I am terrified of death.

Originally Posted by Wolf Heart

I am so afraid of death that when I think about it my mind throws itself into flurries, my stomach knots, and I break down into a panic attack.

I've had this fear since I was 13, I am now 23. It haunts me no matter how much I try to ignore and escape it.

I am terrified of the idea of "forever" and I'm also afraid that when I die I won't exist at all. I'm afraid of never seeing my children or my husband again.

So many unknowns, it terrifies me and I don't know what to do to become at peace with the idea of dying.

There is absolutely nothing to be afraid of. It is hard to imagine anything more natural than death - any fear of it is clearly irrational, and knowing that on an intellectual plane may help you get over it emotionally.

"Forever" ceases to be intimidating once you realize that it is vastly different from the time-bound mind's conception of it. It is not a pile of minutes and hours that never reaches the top, it is the opposite - one continuous instant.

If you completely ceased to exist after death, what would there be to be afraid of? You wouldn't be aware of anything.

The most reliable sources on what actually does happen I guess would be enlightened individuals (if you have faith in the mystical) or people who have had near-death experiences (if your faith lies with science). In either case the news is more than good.

The best way to deal with any fear is probably to deal with fear itself, not the specific object of your particular fear. Fear always lies in the future, and the future is an illusion projected ahead by your mind, distracting you from the present moment.

The present moment is a continuous instant. You are already in "forever". Let go of your fear, the circle is complete! :)