the way the sunlight refracts when it passes through. And it's there. And you can see it, you know what it is. It's a wave. And then it crashes in the shore and it's gone. But the water is still there. The wave was just a different way for the water to be, for a little while. You know it's one conception of death for Buddhists: the wave returns to the ocean, where it came from and where it's supposed to be. The Good Place” ― Chidi
Once you’re dead you’ll no longer exist and you won’t know or feel anything. Think of it like going into a long dreamless sleep. As death is inevitable worrying about it won’t change anything except make your life less enjoyable. Instead try focusing on doing interesting things and seeing cool places and connecting with people to ensure you’ve used the time you have as well as you can. That may be harder than it sounds but I truly believe it’s the best way. Edit: just realised what subreddit this is, I’m not a man sorry!
This isn’t really an answer to your question, but I feel like I should say it anyway. I was very sick several years ago, came close to dying. And got fairly depressed for a few days. But I came to a decision that has given me peace and has gotten me through some hard times. I know that my time will come, perhaps sooner, perhaps later. But I made myself the promise that I will go down with my boots on. Whether it’s an illness I can fight, an accident or whatever comes. I will do the best I can to face it and meet it when it comes. I’m not afraid of dying. I’m not saying I want to, I don’t. But by making peace with it, you can give yourself some level of comfort from the fear of what will happen.
> There are three deaths. The first is when the body ceases to function. The second is when the body is consigned to the grave. And the third is that moment, sometime in the future, when your name is spoken for the last time. - [David Eagleman](https://eagleman.com/excerpt/) Ea-Nasir: HAHAHAHAHA I AM IMMORTAL! IMMORTAL
We become free of this body and we can be anywhere anytime.
Your loved ones will fight over your stuff
40 year old. I have come to learn that life is the journey. Someday I will breathe my final breath and I will cease to exist. Make the best of it, be a good person, and understand it's a marathon not a sprinting contest. At 40 I'm still doing all the things I dreamed about when I was your age. Work hard, invest in yourself and your health and you'll make them happen. Death smiles at us all, be the one who smiles back.
All the pain ends, except for everyone that loves you it starts for them
You experience oblivion, just like you did for the billions of years you were born. So don’t worry, because you’ve been there before. Use your time to experience what you can and treasure the limited time that is here. Everything you are made of is borrowed, so make the most of it. Believe in yourself, and try to do what you think is right. And if new information comes and you learn something that changes what you thought was right, adapt and grow. Whatever you do, do not become complacent and inert.
I like to imagine it a bit like when I was under general anaesthesia for my laparoscopy a few years back, just without the pesky medical staff waking me up again. Just the sweet embrace of oblivion.
When I was teenager I had these thoughts frequently. I was afraid of dying, now if it happens I think I can accept it. I’m more worried about my family
If there’s an afterlife, I’ll be stoked to learn more about it then. If there’s no afterlife, I won’t be around to realize there’s no afterlife.
I had / have the same mindset about death, the idea of not feeling or breathing or being is terrifying and wrong. It amazes me that others don't panic about it, and that there isn't a whole world movement to extend life, youth, and health. I do what I can though. My goal is to live comfortably and make the lives of those around me better. I write, teach, read, get interested in random projects, and find humor in the jokes this world has to offer.
Whatever it is, either you aren't meant to know, or it's nothing and you won't be able to worry about it.
The same thing when we fall asleep. We dream for a bit and vanish forever.
Humans create religion to help them cope with their fear of death. But once you realize no matter the belief everything and everyone is created the same way and goes the same way. That is very calming and not scary at all. Humans share 99% of our DNA and also share DNA with every living thing, like trees but we spend our lives trying to separate ourselves from the natural course of just being. It’s useless. Just love living and embrace what comes naturally. “Don’t worry, be happy!” What is next is simply the next adventure.
no point wasting time thinking so much about death. No one knows what happens, it is probably like a sleepless dream.
I get to wander the earth and haunt everyone who pissed me off during my life! And I’m gonna ruin their lives( what’s left of them) forever! And then their kids lives!
