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Polly_Math's avatar

Are you afraid of death?

Asked by Polly_Math (1738points) January 1st, 2010

Do you think about it much?
Do you try not to think about it?
Do you accept stoically that when your times comes, that’s it?

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46 Answers

CMaz's avatar

Yes
No
Yes. Only because we put such an importance in time.

faceman's avatar

no as long as i aint in hell

pjanaway's avatar

Do you think about it much? – Never
Do you try not to think about it? – Nope
Do you accept stoically that when your times comes, that’s it? – Yep

janbb's avatar

I’m not afraid of being dead, but I am afraid of what the dying process will be like.

jeffgoldblumsprivatefacilities's avatar

I don’t really see any reason to fear it, so I don’t put much thought into it. We’re all going to die someday, but that doesn’t mean we should live our lives in fear of that fact. It think the real fear should be in not having lived life to the fullest while we are here.

DominicX's avatar

Do I think about it? No, can’t say I do. I don’t try not to think about it, but to me, there’s just no reason to think about it. I can’t say I’m afraid of it, but the fact that it is unknown does make it a little unnerving…

DeanV's avatar

I’m not afraid of death, I’m afraid of death at this age. Sure, I’m afraid of dying now, but sort of subconsciously. I don’t really think about it, but if I died now… well, that would suck.

I do believe that when it is my time to go, I probably won’t fear it all that much.

snowberry's avatar

Agree with @janbb. Death is not a problem, but I’m totally not into pain. Seen a lot of it, and it’s no party, ever.

HailToTheSkunk's avatar

i once fainted. i imagine death will be that type of feel but you don’t wake up

Qwertymuffin411's avatar

Not afraid of death itself, just how I will die.
I think about it occasionally, and sometimes I try not to, but other times I give up and let my mind roam.

Michael_Huntington's avatar

Nah, I love that band
Spiritual healing is one of my personal favorites
RIP Chuck

Sampson's avatar

Death terrifies me. I ponder my mortality a good amount. I try to grasp the enormity of it all. The fact that one moment I’m here and then poof: I’m gone. I’m scared as hell of what not existing will be like. Humans and animals are filled with memories, thoughts, ideas, desires, ect and once the end of a life actually happens, all those things are gone in an instant. The concept reminds me of that Langston Hughes poem, A Dream Deferred. Personally, I don’t want to live forever, despite these thoughts. I just want to be ready to go when I kick the bucket.

OpryLeigh's avatar

I’m not afraid of myself dying but I am petrified of losing certain loved ones to death and this is what I often find myself thinking about too much. It is fear that affects my life more than it should to the extent that I have had panic attacks due to not being able to get hold of my boyfriend or dad on the telephone for a small amount of time. When they call me back I feel like such a fool because it proves that this fear is ruling my life. It is probably my biggest fear and if I had the option to die before them then I most definately would.

Austinlad's avatar

To paraphrase Woody Allen, Who knows whether there’s a hereafter, but I’m taking a change of underwear just in case. Seriously—and what subject could me more serious—I’m less afraid of death than I am of a lingering illness.

philosopher's avatar

I fear the unknown. I fear being without the ones I love.
I have led a difficult life . I f G-d exist he, she it should want to help me find peace.
I fear what will happen to my Autistic Son when I am gone.
I fear that G-d does not exist. I fear hypocrisy and materialism here on Earth . I fear emotional and psychical pain. Again I fear most of all G-d does not exist.

Darwin's avatar

Do you think about it much? Yes. My parents are in their 80’s so it is a daily consideration on my part.

Do you try not to think about it? I have been to many, many funerals these past few years, so it is a part of my life. The most recent one was just before Christmas, when the 42 yo mom of one of my daughter’s teammates died very suddenly of a cerebral aneurysm that no one ever even suspected she had.

Do you accept stoically that when your times comes, that’s it? It isn’t as if anyone has a huge choice in the matter, unless they decide to end things sooner. As I get older and the possibility of death becomes greater, I try very hard to get everything taken care of so there will be less that those who are still alive have to do.

elizabethmae's avatar

I think about death, but not too much.
I’m not afraid dying myself, but I do get a little sad about other people dying. Especially if it is unexpected.
I hope I have a lot of years ahead of me, and I hope that for everyone else as well. I think that because I don’t believe in God or an afterlife it makes it easy. When you die, you die.

LeopardGecko's avatar

Do you think about it much? – No, not too much.
Do you try not to think about it? – No, but it does pop into my head sometimes and if I do get scared, then I try to not think about it.
Do you accept stoically that when your times comes, that’s it? – Yes and no.

bea2345's avatar

Do you think about it much? – Yes, every day.
Do you try not to think about it? – No.
Do you accept stoically that when your times comes, that’s it? – No. I do not want to die, but accept that it is inevitable. And hope that it is not an ending.

FireMadeFlesh's avatar

I think about it every now and then, sometimes with a sense of regret that I will never finish everything I want to do here, but never with fear. I do not believe in any sort of afterlife. Death is the end, and I quite like it that way. I often find myself tired and needing some sort of rejuvenation or a few quiet days to get my energy back. I imagine that when it is my turn to die, I will be tired and ready to go.

