New atheist here, gotta say, not loving it

[Joods]

So, I've been denying my atheism for years, but man, I just can't do it anymore. That said, there's a reason I've been avoiding it. I'm terrified right now. I don't get how anyone's supposed to be happy like this.

I feel like...all I can do is cope with life now. I don't see what there is to look forward to, or to take reassurance in. Everything just seems empty.

(Why yes, I'm on meds and seeing a counselor. Doesn't help much.)

Happiness is what you make of it. Just as people shouldn't rely on others to make them happy, you shouldn't need some invisible entity to give happiness to you. If you do, then perhaps some a better counselor might be in order. Perhaps maybe you're looking at atheism all wrong. Stick around and ask more questions. Read past threads and hopefully you can gain a better understanding.

[The Grand Nudger]

So, I've been denying my atheism for years, but man, I just can't do it anymore. That said, there's a reason I've been avoiding it. I'm terrified right now. I don't get how anyone's supposed to be happy like this.

I feel like...all I can do is cope with life now. I don't see what there is to look forward to, or to take reassurance in. Everything just seems empty.

(Why yes, I'm on meds and seeing a counselor. Doesn't help much.)

Did you have anything to look forward to back when you believed? Where did you find reassurance or meaning before? Do you have a family..friends? Do you go out and do things you enjoy, do you have any hobbies? How about goals and accomplishments in life? Just trying to figure out what changed, from then to know.

[Losty]

So, I've been denying my atheism for years, but man, I just can't do it anymore. That said, there's a reason I've been avoiding it. I'm terrified right now. I don't get how anyone's supposed to be happy like this.

I feel like...all I can do is cope with life now. I don't see what there is to look forward to, or to take reassurance in. Everything just seems empty.

(Why yes, I'm on meds and seeing a counselor. Doesn't help much.)

I guess you look forward to tomorrow and take reassurance in the fact that nothing has actually changed since you stopped believing in god. The world and most likely your life (with exception of possible church activities) will go on just the same whether you believe in god or not.

[possibletarian]

So, I've been denying my atheism for years, but man, I just can't do it anymore. That said, there's a reason I've been avoiding it. I'm terrified right now. I don't get how anyone's supposed to be happy like this.

I feel like...all I can do is cope with life now. I don't see what there is to look forward to, or to take reassurance in. Everything just seems empty.

(Why yes, I'm on meds and seeing a counselor. Doesn't help much.)

It can be hard, I came from being a Christian of many years to being an atheist. The process of de-tangling yourself from religion is a long and painful one sometimes, after all you are undoing many years of indoctrination but it really is worth it.

The greatest joy I found as an atheist was that now I can ask questions about the world around me without having to filter the answers through some kind of religious belief, it really is freedom and very satisfying.  Things certainly do get better insofar as unbelief is concerned take a deep breath and look at a wonderful world again, the world now is full of more purpose than it ever has been.  I help out at various charities secure in the knowledge that I'm doing it simply because it's satisfying, rather than trying to fulfil some kind of spiritual duty.

However it is important to stress that if you are suffering depression or anxiety I doubt that many on this forum can help other than befriend and support you insofar as they understand your walk from theism to atheism. Please keep taking advice from qualified professionals so that your stay with us can be more relaxing

[brewer]

Cure for irrational fears, pick up some rational ones. Go play on the highway.

[Sal]

There are plenty of closeted atheists around. Atheism isn't a goal in itself, it's just a (default) position concerning one question.

Whatever reassurance(s) you had as a believer, know this: they were false & empty promises and nothing more than hand-wavy card tricks.

No one has said to me that it's easy, I sure don't find it easy either, so make the most of it what you got in your lot in life and what cards you've been dealt.

[Abaddon_ire]

So, I've been denying my atheism for years, but man, I just can't do it anymore. That said, there's a reason I've been avoiding it. I'm terrified right now. I don't get how anyone's supposed to be happy like this.

I feel like...all I can do is cope with life now. I don't see what there is to look forward to, or to take reassurance in. Everything just seems empty.

(Why yes, I'm on meds and seeing a counselor. Doesn't help much.)

I don't get this. You know that you have been an atheist for years but denied it. All that has changed is that you have now accepted it.

Yet suddenly everything seems empty? Nothing to look forward to? No reassurance? All you can do is cope with life?

What the hell were you doing before?

[Aroura]

This forum really is filled with a lot of insensitive assholes. Come on guys, someone's suffering and your advice is, stop suffering? Buck up. Get over yourself?
Not all, but there are a lot of outright mean responses here.

[Minimalist]

We occasionally see this with dogs.  They suffer from separation anxiety when their new owners leave them for the first time.  Most run around and bark for their masters to return.  Some chew on things they are not supposed to chew on.

The difference between a dog's master and a religious afterlife is that the master is real.

Also, dogs are smart enough not to believe in religious promises in the first place.

[mlmooney89]

I personally didn't go through that when I left religion because I never had a want to live forever or let my... mind(?) keep going without my body but I can see where others might. My best thing to suggest is think of it like a dreamless restful sleep. Do you worry about your friends and family while in a dreamless sleep? Do you have pain? Do you care if you will wake up? No you only have those pains/thoughts before and after the sleep. If you die you never know you are missing out, you don't know about pain or suffering, you are just... sleeping restfully. I find that very comforting.