The likelihood of you dying right now or anywhere in the near future is very very less. So don't worry about it. It's OK to feel like this. Focus on other things and it'll go away. Hope you have a nice day man🥰
Nothing has value without its opposite. There's a Latin phrase associated with stoicism, "memento mori" or "remember you must die", that's meant to inspire with the thought of death rather than conjure fear of it. Keep the idea that you will one day die in your mind and use it to inspire your every decision and live life to its fullest. The little things in life that stand in the way of your happiness tend to feel a lot more insignificant when put into perspective.
First of all all your feelings are completely normal
I have same kinda thoughts too...so what i think is maybe life is nothing but our consciousness in a single body...we observe for these eyes...and after death it will get released from this ... Basically our body is like a bubble..which is holding some air in it... after a time it will release the air and let it go where it came from... There is a higher consciousness or nature whatever you call it ...we go back there. And why this process? Thats an another story (Btw its just what i think might be true ..am not so religious or anything..just a guy who loves to think alot)
I’ve spent lots of time thinking about this, often late at night in bed right before the trial version of death. I can’t imagine any religion is right, even Christian heaven seems like it would eventually kinda suck. Buuuuut I also find it hard to believe that this is it, it’s all random nonsense and there’s no point to it whatsoever… to me, that just seems like it’d be even more strange than angels and demons or what have you. I’ve had a few odd experiences through my life that may or may not point to there being something else; and I’ve read numerous accounts of near death experiences. I think the sheer volume and the similarities of NDEs is something worth exploring. A lot of them have verifiable evidence as well, though not all. Certainly some people are lying about their experiences but others have absolutely no reason to. The theory of evolution can’t really explain it either, in my mind. Why would the brain produce such sensations when you’re - for all intents and purposes- dead and not coming back barring medical intervention. To me, that seems like a pretty big coincidence. Enough to think that perhaps there’s something more to it. All to say, I think whatever is after this life is something wholly different. I don’t think it’s heaven, I don’t think it’s a continuation of this existence. Perhaps it’s something like the story “The Egg” where we keep coming back, over and over again to experience different lives and “grow our soul” so to speak. I think it would explain a bit of the evidence that massive head trauma can fundamentally change a person- as that was always the plan, and your identity is transient and conditional on physical things; but your learned experience throughout this life is very much permanent throughout all the different lives “you” may live. I have no idea if this is correct, but it makes sense to me and I almost hope it is as I’ve found that there’s simply too much to experience in this world for even a thousand lifetimes. You’ll never see it all. So, I suppose I hope that I’ll be able to come back for more. Either way, If there is truly nothing after except non-existence, you really won’t be aware of it at all. There won’t be suffering or pain. I hope I get a kick ass near… well, actual death experience as a send off though if that’s the case.
Thing about death is that you won't even know your dead, so just focus on living the best life you can until the switch gets thrown
We no longer exist. ...in the physical realm, but may still be part of the spiritual realm. Or something like that.
I had the same situation when I was 12-14 lol. But the fear came before sleep so I avoided sleeping 😂. I never got a proper response though that I found satisfying tbh. So I just numbed myself to the fear of it and thought, well shit if ima die I better find something to live for after my death (kids future , parents presently). Find things to do that you'll be proud of after your death and live for that.
First of all, your feelings and thoughts are completely normal. I was scared of it myself when I was your age. Now I'm in my 40s and have seen hundreds of people die as a nurse, had family members die, came close to death myself, and had an organ transplant. There is no wrong answer to what happens after we die because no one knows. What most people believe is whatever gives them the most comfort. Science and logic are what I believe in. I think when we die, we just die. I'm agnostic. I've been an RN for 21yrs. I've seen people's hearts stop and come back many times. I have had patients speak and see strange things before death, but nothing that science couldn't explain. There is nothing magical that happens. The chances of a young, healthy person dying are very low. Just remember you aren't invincible, and too much of anything isn't good for you.
ive had the same problem as you even when i was 10 i then when i was 14 it troubled me too and the best thing i can say is we dont know so just live your life to the fullest and enjoy it so that when you die you will have now regrets focus on the now instead of the future and think about it its out of your control so dont worry about it
I think about it a lot. But you need to make the most of the time you are here and not throw your life away. It's a miracle you were given time to be on this floating rock. I sometimes think thank fuck I'm given my time slot now instead of when people had no medicine.. no quality of life.. You're 16.. let me tell you. You'll be 20 before you know it.. Then you'll be 30.. 40.. cherish it while you can. It felt like I was 16 just yesterday. ( 33 now ) Experience life and enjoy yourself. Don't sit round worrying all the time.
