I'm an Atheist but I'm terrified of dying. Advice?

Question

I guess it's not the actual dying, it's the way I might die. I'm terrified I could get cancer or some other horrible terminal disease. Or a really painful death, like a heart attack or a stroke. I've always been abnormally preoccupied with my death, and keep wondering if this is the day I'm gonna bite it.

Added: For those suggesting therapy, thank you, but I am already in therapy for my BPD, which doesn't help. And for those suggesting Pascal's wager, please stop insulting my intelligence and that of your deity if they do in fact exist.

Answer 1

If you are abnormally preoccupied with anything at all, I'd suggest some form of therapy... not being cute, I'm serious... there might be something you need to work out.

It's normal to fear death, though... so long as fear of dying isn't keeping you from normal living. Couldn't hurt to talk too professional about it.

As for terminal disease, I think people should be allowed to die under those circumstances if they want to. I certainly wouldn't want to live in pain and without hope of healing, just for the sake of living.

The best advice I can give you for now is to keep reminding yourself that death is the end... so you better "get busy living or get busy dying," or in other words - don't let a single moment go to waste worrying about something you have no control over.

Answer 2

Its not if your going to die or when that is important, but how you live until you die. Some candles are huge, with a little wick and burn in a dim glow for ages, others are short but with a great big wick that burns fast but bright.

birth and death are easy, its the bit in between which is hard, Why do you worry about the bit you have no control over? You should be having a great life, something that will leave you in no dubts that you got the most out of your time on earth.

You can lead a life so wonderful, that you inspire others, or secretly fulfil your own goals - but the trick is to reach death with no regrets that you have not ommitted anything, or regrets that you wasted your life worrying about things you had no control over.

You could be hit by a bus tommorrow, so isn't worrying about your slow painful death a bit of a waste of time? I rather not worry about the what if's, they distract me from the what next thoughts I occupy my mind with. If I do end up with some horrible lingering condition, there is always the ferrari and the cliff... what a way to go :0)

Answer 3

I would stop worrying about my DEATH and start worrying about how I live my LIFE if I were you..... We all are going to face death some day----we can't escape it....the WAY we die is determined by many factors... if you are healthy, get plenty of exercise, get regular doctor checkups, don't smoke or drink a lot of booze, you MIGHT live a very long and happy life... OR, as fate would have it, you could walk out of your house today, get hit by a truck and "buy the farm".... It will happen how and when it is SUPPOSED to happen... For some it will happen rather soon. I was diagnosed with 2 TERMINAL ILLNESSes this year and have a very short time left among the living... I am SCARED because I've been told my death could be very painful...BUT, I am not dwelling on it---I am living the life I have left to the fullest---enjoying EVERYTHING AROUND me and not going through ONE SINGLE DAY without making someone else laugh.... Every day is a gift and if we spend it wasting it worrying about how we are to DIE, we won't ENJOY the LIVING!!!! So stop worrying about something you cannot change... and get out there and have a great LIFE while you can--- I sure am.

Answer 4

Because I am a Christian, I am going to suggest the obvious, which is to pick up a Bible, read it and see if you can come to terms with God and find out for yourself if He does in fact exist. As an Atheist afraid of your own mortality and the way you might die, what could it hurt if you believe in God? If you are wrong and your belief is unfounded, then you have lost nothing. If you are right, then you go to Heaven and experience the greatest joy imaginable. Suppose you don't believe and you are right in your disbelief. Again, you have lost nothing. Suppose you don't believe and you are wrong in your disbelief. Then you have lost everything, including your soul. It would be a horrible, horrible thing.

Since you ARE an Atheist and likely do not want to take the advice of a Christian who is telling you to give God a try, then I would strongly suggest seeking counseling. Truly, such a preoccupation with and a fear of death is not healthy and robs you of the joy you could have in the act of living. You deserve to have a happy life, but that is not possible if you are too preoccupied with the fear of dying. We are all going to die. We can't get out of this life alive. It's a fact. There is no escaping our fate. That said, it's best to come to terms with it. If you prefer to not believe in God, who alone can help you have complete peace about death and the process of dying, then at least seek help from a qualified counselor, who can help you cope with this fear from a rational, psychological perspective. These people are trained to help. Give them a call. You will be glad you did.

