Are you afraid of dying?

[Tropposurfer]

I answered the 3rd option yes and maybe no?????

 

I'm fortunate as I have never had a life threatening illness or condition (well apart from being an Aussie and silly as a wheel lol ????).

Nature has however thrown me a ball that showed me the near-experience of dying. 

I've come close to drowning quite a few times as a surfer, nearly died from the drink and other drugs a long time ago and come face to face with the realisation that I didn't want to die.

In the case of drowning In have had mixed reactions, found in part of this process I panicked part of a few of the times and not panicked the at all in the others. Drowning, by the way, takes on a calm experience once you begin to breathe water (well my experiences anyway). 

Had a few fellas definitely try to kill me in the ring.

 

I have a sense from many years in, and working in therapy that I fear death, mostly about it being painful.

I spent time in palliative work, very intimately, with a fair few in the journey to death. It being relatively near and most definitely certain for them. Some were truly terrified, others were very calm and accepting. Some switched one to the other at the moments before leaving this body and consciousness.

It seems that being held in some way (not just physically) helps the one leaving (as well as those who stay).

 

I sense too I have regrets (too many sometimes it seems). I have spent a long time working at being conscious and pro-active about 'finishing business' as we say in Gestalt therapy. Saying things that matter to those around me, apologising if I have been rude, hurtful, and a d.ckhead. 

I need to do this in a day or so once again to staff when I go to a certain place I frequent by the way.

 

I would offer this to others: If you have family, ex's, children, others, and there is stuff unsaid, get to it and say it now as you may not be abvle to later! It seems this also makes leaving far less painful and facilitates a far more perfect timing to let go of our lives when that time comes.

[alyx]

1 minute ago, ramrod711 said:

Good answer, I, like you, do not fear death, I fear a long painful process. I think all humans should have the option of requesting a pill. We are much more humane with our pets than we are to each other.

Requesting is not really the problem...getting to swallow it is another matter

We only know if we are ready and fearless once facing death

[G Rex]

1 hour ago, GarryP said:

Were you friends with Harold Shipman?  

Taught him everything he knows 

[bendejo]

1 hour ago, grain said:

A few years ago in Pattaya there was an old farang in his late 80s who died while getting a HE massage. The old boy's heart gave in while he was enjoying his final orgasm. That's what I call winning first prize in the lottery of death. 

happy ending indeed!

 

[thaibeachlovers]

18 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

I do not think any of us are 'scared' of dying - just the manner of our death.

 

Knowing my luck Buddhists would be right and I'd be born into a future totally woke world I'd be happy to have left previously

Exactly right. I'm not afraid to die- be silly to be as it's inevitable. I do fear being an invalid in pain for a long time, or even just being in a rest home.

Massive heart attack and gone would be the best natural death, but I'd take the pill if governments stopped telling me I have no right to die at a time of my choosing- who the <deleted> do they think they are to tell me I have to suffer before getting out of this scummy life- a scummy life they created?

[rwill]

It does no good to dwell on it.  

[allanos]

My fear is the nothingness of my existence. If I am just a speck on the a$$hole of this earth, what will that make me in the eternity of universal time and space? 

 

I believe it's my ego getting in the way and try now to deal with it as best I am able.

 

There is an immutable cosmic law that energy cannot be destroyed, only transformed. If nothing else, we are all packets of pulsating energy, so our existence in one form or another should be assured. Maybe what the Hindu concept of reincarnation is all about.

 

Would I like to return as a carnation? Possibly!

 

There is also the possibility of a parallel universe where we may reside after our death in this one. I find it an interesting proposition, but like so much of our speculation, at this time it is hypothetical.

 

Like all of humanity, I have journeyed through the vagaries of life, and however difficult it has sometimes been, I am reluctant to turn my back on it for all eternity.

 

Finding comfort in religion is probably the answer, but I have yet to find one which is grounded in reality. Too much hocus pocus, smoke and mirrors nonsense for me, which, as a rationalist, always gets stuck  in my craw.

 

[Acharn]

Something happened when I was 18, in the Air Force, and stationed on a little island on the 38th parallel in Korea that made me understand at a very deep level that I might die at any moment. I think I felt enough fear that night to use up my lifetime's supply, but I suppose when I face the real thing I'll find it wasn't all used up. I saw a really schlock Chinese movie on TV back about 1985 where this Chinese warrior expressed pretty much what I feel. "I don't fear dying, I fear getting hurt." There's many ways of dying that are stretched out for years of helplessness and pain. I hope for something like a massive heart attack or brain blowout that takes me quickly.

[orchis]

19 hours ago, KhunLA said:

The residuals for 5+ yrs was annoying.

Off topic but could you tell me about those as I go through a very bad case right now. Thank you.

[ballpoint]

I'm surprised this hasn't been posted already. (Not that I agree with the words).

 

"I am not frightened of dying
Any time will do, I don't mind
Why should I be frightened of dying?
There's no reason for it, you've gotta go sometime.

I never said I was frightened of dying."

