52 replies to this topic

[levkamensky]

Death is the anti-thesis of what being human is all about: self-creation.

[Mind]

I have experienced the fear of death at times....mostly after I do something relatively risky. However, I can't say I have ever been "paralyzed" by this fear.

[Brainbox]

I always (well, most the times) have some kind of "evaluating" behaviour at such moments that avoids me acting to impulsive or taking incorrect decisions. Provided there's time to do so. Or training that has about the same net effect in cases where such events are trainable and do not allow sufficient thinking.
Where do I experience this?
- Mountain-biking, training aids in detecting dangerous situations more quickly or even instantly,
- Hiking (high altitude), trying to do an "easy" peak without ropes that was not planned beforehand makes me very cautious,
- Driving (e.g. autobahn), this really is a mix of training and impulsive decisions. I think because here a high level of 3rd person dependency exists.

In situations that exceed the "controlled" evaluative or trained response, I've never felt paralyzed. Although sometimes it kept me from sleeping for several nights, after realising I experienced a not to intelligent (read stupid) reaction of myself. I guess that's called "learning" and really comes very close to being / feeling paralyzed.

Edited by brainbox, 04 September 2006 - 09:38 PM.

[kylyssa]

On the contrary, in life and death situations the fear of death has energized me and in more than one case made me uncharacteristically belligerent. Fear of the death of others in life and death situations has made me belligerent and reckless when the danger was active (someone harming someone else or me, etc.) but fear of the death of others in has made me cool and logical enough to do what I had to do when the danger was non-active (person is injured through accident, no danger to me). That said, after most life and death situations resolve I get shaky as a half-frozen chihuahua and sometimes cry or throw up.

[levkamensky]

I meant general apathy due to fear of eventual death. It seems you misunderstood the question.

[kylyssa]

Yes, I misunderstood the question. Then, no, I have not felt general apathy due to the fear of death. It makes me feel like I have a time limit so I tend to want to cram a lot of activity into the available time.

Becoming paralyzed by the fear of life ending eventually seems a lot like going to an amusement park on an all day pass and going just inside the gate, sitting on a bench, and moping because your visit only lasts a day. Instead I prefer to get too loud, ride the rides, and eat cotton candy until I puke right up until the moment a security guard comes and herds me out the gates.

[garethnelsonuk]

Fear of death motivates one of 2 responses in people:
Denial or action.

Personally I choose action, a whole load of people choose denial. I've heard people refer to cremation being a form of immortality because your ashes will feed life. I've heard of all the traditional religious mythology of an afterlife. I've even heard of people trying to use quantum physics to argue that we can't just end or even insisting "there has to be something, it isn't fair that this is it". These are the ones who would choose to do nothing when confronted with death.

Of course, it is entirely possible for those who would normally do something to be paralysed by fear in some situations. This is what makes it vitally important to remind yourself of what you stand to loose.

[swami]

Well, fear always is for unknown. But I know that death is not an end rather a turn and I wanna make that consciously. Yes, there are ways and I'm working on them. I too believe that “Death is a grave mistake,” as Mr. Leonard Orr. And I'm not going to make that mistake so there is no question of being paralyzed for me and for them who want to learn what death actualy is

[JohnDoe1234]

I can't recall a situation like that, other than maybe standing on the edge of Eagle's Peak by Dixon lake in California, I was like 7 and I think that was the scariest moment of my life, lol

[tous]

I don't have fear of death when doing anything.... and I've done some stupid dangerous stuff..... but sometimes late at night I'll start thinking about death while I'm in bed and I start feeling a nothinness and eventually can become paralized, atleast emotionally, and have to get up and do something to take death off my mind or I'll never fall asleep.... play some games.... read... have a glass or two of wiskey... then try sleeping again..... happens alot lately.... sometimes I try 2-3 times a night to get to bed.... been wondering if maby I need theorpy....

Heh.... and I'm only in my 20's.... Im gonna bea nervous reck by the time I reach 60 or 80...

[RighteousReason]

Paralyzed by indecision on how to go about optimally avoiding death, yes.

[siberia]

I've seen Death during sleep paralysis. Similar to the "old hag phenomenon", which can be a very fearful experience I tell you, at least the first time. It's amazing how your brain can alter "reality".
It was a he with dark, dark eyes. And he surrounds you with impenetrable darkness which he tries to squeeze you to death with. So now you have something to go by when you design that "Wanted" sign.

