Fear of Death?

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I know that death is a natural end to living but I seem to be having a “fear of death” lately. I have family members and co-workers who are suffering from cancer. I had an uncle who died from cancer a couple months ago; he was in his late 50’s. One of my co-workers quickly died from cancer (he was in his 50’s) and one of my sister’s friends died from cancer (he was in his late 30’s). My aunt is now in her late 50’s and suffering from cancer, and my sister-in-law may have a serious health condition (hopefully not cancer).

I have a heart condition that “came out of nowhere” but it doesn’t really have to do anything with the lifestyle I was living (I don’t drink, smoke, etc.). I’m only in my 20’s yet I am fearing death? It’s true, I could drop dead at any moment. I worry especially about my parents’ health because both of them are in that age range where cancer seems to hit the hardest (50’s). Both of them work incredibly stressful jobs. I fear for them!

The logical part of me says that, since many western secular countries have advanced healthcare, dying at a young age from infectious disease is quite uncommon now. Since we are living longer than nature intended we are developing chronic diseases. I think the other problem is that we don’t get enough exercise, don’t eat healthy, governments allow companies to put toxic chemicals into our food, and our water is not clean. But perfectly healthy people can also drop dead.

I am one of those people where I don’t get enough exercise, and am trying to eat healthier. But “eating healthier” is so expensive for me. I have, for example, began eating such things as dried cranberries, mission figs, cheese on crackers, etc. It is unbelievable that these companies are allowed to put toxic chemicals and preservatives into our food. I guess I am glad that I am starting a new job that will (hopefully) give me some physical exercise, as I will be working outside.

I am not sure what the point of this post was, but these thoughts have been on my mind lately. I am trying not to be negative because everyone else around me is already negative. I realize that trust in God is important and that no matter what, He will provide.
 
It is perfectly natural to fear death.

People who say they do not fear it just haven’t thought about it much.

Unfortunately, this is one fear that is perfectly valid, and there is no comfort except in our LORD, Turn to Him!

ICXC NIKA
 
is it natural to not fear death, cause im pretty tired of life as it is and I am more aggravated that I am probably going to live another 50 + years.

I don’t fear death, I do though do not look forward to dieing alone, and I can only hope to pass on after my parents, I would prefer to be the last in my family to go cause I don’t want my family to miss me and suffer with out me or suffer because I am gone…

an I am tired of myself being so cynical and jaded more often than not.
 
Are there any specific verses in the Bible that deal with death?

I feel like that being paranoid about death is pointless. All I can do is take one step at a time, one day at a time. All I can do is pray for these people.

Cancer is a nasty set of diseases. Even my dog died young from cancer!😦
 
I know that death is a natural end to living but I seem to be having a “fear of death” lately. I have family members and co-workers who are suffering from cancer. I had an uncle who died from cancer a couple months ago; he was in his late 50’s. One of my co-workers quickly died from cancer (he was in his 50’s) and one of my sister’s friends died from cancer (he was in his late 30’s). My aunt is now in her late 50’s and suffering from cancer, and my sister-in-law may have a serious health condition (hopefully not cancer).

I have a heart condition that “came out of nowhere” but it doesn’t really have to do anything with the lifestyle I was living (I don’t drink, smoke, etc.). I’m only in my 20’s yet I am fearing death? It’s true, I could drop dead at any moment. I worry especially about my parents’ health because both of them are in that age range where cancer seems to hit the hardest (50’s). Both of them work incredibly stressful jobs. I fear for them!

The logical part of me says that, since many western secular countries have advanced healthcare, dying at a young age from infectious disease is quite uncommon now. Since we are living longer than nature intended we are developing chronic diseases. I think the other problem is that we don’t get enough exercise, don’t eat healthy, governments allow companies to put toxic chemicals into our food, and our water is not clean. But perfectly healthy people can also drop dead.