 

 

[KarenBravo]

"Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist.".

 

Epicurus 341 BC - 270 BC.

[OneMoreFarang]

I am just reading a Stephen Leather novel were one guy sees two Asian hookers at his door. He lets them in and the first one gives him within seconds a BJ while the other one undresses and jumps on top of him. Then soon one of them gives him a deadly injection and he dies within seconds with the girls around him.

That sort of death doesn't sound too bad. ???? 

[seedy]

 

[Grusa]

I will welcome death.

I only fear the process.

[Thingamabob]

Not afraid of dying, but I need to outlive my cats and dogs first....

[Inala]

21 hours ago, Nojohndoe said:

Not afraid of death because have lived long enough to come to terms with it as an inevitable.

My fear is that it will not be quick and suffer the ignominy of extended disfunctionality and being burdensome .

That's interesting, how old are you?

[Inala]

5 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

I do not want a prolonged or painful death scenario.

Prefer, as most of us would, for it to fast and efficient and painless.

Have faced my mortality twice and it was ok, except for fractured sternum after an enthusiastic resus.

 

Bloody hell, what happened??

[Ralf001]

I fear a long and painful death.

 

when I feel the time is right I will make it short and sweet.

[Will B Good]

Just now, Ralf001 said:

I fear a long and painful death.

 

when I feel the time is right I will make it short and sweet.

And there's the rub......how?

 

Our bodies seem to have a powerful desire not to be wiped out so easily.

[Will B Good]

33 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I am just reading a Stephen Leather novel were one guy sees two Asian hookers at his door. He lets them in and the first one gives him within seconds a BJ while the other one undresses and jumps on top of him. Then soon one of them gives him a deadly injection and he dies within seconds with the girls around him.

That sort of death doesn't sound too bad. ???? 

More than happy with that until the bit with the injection.......

[connda]

How interesting?  Not what I expected.

[connda]

21 hours ago, KannikaP said:

I do not fear death, but the actual dying process if it is going to be a long drawn out thing. 

If I do get into that situation, there are ways and means of easing it through.

Once done, there is no afterlife, re-incarnation, just smoke up the temple chimney and some ashes in the garden. 

A nihilistic view, or perhaps the definition of Nirvana?  Nothing left - totally empty.

 

[HeijoshinCool]

20 minutes ago, Inala said:

Have faced my mortality twice and it was ok, except for fractured sternum after an enthusiastic resus.

.

 

Well, no means no!

 

(Oh, you mean CPR. I thought you just missed the H in rhesus.)

[connda]

20 hours ago, CharlieH said:

If you think about we die every night, hence the expression "dead to the world" only difference is whetherr you wake up in the morning.????

 

I hope I dont drag on, watching the body fall apart, ever increasing restrictions and possibility of losing functions and mental capacity, possibly a burden to others.. That to me and I think most people would be the nightmare.

 

My Dad died at 94 in his sleep, great way to go but I really dont want to go on that long.

 

"Sleep.  Those little slices of Death.  How I loath them."
Edgar Allen Poe

But I'm not EAP.  There is nothing like a good night sleep an awaking with a refreshing, renewed mind and body.  I thing what Poe missed is that there is renewal within that 'death.'

[connda]

5 hours ago, 1FinickyOne said:

that's my dream too... maybe a month in a lovely resort w/all things peaceful... and fine. A gradual increase of some sort of sleeping med and pain killers and to fade away in lovely dreams... we should be able to accomplish that as a society... right? 

Not in Thailand though - at least not in a hospital.  Now if you have a friend of a friend with connections in the Golden Triangle - well maybe.

 

Edited October 17, 2021 by connda

[connda]

2 hours ago, rwill said:

It does no good to dwell on it.  

But - imho - it's worst to be completely unprepared - that's avoidance.
Obsessing about it is unhealthy.
Preparing for the inevitable is simply acceptance.

[connda]

2 hours ago, allanos said:

Maybe what the Hindu concept of reincarnation is all about.

 

Would I like to return as a carnation? Possibly!

Have you ever considered that the 'deathless' state of Nibbana (or full Enlightment) is in fact extinction? 

Some think that extinction is scary.  Perhaps it's the height of compassionate existence? 

Just wondering out loud.

[zzaa09]

2 hours ago, rwill said:

It does no good to dwell on it.  

Unfortunately, that's what they do - part and parcel of their base conditioned character. 

And wonder still why they remain so unhealthy - in spirit and soul.

[connda]

1 hour ago, ballpoint said:

I'm surprised this hasn't been posted already. (Not that I agree with the words).

 

"I am not frightened of dying
Any time will do, I don't mind
Why should I be frightened of dying?
There's no reason for it, you've gotta go sometime.

I never said I was frightened of dying."

 

 

"Think thus of all this fleeting world --
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream,
A flash of lightening in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream."
-- From The Diamond Sutra

[connda]

1 hour ago, Thingamabob said:

Not afraid of dying, but I need to outlive my cats and dogs first....

Me too.  I should live forever!  <laughs>