But emotionally, yes for short periods of time I've felt nothing but apathy, but then forgot about it. I'm currently trying to change my behaviour and thoughts towards a more a constructive life, and thus don't walk around feeling apathic all the time.

[kent23]

Yes, about ten years ago while being mugged at gunpoint on a seedy street corner. I simply melted inside and did exactly as they told me. Which is exactly what I should have done, but the point is that my emotional reaction was one of complete paralysis.

I think people should prepare an internal process for such situations, whatever physical helplessness might be involved.

[brokenportal]

I am sometimes nearly paralyzed by it. Although I like the fear of death because I am mostly driven to action by it.

People that do nothing because of the fear of death I would argue are completly paralyzed by it. Their sense of action is severed at the nerve that leads to it.

[brokenportal]

How is it that I found this in "active topics" even though before I posted in it the last previous post was from 2007?

[Shannon Vyff]

I agree that the word paralyze is highly subjective here, I've been kept up at night, I've felt sad, or even depressed--but never for that long, over say an hour, and nothing that has hindered my ability to complete any responsibilities.

Oh, brokenportal-whenever someone votes, the thread is bumped to the top of active topics, wether or not they make a post.

[Heliotrope]

I was paralyzed by the thought of death for several hours, When I was about 13 or 14, I felt paralyzed by the fear of death and stayed awake all night, praying to gods I don't know and hoping the best for future technologies. The next day as sun rose and i look out the window and see the beautiful nature outside, i felt better

I had these panic attacks of non-existence overwhelm me many times

I'll try to live forever, if that doesn't happen, i hope to die peacefully in my sleep. No hurt. No worry. No regret.

It's the fear of missing out on the great future that scares me the most, not the pain of old age and death. I don't think death will hurt, but i can't stand missing out on the future and fear of oblivion

i think i've found many friends here and what's more, found great strength and optimism too. but what we really need is concrete technologies and means to escape death

[Grimm]

Nope. Never have, and never will.

If I die, I die. Sucks, but oh well.

Edited by Grimm, 15 April 2008 - 03:26 AM.

[Live Forever]

I don't want to die, but I haven't been paralyzed by any means. Gotta live your life to the fullest, regardless.

[bacopa]

I frequently get paralyzed by the fear of death as it rules my life right now. I constantly think of the horrors of dying. I can't seem to stop obsessing about this. This is why we must make it our collective goal to conquer death.

[Grimm]

I frequently get paralyzed by the fear of death as it rules my life right now. I constantly think of the horrors of dying. I can't seem to stop obsessing about this. This is why we must make it our collective goal to conquer death.

What horrors?

[Heliotrope]

I frequently get paralyzed by the fear of death as it rules my life right now. I constantly think of the horrors of dying. I can't seem to stop obsessing about this. This is why we must make it our collective goal to conquer death.

What horrors?

Unspeakable horrors lol.


Thanks, but your q made me laugh somehow.

We can't always concentrate on the unspeakable horrors of death (horrors so great i can't even put it to words), BUT focus on good things in life too

MOST IMPORTANT: KILL DEATH

[Grimm]

I frequently get paralyzed by the fear of death as it rules my life right now. I constantly think of the horrors of dying. I can't seem to stop obsessing about this. This is why we must make it our collective goal to conquer death.

What horrors?

Unspeakable horrors lol.


Thanks, but your q made me laugh somehow.

We can't always concentrate on the unspeakable horrors of death (horrors so great i can't even put it to words), BUT focus on good things in life too

MOST IMPORTANT: KILL DEATH

Unspeakable horrors...?

You lost me.

I can see the process of death being potentially horrible, but once your dead it should be fine-unless you end up in hell or something...

[VictorBjoerk]

I can't stop obsessing about death.But my obsession of aging is just as big if not even bigger.Immortality really means forever and there is mathematically no such thing.

[JackCole]

As we speak, I can not watch "Last Days on Earth" on the history channell from getting upset at the thought of death. It's on super-computers. I see healing, technology, they see end of worlds, they turn against us.

I'm paralyzed on a daily basis since I saw a video on cryonics. It's pretty scary. I need to stop obsessing about it. More than anything I crave a healthy lifestyle, one that prolongs your life span. Not smoking, excersise, live life each day to the most... but then reality sets in and I'm not leaving the house much, and being latheragic isn't scary but it's not active either.