I am one of those people where I don’t get enough exercise, and am trying to eat healthier. But “eating healthier” is so expensive for me. I have, for example, began eating such things as dried cranberries, mission figs, cheese on crackers, etc. It is unbelievable that these companies are allowed to put toxic chemicals and preservatives into our food. I guess I am glad that I am starting a new job that will (hopefully) give me some physical exercise, as I will be working outside.

I am not sure what the point of this post was, but these thoughts have been on my mind lately. I am trying not to be negative because everyone else around me is already negative. I realize that trust in God is important and that no matter what, He will provide.
Your entire scribe reeks of self pity. Stop feeling sorry for yourself ! You have nothing to worry about. Only a medical doctor can determine if you are in an imminent danger of death now or in the near future…unless you are a combatant soldier, marine or sailor.
The only one that can help you is yourself. If you strive to get and stay into a state of grace, then death should not worry you. Nothing is more important than the state of your immortal soul.
You might start by doing a thorough examination of conscience (there are several sites on the internet that can help you in this) and making a good Confession. Don’t wait until Saturday or whenever your local Church schedules Confession. Just go to the Rectory and ask to see a priest, or just go into the Sacristy after Mass.Then, go to Confession every week. Weekly Confession will indeed help ease your anxiety issues. Another thing that will help is for you to say the Rosary every night when you go to bed. The Blessed Mother will help you. All you have to do is ask!
Above all, do not make excuses that doing any of the above will be inconvenient, etc. That is just a cop out and will exagurate your condition.
 
Your entire scribe reeks of self pity. Stop feeling sorry for yourself ! You have nothing to worry about. Only a medical doctor can determine if you are in an imminent danger of death now or in the near future…unless you are a combatant soldier, marine or sailor.
The only one that can help you is yourself. If you strive to get and stay into a state of grace, then death should not worry you. Nothing is more important than the state of your immortal soul.
You might start by doing a thorough examination of conscience (there are several sites on the internet that can help you in this) and making a good Confession. Don’t wait until Saturday or whenever your local Church schedules Confession. Just go to the Rectory and ask to see a priest, or just go into the Sacristy after Mass.Then, go to Confession every week. Weekly Confession will indeed help ease your anxiety issues. Another thing that will help is for you to say the Rosary every night when you go to bed. The Blessed Mother will help you. All you have to do is ask!
Above all, do not make excuses that doing any of the above will be inconvenient, etc. That is just a cop out and will exagurate your condition.
Yes I should definitely go to Confession more. I suffer from anxiety so ruminating over these issues is quite common for me.

I guess the hardest part about me is that I worry about my parents, especially my father-he is the only other child and I don’t know what will happen to him if his sister dies from cancer. Please pray for them.

I have been praying the Rosary. I also make my own Rosaries as a form of “personal therapy.” It is hard not to worry though because I am constantly around other people who worry all the time.:confused:
 
I know that death is a natural end to living but I seem to be having a “fear of death” lately.
.
.
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I am not sure what the point of this post was, but these thoughts have been on my mind lately. I am trying not to be negative because everyone else around me is already negative. I realize that trust in God is important and that no matter what, He will provide.
I think just about everyone (who lives long enough) goes through periods where we kind of obsess about something. We may have always known about it but for whatever reason it suddenly takes the forefront in our thinking.

It’s normal to be afraid of death. In fact it’s wise to have a rational fear of death; some people in their 20s don’t fear death enough.

But like many things, navigating the knowledge that we are going to die eventually, and that any number of things could hasten our death, takes practice. We want to be somewhere between being careless and being too fearful to act. We want to be prepared for death, both for our own sake and for that of those we will leave behind.

Sometimes we are going to be close to the fearful edge. That tends to happen if persons close to us become very ill, injured, or die. I suggest prayer, preparation, and time.
 
Re: state of grace and fear of death.

I don’t fear death because of Purgatory or Hell, I fear it because of the hideous ending it will bring to my body and mind.

No amount of grace will help me with that. Sin is not all the horror there is to death.

ICXC NIKA.
 