Bluefreedom's avatar

I don’t think it about it that often and it doesn’t scare me but I do reflect on it more during times when I’ll be leaving the safety of my home and country. Like when I deploy to Kyrgyzstan for 6 months in February. When it is my time to go, it’s my time and that’s pretty much the finality of it all. I just hope it comes much, much later rather than sooner.

Simone_De_Beauvoir's avatar

I am afraid of no longer living, not death itself – I love my life.

OpryLeigh's avatar

@Simone_De_Beauvoir I know this may sound strange but you’re very lucky to feel that way.

Simone_De_Beauvoir's avatar

@Leanne1986 that’s not strange. I know how lucky I am. I am thankful every moment. I always say that if I died right now, I would have lived a life so rich that I’d be jealous of myself.

DrBill's avatar

Death is just a normal part of living.

Haleth's avatar

I am afraid of it. I don’t believe that there is anything after death, but I have no way to know, so what if I’m wrong?

DrBill's avatar

@Haleth

There are four possibilities;

There is nothing after death, you believe in afterlife = you die in peace

There is nothing after death, you do not believe in afterlife = live in fear

There is something after death, you believe in afterlife = you die in peace, go to heaven

There is something after death, you do not believe in afterlife = live in fear

So if you believe, you will live your life in peace, if you do not you will live in fear till you die.

Simone_De_Beauvoir's avatar

@DrBill weird, because I don’t believe and live my live in peace.

DrBill's avatar

@Simone_De_Beauvoir

You may believe you are at peace, or you may not truly know the peace of believing.

It is a choice, and everyone can believe or not.

Those who believe, hope the’re right
Those who do not, pray the’re wrong

Simone_De_Beauvoir's avatar

@DrBill not that I want to turn this into one of those conversations…but how can you be so arrogantly sure as to what I do in my life…what any of us do?..you think I pray? you think I only ‘believe’ I’m in peace…you only ‘believe’ in god…doesn’t mean squat

DrBill's avatar

@Simone_De_Beauvoir

Like everyone else here, I am giving my opinion, and you are welcome to yours.
I will believe as I see, you may believe as you do

Simone_De_Beauvoir's avatar

@DrBill um, I thought I was believing as I do until your blatant neglect of that sprawled across the page. thanks, anyway.

Pandora's avatar

Do you think about it much? Not really. No sense in worrying about something I can’t stop.
Do you try not to think about it? Nope just to busy with today.
Do you accept stoically that when your times comes, that’s it? Yep! Going to happen no matter what. But who knows how I’ll feel the day of.

daemonelson's avatar

I certainly do.
I certainly do.
I certainly do.

FireMadeFlesh's avatar

@DrBill “There is nothing after death, you do not believe in afterlife = live in fear”

I do not believe in any sort of afterlife, but I do not live in fear. “The fear of death is the most irrational of all fears, because no evil may befall a dead man.” Fear of death, in my opinion, would more likely result from the belief in an afterlife that grades you on your performance in life. I cannot think that a person could die in peace if they were wondering whether they would soon be roasting or not.

The concept of an afterlife is a reaction to people’s fear of death, to provide hope for those who cannot handle the idea of existence ceasing. Those who do not believe in an afterlife would therefore be those who do not fear death and do not need a myth to keep them company in their dying hours.

JLeslie's avatar

Do you think about it much? No
Do you try not to think about it? No
Do you accept stoically that when your times comes, that’s it? No

I assume if I knew I was “dying” I would begin to get nervous and think about it more.

stemnyjones's avatar

I don’t think about it often, but I don’t avoid thinking about it. Recently I have been thinking about it a bit more, because with the birth of my daughter I have to think about things such as wills and life insurance.

Do I accept that when my time comes, that’s it? Yes. What you gonna do about it.

Harold's avatar

I don’t really think about my own death much, as when I’m gone I won’t know anything about it. I do, however, think about those I care about. Having sons who are 20 and 18, and who both drive, I worry about their safety all the time (I have spent 25 years working in hospital emergency departments, so know what happens…). I wonder how I would cope should something happen to my wife- I know I would not cope well.

I do believe that one day I will be reunited with the loved ones I have lost, and I take great comfort in that. I accept that when my time comes on this earth, that’s it. However, I know there is something better later on. And, for the record, I flatly reject the concept of hell- it is anti-Christian.

whatshouldiput's avatar

No, my grandfather was having surgery and died on the table for maybe two minutes. They were able to bring him back just like on TV. He said he saw everyone he had ever known (as a friend I’m guessing) standing there. He also said that the colors were marvelous. I’m looking forward it. Not that I want to die now though.

DrasticDreamer's avatar

Yes, yes, no.

I’m scared that death is the end. And… life is already too short.

Excalibur's avatar

No and No, No, Yes. I fear prolonged illness more than death itself and the impact it would have on my loved ones.

Darwin's avatar

I just wish dogs lived longer.

CMaz's avatar

And chickens.

Silhouette's avatar

When it’s my death we’re talking about I’m a realist. I don’t think about it very much and I’m not afraid. When it’s the death of family, friend or pet I make bargains and pray. I am afraid, I know I’ll live through it but I know from experience I’ll grieve for the rest of my life. I’m not as pragmatic about their deaths as I am my own.

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