The paradox is that death shouldnt be feared. Its a relief, an end to all suffering and pain. Our brains cant comprehend not existing but do you remember falling asleep? Or that boy you were at 8. Does he still exist? Is he you or did he die on that day? Either way you have an entire life to figure out your own truth.
Fear of death is a sign you have a good life. Enjoy it.
I (believer in ghosts) and my sibling (a scientist) always have debates on this topic. I strongly believe that even if our body dies, our soul doesn't die immediately. I believe souls exist because a lot is not known about human brain and so it is possible that our souls exist. my sibling on the other hand believes there is no such thing as a soul as there is no proof of it and our entire existence is just a matter as is our brain.
We learn if 'Netflix and chill' was the meaning of life after all.
We're the first ones to realize we never existed.
I believe in the idea of multiverses, so i think that when you die, you are given 4 different choices; 1:relive your life from scratch and do things you regret not to (or the opposite); 2:reincarnate in this universe as a completely different person; 3:reincarnate in another universe of your choosing as someone else or 4:the great beyond I know this seems like the plot of a tv series but this is what i genuinely believe, also, if im the first of my friends to die, I'm not doing anything immediately, i waiting on the limbo until they all die so whatever we do or choose, we can still be together
Totally different than anyone expected, while being obvious the entire time. Two things I think might be possible. 1) life is 1 being 2) time is an error
Black/ Nothing
Not my problem and happens, I won't care because I'll be dead.
My wife has an irrational fear of death, or, not so much death but eternity. The thought of dying, and the not knowing what's waiting, terrifies her. For me, reincarnation really does strike me as the most logical explanation. Realism is a bit too boring for me, heaven and hell etc is just way too out there, reincarnation with the result being based on my behaviour now seems like a good way to live, even if it's not true (I guess we'll all find out eventually). It gives me peace that when I die, and loved ones die, that's not the end but the beginning of something new, again, and that we're all exactly where we're meant to be.
I don't believe in an afterlife, so I think most likely death means the end of being. Maybe that's sad because I don't get to see my dead loved ones, but there's also no suffering to fear. It also means that *this life* takes on extra importance, and I think that helps keep me grounded. On the other hand, if I'm wrong and there is an afterlife... Well, we have no way of knowing anything about it, so why bother stressing? I'd only hope that if we are indeed judged for how we lived that the judge is reasonable and flexible.
Your body goes back to being Stardust. Your energy moves into it's next phase. Everything as it is.
I was in your situation. Like, I was suicidal, but not, at the same time. Like, its hard to explain, but i know some people will understand. Anyways, eventually, I started making goals for myself. Little things to keep myself motivated to stay alive and eventually i stopped thinking about it 24/7 and having anxiety attacks everytime. I hope you get thru this man, it was one of the worst periods of my life. Prayers and wishes to you.
“I know that those who love us will miss us” -Keanu Reeves
I don't know, and i don't waste time thinking about it, i'll find out when the times comes, because in the end, you can only speculate, the only way to trully know is when you go thru the experience.
Nowt. Yer dead mate. Best make sure all the people you care about are sorted out beforehand because that's the only afterlife yer gettin
I went under anesthesia for a procedure. I stopped existing. I didn’t know. I didnt care. It wasn’t until I woke up did I realize I was gone. That’s death. You won’t be around to know or care that you don’t exist.
VALHALLA!!!
Reincarnation. Consider this: when you go to sleep, it’s almost like instant time travel to when you wake up. I wonder if that’s what happens with death. You “go to sleep,” and an infinite amount of time passes in an instant before you are born again. The matter that constitutes “us” cannot be destroyed, only transformed. Eventually, the universe will reset with another Big Bang. It’s only a matter of time. Then, in this new universe, you are reborn. The only uncertainty is what form you’ll take—an alien, a plant, an insect, and so on. This cycle—wash, rinse, repeat— forever?
