(March 4, 2011 at 9:41 pm)Cynical8 Wrote: I've been dealing with an issue that I believe only atheists could really help me with, and so I came across these forums. I just joined, and after a quick browse didn't see my issue anywhere, so I apologize if this is a repeat topic.
Most topics are repeat topics, tis very boring for me. But occasionally one pops up that is truly fascinating and new to me. Don't worry, this one isn't one of those fascinating or new ones
Quote:Anyway. I'll do my best to explain my issue:
I'm an atheist and I also have a few problems with depression and anxiety. My problem, however, is that I've recently developed a MAJOR "fear" of death.
Specifically, I am convinced, beyond a doubt, that there is no existence after death. I am 100% convinced that when I die, there will be nothingness... no afterlife, no me, no thoughts, no blackness, no sleep, nor any ability to think.
You aren't wrong (so far as I can tell). You will have had the ultimate peace, infact the only peace that is not 'relative' peace.
Quote:I won't even know I died, and I won't even be able to acknowledge that I don't know I died. At this moment, I feel like I really understand what that means, and I am deeply deeply disturbed by it. I'm not sure how to cope with it. I can keep it out of my mind for short periods of time, but ultimately I'll read an article about someone dying, see a news report, and so on and start thinking about it again.
Why does this deeply disturb you? You wouldn't be dead if you had the ability to know you died, or to acknowledge it. Nothingness and peace isn't a lot to think about... think of it as your just desserts that after struggling through life and making your impact upon the living and those yet to live that you will finally 'settle down' and be at peace.
Quote:If anyone has any advice or thoughts or hopefully some sort of solution to my problem, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.
Solution: you cannot cure death, you cannot stop it, you can at best delay it. It will happen, you know it, I know it, and it's about time you accepted it and stopped wasting your life (which unlike the eternal death: is very finite) worrying about death. Now... dying? That fucking sucks, I'm not even playing with you.
Please give me a home where cloud buffalo roam
Where the dear and the strangers can play
Where sometimes is heard a discouraging word
But the skies are not stormy all day
