Is it normal to be scared of death at a young age?

So, a few years back when my aunt died, I went to her funeral. It was the first time I had been to a funeral since I had stopped being a Christian and stopped going to church. The preacher was talking about how my aunt said she knew she would go to heaven when she died. I thought quite a lot about death that next week and actually burst into tears and hyperventilated for like 5 minutes one night while my Mom hugged me and said everything would be okay, then I said I wanted to go to church so I wouldn't go to Hell, I went to church for like a month or two after that then got bored with church again so I stopped, lately when I try to go to sleep, my brain has nothing to focus on and since I don't really believe in a afterlife I think of death being like sleep and then I become scared to go to sleep in case I die while I'm asleep and never know so then I stay awake for like 2 days until I'm a walking zombie and finally I'm too exhausted to do anything but pass out, I really wish I could just stop thinking about and enjoy some damn sleep. So I want to know if it's normal to think about dying and any way to stop myself from thinking about it short of popping some sleeping pills.

Voting Results
76% Normal
Based on 25 votes (19 yes)
Help us keep this site organized and clean. Thanks!
[ Report Post ]
Comments ( 7 )
  • thegypsysailor

    What are you, like 5 years old?
    Of course you ARE going to die! We all must die!
    So you can waste your life worrying about fear of the inevitable or enjoy the hell out of it by living it.
    You are absolutely right though, there is no afterlife guaranteed; so make the best of what you have.
    Again, I can promise you; you are going to die, for sure.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • squeallikeasacofpigs

    Band of Brothers quotes help in times like these:

    "The only hope you have is to accept the fact that you're already dead. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you'll be able to function as a soldier is supposed to function: without mercy, without compassion, without remorse. All war depends upon it."

    Accept that you're going to die one day. You don't know when or how. And there's nothing you can do to stop it. From there, forget your worries and live your life to the fullest.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • Short4Words

    Just focus on the living part of your life. Make plans for the next day and be confident in them. Unless you have any health issues there's no reason to think you will die suddenly.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • me1993

    we're all going to die, accept it, we're all dying, i am dying right now, every second is a second closer to me grave, and it can't come soon enough!

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • (s)aint

    I'm almost the same as you ... For me the only thing that keeps me sane is to try my best to block these thoughts.
    Sadly they sometimes just overwhelms me at nights, and i too fear death is like sleeping and fear dying in my sleep.

    You need to try and take controll over your thoughts and force them away from the subject.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • FreeFromFear

    I used to be so terrified of death that when I was a teenager I couldn't even sleep at night. I had been raised Roman Catholic and thought I had to earn my way to Heaven through good deeds, doing what the Catholic Church said I had to do etc.

    I did not know that there was any escape from my living nightmare of terror until one day I heard the gospel and what it REALLY taught. I accepted the free gift--paid in full--and immediately all my fear left and was replaced with joy and total confidence--

    How To Be Sure

    There's probably more uncertainty about the most important matter in the world than about any other. Let me illustrate:

    If you were to ask 100 people at random about the economy, politics, or pollution, you would get a fairly definite opinion from most.

    But ask the same 100 people, Are you going to Heaven when you die? The vast majority would answer with varying degrees of doubt -- I don't know...I'm working on it...I have no idea ....I'm not sure.

    Many of these same people would tell you that they believe in Jesus Christ and that they believe in Heaven. Yet they don't know whether or not they are going to Heaven.

    What would your answer be?

    Most of us know definitely whether or not we are working and whether or not we are married. Yet we do not know whether or not we have eternal life.

    Most travelers know where their destination is. Yet ask them where their final destination will be where they will be living forever and very few know!

    This uncertainty comes from a misunderstanding of what is involved in attaining eternal life and going to Heaven. If you were to ask the average person what one must do to have eternal life, his answer would probably include one or more of the following:

    Live a good life
    Obey the Ten Commandments
    Join a church and attend regularly
    Love your fellow man
    Be baptized and/or confirmed
    Follow the teachings and example of Christ.
    All of these represent something that people do or try to do. They reflect the popular idea that eternal life in Heaven is a reward to be earned.

    But the Bible states clearly that we cannot win or earn our way to Heaven. Eternal life is not a reward for what we have done or tried to do; it is a free gift. The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). It is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8,9).

    So long as we think that we must earn our way into the presence of God, we can never be certain that we have done enough to deserve Heaven. Most of us realize that we are not good enough to measure up to God's perfect standards. And for us to say I know I'm going to Heaven sounds like the ultimate in pride and boasting, if Heaven is reached through good works.

    The only sure answer!

    The Bible, however, teaches that we cannot be good enough, that we cannot work our way to Heaven and that we do not need to! We are to realize, instead, that Jesus Christ has opened the way to Heaven for us. No matter how bad we may be, any of us can qualify.

    The Bible says, "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in [Gods] sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known....This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe (Romans 3:20-22).

    You see, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay for our sins yours and mine by His death on the cross. Having completely paid our sin penalty, He rose from the dead and now offers eternal life to you and to me as a gift. By simply recognizing our need for a divine Savior, and by accepting Christs pay- ment for our sins and our salvation, the matter of our eternal destiny is immediately resolved.

    This is the way, the only way, to know for sure that you have eternal life.

    Do you have this assurance?

    If not, you can gain this assurance right here and now. How? The Bible says, speaking of Christ : To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12).

    Have you received Him?

    How, you still ask?

    Well, let me illustrate by comparing your life to your home. In the last book of the Bible, Jesus said, Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will go in and eat with him, and he with me (Revelation 3:20).

    It's up to you to open the door of your life to Christ. Are you willing to invite Jesus to come in and change your life? Are you willing to place all of your trust and confidence in Him rather than in your own works? If so, let me suggest you complete the transaction by praying something like this:

    Dear God, I know I am a sinner and unable to save myself. But I do believe You love me, and that You sent Your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins. Right here and now, I ask You to forgive my every sin and give me the gift of eternal life. Thank You, dear God, for hearing and answering my prayer, and for giving me eternal life as You promised You would. Amen.

    In closing, let me remind you that the Bible says, I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life (1 John 5:13).

    Written by Arthur S. DeMoss (tract from The American Tract Society)

    Why put it off? You can accept the wonderful free gift of Salvation right now wherever you are. Just ask God for it.

    .

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • myboyfriendsbitch

    I know that lack of sleep can increase those fears. When I'm sleep deprived and try going to sleep my thoughts become extremely random and vivid. It is scary and usually fear of death is tied into that. Try your best to not become sleep deprived, maybe take a nap during the day, and hopefully your fears won't be so vivid. It works for me. I'm sorry about your aunt.

    Comment Hidden ( show )