How do you deal with the fear of death and the feeling that life is meaningless?

Question

Sometimes at night I am gripped by awareness that I and everyone I love will die and that everything will eventually be forgotten. This used to be occasional but has become more frequent and leaves me feeling paralyzed and terrified. How do people make peace with mortality?

kinsley_james · Accepted Answer

Existential anxiety this intense and frequent can be its own anxiety disorder called thanatophobia and responds well to therapy. Many philosophers have also written extensively on coming to terms with mortality. Both therapy and philosophy can genuinely help.

kinsley_james · Answer

Some people find that the impermanence of everything is what makes moments precious rather than meaningless. The fact that things end is part of what makes them matter. This reframe doesn't eliminate the anxiety but it changes the relationship to it.

How do you deal with the fear of death and the feeling that life is meaningless?

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How do you deal with the fear of death and the feeling that life is meaningless?

2 answers Most votes Newest Oldest

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2 answers
Most votes Newest Oldest