OP, it is normal to fear death. People are naturally averse to it. Worrying for your parents’ health and well-being is good. Your worries about the state of our environment and food/products are fine, too. However, if you find yourself having obsessive thoughts to the point where it causes you stress, I suggest seeing a therapist as well as a priest.

Are you still in college? I ask, because many schools offer free counseling to students. Are there any people you know who aren’t negative or overly anxious that you can speak to? Sometimes you need an outlet to express your worries; it isn’t good to keep things bottled up.

It’s great that you are willing to put your faith in God. You and your family will be in my prayers.

He will wipe away all tears from their eyes; there will be no more death, and no more mourning or sadness or pain. The world of the past has gone. (Revelation 21:4)

We want you to be quite certain, brothers, about those who have fallen asleep, to make sure that you do not grieve for them, as others do who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that in the same way God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14)

Jesus said: I am the resurrection. Anyone who believes in me, even though that person dies, will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. (John 11:25-26)

Yes, I know what plans I have in mind for you, Yahweh declares, plans for peace, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

This is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ( 1 John 5:11)

@anex: From reading your post, I suggest you also speak to a professional or priest. Best wishes.
 
OP, it is normal to fear death. People are naturally averse to it. Worrying for your parents’ health and well-being is good. Your worries about the state of our environment and food/products are fine, too. However, if you find yourself having obsessive thoughts to the point where it causes you stress, I suggest seeing a therapist as well as a priest.

Are you still in college? I ask, because many schools offer free counseling to students. Are there any people you know who aren’t negative or overly anxious that you can speak to? Sometimes you need an outlet to express your worries; it isn’t good to keep things bottled up.

It’s great that you are willing to put your faith in God. You and your family will be in my prayers.
No I have been out of school for over a year now and I am starting my new job on Monday (degree-related). In that time frame I’ve gone through 2 jobs and unemployment.

I usually talk my problems and thoughts over with close friends (I do not see them much), but all of them have their own problems (worse than mine). I usually try to avoid talking with family members outside my parents+siblings, because quite frankly, my family members on both sides are messed up and are the most negative people in the world. I have never met such miserable people. I know it’s a horrible thing for me to say, but I just can’t talk to them because if I do, my anxiety will skyrocket.

I usually keep my mind sane by reading, praying, listening to the various schools of Chant (Gregorian, Ambrosian, etc.), making rosaries, playing video games, doing Bible word searches and crossword puzzles, coloring, etc. I need to keep my mind engaged. Thinking is good.🙂

I am going to go to Confession this weekend. I usually go only a few times per year. I wish I could go to Eucharistic Adoration on weekends but they only have it on display once a week, and I’ll be working 10 hour days up to 6 days a week.
 
We need to use prudence in knowing what we are able to handle for our and others’ well being. In this case, you can see that it would be unwise to seek out help from those who will exacerbate your anxiety, so it’s not horrible to admit to yourself what is true.

Good to know that you have plenty of things to keep yourself busy with and that you’ll go to confession. 🙂
 
Re: state of grace and fear of death.

I don’t fear death because of Purgatory or Hell, I fear it because of the hideous ending it will bring to my body and mind.

No amount of grace will help me with that. Sin is not all the horror there is to death.

ICXC NIKA.
This is the case for me as well. I don’t obsess about death, but I do find myself thinking about it from time to time, and it always comes down to this part of it. I think about Purgatory and Hell, sure, but that doesn’t bother me nearly as much as the idea of my body decaying. Maybe because I can do something in the now about Purgatory and Hell…but there’s nothing I can do to avoid what will happen to my body.

I have to say, though, that thinking about the fact that I will, God willing, have a resurrected body one day, is immensely comforting. Or maybe Jesus will come before I die. But that’s not in my hands and I have no way of knowing.
 
I too have a fear of death. It only started about 4 years ago after a family member died. Sometimes I will wake up fearful of death in the blackness of the night. I am starting to say “praise be Jesus” over and over again. I think fear of death is totally normal. Why wouldn’t it be? In the New Testament Paul writes that “Christ took the sting out of death.”
 
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