Answer 5

Well your worry is for naught. You are gonna die one day, period.

I have to say something about the atheist thing... I can understand why people are atheist... but don't you ever wonder? Instead of just coming to the conclusion that there is no God whatsoever... maybe you should spend more time with that on your mind and less about death. We know for a fact that everyone is going to die. We don't know for a fact that God is not real... It's natural to wonder about death, and no one alive knows if it is painful to take your last breath or feel your heart beat for the last time or where you go afterwards. Why don't you worry about how you are gonna live your life instead of how you are going to end it?

I hope you don't get a horrible disease or have a heart attack or a stroke... I hope I don't either. But we never know. Its not worth the stress and worry of having it on our minds tho.

Answer 6

God loves you and he experienced the worst death imaginable so that you could live with Him for eternity. He rose from the dead and will return soon. We have a great hope in Him and for those who believe in Him, death may be painful but it is a beautiful experience that we can look forward to, because the day we die is the day we enter into the kingdom of God. That's awesome. If you would like to receive Jesus, let me know so I can pray for you.

Isaiah 25:8 he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
he will remove the disgrace of his people
from all the earth.
The LORD has spoken.

Answer 7

Pain sucks true... but to a large extent life is pain. Look at it this way... you are making yourself suffer with worry... is that any better than suffering with cancer? Let it go and make of life what you want to. Life is too short to worry about dying.

If it really bugs you plan ahead. Put together a living will. Everybody should have one of those anyway to plan for eventualities like what you are contemplating so you know you will be put out of your misery instead of docs doing what docs would otherwise do (assume you want to live in agony).

Answer 8

in case you're relatively searching for an answer, it is going to take paintings, and it will take time. you would be a 'seeker' for some years. Many Agnostics are seekers, others are conflicted human beings no longer able to make commitments, others are in basic terms lazy skeptics. before everything, because you're Catholic by using custom, you need to circulate to the source, take grownup catechism, study and ask questions. in case you do no longer completely study and understand this part of you, you will by no capacity discover peace everywhere. Secondly study different non secular traditions. To be a sentient Atheist, you need to understand different philosophies with a view to reject them, or you would be no longer something extra beneficial than a at a loss for words, wishy-washy Agnostic or an ignorant Atheist. third, take a direction in good judgment, to enhance your 'suggestions muscle.' you will want this as a results of fact the Atheist argument is consistent with good judgment on a similar time as the non secular argument is consistent with non secular wisdom. you will ought to nicely known a thank you to % out flaws in good judgment to sidestep development your very own concept equipment on a faux beginning up. as quickly as you're armed with non secular and logical wisdom, you would be good arranged to discover the Atheist decision, and finished your inner communicate. curiously, the respond will come to you as a feeling of what 'feels precise' somewhat than something you are able to communicate your self into or out of. you do no longer ought to take steps a million,2, or 3 in any particular order. it is likewise possible to physique of suggestions them concurrently. someplace alongside the way, something will 'click' for you. whether technology discovers a gene for non secular believing, believer or non-believer, you will no longer have wasted a while, and could have found out plenty approximately humanity. good success.

Answer 9

I could preach to you being a minister, but I'll choose my Native Indian side instead. Some wise words from a wise man, Tecumseh.

So live your life, that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none. When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision. When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.

- Chief Tecumseh

Answer 10

If your thoughts are almost constantly about death, it's time you lived. You need to be too busy to think about such things. Busy enough to drop in mid step.

I don't cherish the thought of some dragged out sickness but I have someone I can hold on to, if I have to go through it.

I'm Christian. Things happen to your thoughts, when you've turned them over to Jesus. Your every waking moment is either too busy to think at all, or too busy with a great desire to know more and more and more. A Christian is never satisfied, always wanting more of Him. It's like falling in love and wanting always to be with the one you love. The last thing on your mind is death.