Fear of loved ones dying

[Lily21]

Hi all,
I'm new here but i thought id give this a try and see if anyone has any suggestions. I am 26 years old and as long as i can remember i have always STRESSED out about my familys well being. I know i can't control what happens but i see that now as i am getting older i stress about my family and loved ones dying on a daily basis. I know it might sound weird but you have no idea how bad this can get unless you go through what i go through everyday. It's getting to a point that i have panic attacks here n there. I am extremely close to my mother, father and sister and just the thought of them not being here scares me. I know this is a serious problem becuase i can't let go of it and i have tried over the years but the thought runs through my mind constantly. I was on anti depressants for a few months a couple years ago but decided to stop taking them. Does anyone have any suggestions? I want to enjoy the days i have with them right now and i dont want to waste time thinking of things that may or may not happen soon but i just can't stop on my own.

[birie]

Im 100 and im.worried bout my parents dying. My husband 102 had a heartatacck and is in the hostpial. I just had  kid and hopeing ill live long anof to see it have its 100 birthdasy.  So dont be stupid. God has it all. My husband at his age im not  worried. I jog 10 miles a day. I dont worry ill die. Its fine when your 3 but now your jut dumb.

[lapoo594]

I have the same thing. You see my mom works really far away and lets just say she is not the best driver.I'm always afraid she will get in a car accident and die.The job that she does is dangerous to,so she could get shot if someone shoots her at the store.What do I do?

[Avatar1111]

I know what you mean; my mother had cancer TWICE in my lifetime; she is very healthy now, exercises a lot, yet it's odd; I actually fear it MORE now that I will lose her than I did BEFORE, when she HAD cancer---I have always felt fear at losing my mother, since I was a little girl; odd that during her cancer I knew instinctively that she'd be okay; I prayed a lot too; I don't know why things happen the way that they do; so much here on earth is extremely confusing and backwards-seeming.

[Avatar1111]

I am a VERY Visual Thinker; Since I was about 3 or 4, I have been extremely afraid of losing my mother; certain things, even when I was that young, make me feel the emotion of loss; such as watching sunsets and rain and cold, grey, windy days----I actually wondered if maybe in a past life I lost my loved ones, my mother, etc, because it is very unusual, I think, for a child so young to FEEL loss before it even happens, and to FEEL like she's already lost relatives that she hasn't in this lifetime yet lost.....I DO know that dreading losing someone daily is like experiencing loss a thousand times a day; really we only need to experience it once, but for people like us it is a daily ritual I guess:( I would love to know how to stop such thoughts and concentrate on the NOW, loving and appreciating every moment instead of thinking in the back of my mind "Well, this is wonderful but one day I'll wish I had it back when my mother dies...." Awful to go through this. You can't enjoy what you have right now if your mind is always in the future! Why can't we look happily to the future instead of thinking of the DREAD and LOSS of the future? Maybe some of us are just inclined to think that way.....I don't know:( I think some of us see soooo much beauty in things that we can't HELP but realize that it's a shame that it will all be gone someday; maybe we are able to see the Divine, deepest beauty of things and in realizing that they will be gone, we can't help but feel a DEEP depression. Maybe lots of people can't see such things, so they aren't as concerned with the loss of things so beautiful?

[KellyARD]

I am having the same problem, the constant fear of losing my mom, dad, husband, one of my children, etc...I just can't imagine life without one of these people.  I worry about my children constantly, they are 21, 21 and 18, all boys.  What if they get sick, get in a care accident, are unable to support themselves.  Part of this worrying comes from the fact that they all have certain challenges.  one was born with some medical problems (none of which are life threatening, however), one with Asperger's, one with extreme ADHD.  I can't help but think they already have strikes against them.  For the first time the other day I looked at my father and saw an old man, I never really ever thought about my parents aging until recently.  My husband works alot of hours and is overweight, I worry he is going to have a heart attack.  Even if he wasn't overweight I would find something to worry about.  I want to enjoy life while they are here, but can't seem to get past this constant worrying!  I would appreciate any tips as to how to overcome my constant worrying.  Thanks for taking the time to listen!

[KellyARD]

I am having the same problem, the constant fear of losing my mom, dad, husband, one of my children, etc...I just can't imagine life without one of these people.  I worry about my children constantly, they are 21, 21 and 18, all boys.  What if they get sick, get in a care accident, are unable to support themselves.  Part of this worrying comes from the fact that they all have certain challenges.  one was born with some medical problems (none of which are life threatening, however), one with Asperger's, one with extreme ADHD.  I can't help but think they already have strikes against them.  For the first time the other day I looked at my father and saw an old man, I never really ever thought about my parents aging until recently.  My husband works alot of hours and is overweight, I worry he is going to have a heart attack.  Even if he wasn't overweight I would find something to worry about.  I want to enjoy life while they are here, but can't seem to get past this constant worrying!  I would appreciate any tips as to how to overcome my constant worrying.  Thanks for taking the time to listen!