Paranoia

[The Grand Nudger]

I had the misfortune of being unconscious for roundabouts 24 hours as a younger man.  This was followed, when I came to, by a very real sense of being out of body but trapped within my body.  I didn't personally dream while I was out..or if I did I don't remember.  I was told that was fairly common in cases of loss of consciousness due to trauma.  That trauma which interrupts the function of consciousness can also interrupt dreaming and sense of self.  

Personally, the latter was more disturbing than the former.  I don't fear being knocked unconscious again.  I do fear waking up as someone else, or as myself within someone else. Being out of it was the easiest thing in the world. I'm not going to downplay the panic I felt when my grip is going, but at the end of it y, right before I went out..there was an overwhelming feeling of calm. Then I woke up - and that's when shit got nasty.

[Aegon]

I know you put "fall asleep" in quotes but I don't like that comparison. It implies that your consciousness will now be trapped in darkness for all eternity. But that's not true. You just aren't going to exist. Your consciousness will cease to be. We can't imagine what it's like, because we can't recall experiencing non-experience, that's obviously impossible.

I'd be lying if I said I don't fear dying, i.e. no longer being able to live and experience life, but I have absolutely no fear of being dead or what's on the other side. Even as a child raised Catholic I never put too much thought into it.

IMO, anybody who has been under general anaesthetic will have a good idea what it's like to not exist any more. When you're unconscious you have no senses of anything - although your body is still living, "you" cease to exist during that unconsciousness. 

If you believe that what makes "you" is your consciousness, then take it away for two hours (under anaesthetic), or take it away for ever (death), the total non experience should be the same.

Alternatively think of the billions of years before you were born, which you weren't conscious of, and didn't exist in. If death is ceasing to exist, then it logically has to be the same when you die, as before you were born.

I'd say we all know too well what it's like to not exist - it's nothing - but many people can't or don't want to face up to it.

Hmm, I didn't think about general. I've been under it a couple of times. Though your body and brain continue to work and interact with one another, so there must be something different about the experience of death, no?

[The Grand Nudger]

There is something different about death, but probably not the experience of death (using the term loosely, lol).  

No matter what's negated your ability to experience; be it chemical inhibitors, trauma, or the cessation of brain function...your ability to experience has been negated.  Differences in other regards would not change the relevant similarity in this regard. Not all anaesthetics would qualify here, ofc, as some of them work more by inhibiting your ability to form memories or relate to the events of the present. A state of benign but conscious confusion.

[Jackalope]

I had the misfortune of being unconscious for roundabouts 24 hours as a younger man.  This was followed, when I came to, by a very real sense of being out of body but trapped within my body.  I didn't personally dream while I was out..or if I did I don't remember.  I was told that was fairly common in cases of loss of consciousness due to trauma.  That trauma which interrupts the function of consciousness can also interrupt dreaming and sense of self.  

Personally, the latter was more disturbing than the former.  I don't fear being knocked unconscious again.  I do fear waking up as someone else, or as myself within someone else.  Being out of it was the easiest thing in the world.  I'm not going to downplay the panic I felt when my grip is going, but at the end of it y, right before I went out..there was an overwhelming feeling of calm.  Then I woke up - and that's when shit got nasty.

Although the experiences were under very different circumstances, I can echo Khem's sentiments here. I was out for nearly a week, I have no recollection of anything that occurred between right before I was intubated and waking days later. I knew they were putting me under, I knew there was a real chance that I wouldn't "wake up". Before that, I was scared, very scared.

Being "gone" is easy. The loss of self for the time I was under, that took some effort to cope with.

[purplepurpose]

This guy embraces it. 2:21 - Golden part. Insane stuff.

[brewer]

I like women who experience "the little death".

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

How many years it took you to extinguish fear of hell?

I have more fear of Helsinki than I ever had of Hell.  'Never trust a Finn' is my travel motto.

Boru

[Norfolk And Chance]

IMO, anybody who has been under general anaesthetic will have a good idea what it's like to not exist any more. When you're unconscious you have no senses of anything - although your body is still living, "you" cease to exist during that unconsciousness. 

If you believe that what makes "you" is your consciousness, then take it away for two hours (under anaesthetic), or take it away for ever (death), the total non experience should be the same.

Alternatively think of the billions of years before you were born, which you weren't conscious of, and didn't exist in. If death is ceasing to exist, then it logically has to be the same when you die, as before you were born.

I'd say we all know too well what it's like to not exist - it's nothing - but many people can't or don't want to face up to it.

Hmm, I didn't think about general. I've been under it a couple of times. Though your body and brain continue to work and interact with one another, so there must be something different about the experience of death, no?

I'd say logically there is no difference between the nothingness of anaesthetic and the nothingness of death. IMO it's irrelevant if your body is still alive under anaesthetic if you are unaware of it or anything else.