Thoughts of death...

[HockeyShark]

In my tendancy to overthink and dwell on things, and with the recent death of my aunt, last years death of my mother, a friend with Cancer, and my own health issues, I am now having constant thoughts of death, and horrible nightmares.

It almost seems to be working itself into a series of obsessive thoughts or a phobia. So when i have panic attacks, or other health issues all I can think about is dying. The Reality of the fact that everyone will die is really weighing on me. Such a great emptiness.

I get no escape in my sleep. Nightmares are horrible. Being chased, dying, or running for my life. Waking exausted...

Anyone- Please help?

[therese83]

Thoughts of death are a symptom of depression.

So if you are getting treatment it is not working.

If the treatment is working you would not be thinking like this.

[WendyLady03]

I've had those same thoughts for quite a while now. Death and the fear of dying became completely obsessive thoughts for me, so much so that I couldn't sleep for fear I would pass away. I never thought much about death before having panic attacks, and now I can't STOP thinking about it.

Anxiety and OCD sometimes go hand in hand, and there is such a thing as Pure O OCD, which is just obsessional thoughts without any kind of outward compulsions. I'm not saying that you have that, but that's what I was told mine was considering I also had obsessive thoughts about hurting myself or other people, or going crazy. It was more a fear that those things would happen, rather then an actual thought of literally doing any of those things. Talking to a cognitive behavioral therapist has helped me the most in overcoming the thoughts and fears, and I learned that it was mostly the anxiety that was causing it which made it much easier to deal with.

Are you on any kind of meds, or have you seen or thought about seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist? I know they aren't for everyone, but just in my experience it has been extremely helpful for me to have someone I can talk to about my thoughts who has experience with other people who have the same thing. Hope that helps, take care!

[boogieman]

Hello. I know how you feel. I have ptsd as a result of watching someone die. But as time passes, I fear life more than death, as I believe that dying is more of a transition than an ending. One thing that has helped me is actually studying the death process, especially the phenomenon of near death experiences. The majority of those who have been clinically dead and resuscitated are profoundly changed in regards to their attitudes and conceptions of what is on the other side. One of the most common results is they no longer fear death or dying, and upon recovery from their respective illnesses, they have a new and much more positive outlook on life. Also there are likely support groups in your area that deal with these issues, and there is a grief and loss community on this site as well. Take care, GM

[jellyfishing]

I worry about death too, and sometimes it's overwhelming. The best thing I can do to directly address the problem is to pray and remind myself that God will take care of me after I die. I'm not sure how, but if he can create the universe, then he can take care of me. I recommend talk to a local minister or priest - they work with people with depression about death. I also recommend talking to a doctor about finding an anti-depressant that works for you. A lot of people take them, and it helps them. Third, spend your time with people - find activities to do that you think are worthwhile.

[august08]

You may have a underlying problem that is being confused with death thoughts. You really need to get into see your own family doctor and explain this to him. Your doctor should set you up with someone to talk to.

Good luck and try to keep postive thoughts.