It's quite overwhelming and has been paralyzing to my life. Ugh! I demand my self to start getting active! Wake up early and claim the day. I have a busy week comming up and this is the time I can start getting healthy. For some reason = healthy = far away from death. That's the logic in my mind. Yet I'm destorying my body at the same time.

That's why I'm drawn to this forum. I'm constantly searching the pages for the one answer that makes complete sense. I don't like to think about death. Thinking about death makes me feel animal.

I'm going to live life to the fullest. I've got to just get up and go.

Edited by JackCole, 21 April 2008 - 12:49 AM.

[Shannon Vyff]

Which cryonics video per chance?

[JackCole]

Which cryonics video per chance?

It was on the National Geographic Chan. and it was uh something called "Freeze Me!" I write lots of short stories and post them on my blog (I fancy my self as an undiscovered author) so I decided to write a story on Cryonics, with cryonics being the backbone. I can't seem to finish it because I keep getting trapped in this horrible circle of thinking of death, not wanting to die, being frozen, repeat. I quit smoking because of it

The story was about Alcor and they interviewed the lady who was going to die.. then they showed her getting her blood drained out, and freezing her. I saw it when some of my single friends came up from a town a few hours away. Needless to say, we all smoked a little marijuana and I started jumping screaming saying: This is a fraud! They're making you pretend theres an afterlife! (I wasn't grasping the whole video, needless to say.) Well, I rewatched it four or five times that night (using video record on TV) and before I knew it I was crying. Since then, it's been horrible. Everything I view or see is about lifespan, and I shun talking about death or if I try and bring it up I get "paralyzed" I went to the doctor this morning and talked to him about it.... they put me on Abilify.

Now all I'm afraid about is the medicine is doing something to my body and it's not healthy so I should get off it.

About to take the kids to the park to stay active! If I just don't think about it, it's OKAY. It's really really overwehlming and I'm sure there's a proper name for it.

[niner]

Here's another old thread that's popped up because someone voted in its poll. After reading some of it, I have to say that I'm sorry some of you are feeling so bad. You might want to consider counseling. You shouldn't have to go through life feeling that bad.

[Zoroaster]

I frequently get paralyzed by the fear of death as it rules my life right now. I constantly think of the horrors of dying. I can't seem to stop obsessing about this. This is why we must make it our collective goal to conquer death.

What horrors?

Unspeakable horrors lol.


Thanks, but your q made me laugh somehow.

We can't always concentrate on the unspeakable horrors of death (horrors so great i can't even put it to words), BUT focus on good things in life too

MOST IMPORTANT: KILL DEATH

Unspeakable horrors...?

You lost me.

I can see the process of death being potentially horrible, but once your dead it should be fine-unless you end up in hell or something...

Once you're dead, things are not "fine". Honestly I'd rather be in hell than in a state of nonexistence. I'd rather feel unspeakable pain than nothing. For many people there is no worse horror than oblivion. I wish I didn't feel that way but I do. And yes I have been paralyzed by fear of death. For several years. But I'm over it now, mostly due to a careful pattern of studied denial.

[forever freedom]

I frequently get paralyzed by the fear of death as it rules my life right now. I constantly think of the horrors of dying. I can't seem to stop obsessing about this. This is why we must make it our collective goal to conquer death.

What horrors?

Unspeakable horrors lol.


Thanks, but your q made me laugh somehow.

We can't always concentrate on the unspeakable horrors of death (horrors so great i can't even put it to words), BUT focus on good things in life too

MOST IMPORTANT: KILL DEATH

Unspeakable horrors...?

You lost me.

I can see the process of death being potentially horrible, but once your dead it should be fine-unless you end up in hell or something...

Once you're dead, things are not "fine". Honestly I'd rather be in hell than in a state of nonexistence. I'd rather feel unspeakable pain than nothing. For many people there is no worse horror than oblivion. I wish I didn't feel that way but I do. And yes I have been paralyzed by fear of death. For several years. But I'm over it now, mostly due to a careful pattern of studied denial.

Never mind Grimm. When he posts here it's just because he has nothing better to do. But apparently he hasn't been here lately maybe he found something he's actually interested in and decided to contribute a bit for a change.



As for being paralyzed by fear of death, i don't think i have ever been. Remembering about death is rather motivating to me to keep doing what i'm doing and even more intesely instead of being "paralyzed", whatever that means.

Edited by sam988, 19 May 2008 - 06:16 PM.