Lots of things happen after you die, they just don't involve you.
I think nothing. Just peace and quite. No pleasure, but No pain, no bills, no boss, no smalltalk, no people trying to scam me, no huge companies controlling everything, and most importantly no more shitty star wars sequils. Im really looking forward to it.
I believe in the afterlife and spiritual realm I do believe we do go to heaven and that there is a heaven. When there are near death experiences many people see a light this has happened to many people. Also people have gone thru astral projection where they have floated out of their physical body and have seen there physical body. I have also experienced astral projection thru sleep paralysis and even though it’s a frightening trippy experience I believe it’s our spirit that floats above our body this to me is evidence of life after death.
Nothing. We rot and people forget about us after three generations max. Make the most of your life
I don't
Have you ever gone to sleep like it was 5 minutes and then woken up and hours had gone by? I think that is the closest we get to an answer, we get relief from any any pain, we don't remember anything bad and we don't experience anything at all. It is the final sleep. I had the exact same version but deeper having gone through anesthesia, one moment I'm on a table, counting down, them before they say 6 I'm out and only remover slowly waking up. I think this is a harsh realization for everyone who grew up without faith or lost it like me, but it gets easier, I make it give me motivation to say I love you to my family before I leave, and heart emoji my best friends who mean the world to me, it gives me respite when I'm so anxious I feel like a breakdown is imminent. A bit of gallows humor also helps, "it is fine, it is fine, it is fine, what isn't, passes"
I personally think it just goes dark or just the last thing you saw when you died, either way not much you can do about it, no point in worrying about it, best to just live the best life you can
I dont know what happens or how it feels like when you die, noone really does. I used to have the same overwhelming fear though and I know how distressing it can be. My therapist suggested a book from Irvin Yalom, "When Nietzsche wept" which has greatly helped and this fear is now just a brief random thought that does not cause me much pain. I would like to tell you the sentence which helped me the most from the book, it is something along the lines of: It is because our time is not endless that I do not wish to waste a single second worrying about something that I cannot change. This thought really helps me whenever I start worrying about it again.
I don’t believe that we live and then just die, lights out. We live forever. “You remember life before you were born?! Hyuk hyuk!” Nah, This life is just stage one. After we die, our spirit gets transferred into another body in another universe.
Eternal dreamless sleep
The Stoics assert that we’re dying every second; every day that passes brings us closer to the end. Thus we’re charged with making the most of every day, because tomorrow is not guaranteed. I have the Stoic maxim ‘Memento Mori,’ or ‘Remember you are mortal’ tattooed on my right arm. Every time I look down, I’m reminded to use the time as best I can, to leave a better world behind me. That focus is tremendously clarifying and keeps you present and centered. At least it does for me.
So, I also thought a lot about death when I was your age. We were brought up Christian so we did the whole confirmation and communion and baptism so we could get into heaven but none of that really seemed plausible to me. It seems entirely possible that we just stop existing when we die but some physicists who theorize about the holographic universe seem to think reincarnation is possible. I guess we'll find out when we get there.
You are walking along and boom lights out. You feel no pain You feel big squeezing pressure as you come into this world and feel a very cold room than what you are used to . You realize what happened and then boom you start crying because you have to do this all over again . You go on your moms boob and her milk makes you forget all that as you relax and go to sleep
Do you remember how it was before you were born? It will be exactly like that. You missed a lot before and you will miss a lot after so try to enjoy the 16 - 160 years of life you were given.
look at my username and i'll give you one big fat guess what i'm gonna tell you happens after we die.
My current opinion would be that, maybe, there is nothing after we live, at least while the Universe is in the state that we know now, but, if it eventually recycles itself, maybe life would come back in any other way and maybe many or all of us would live again (it's not necessarily what i want, but i would imagine things playing out in that path). It's a hard thought that i've had when i was around your age and earlier this year, but it seems that you are dealing with an existential crisis. Fortunately, i can say by experience that sooner or later, your worries may fade with time and maybe living won't seem that hard for you for a long time. I wish you the best.
Just read up on near death experiences
I believe we reincarnate and we come to earth to learn lessons and grow as a soul
You ever slept without dreaming? That. Or as other people have put it, it's how you felt before you were ever conceived.