At what age did you get upset about death?

[LifePurpose]

I ask this question because I recall thinking seriously about death and what it meant at around ages 9-11. I seriously had existential angst about it.

Just wondering when everyone else got kind of panicky about their mortality?

 

[tanguerra]

Death has never bothered me. I look forward to it in some ways.

 

[Twilight]

I honestly thought when I turned 20 my brain was going to rot from the inside out

 

[Sister Grey]

Around 10. A neighbor, an old man that we were very fond of, died, and I realized he was gone forever.

 

[argonne1918]

I never worried about it. An uncle who I barely knew died when I was 8. Six months later I spent a week during the summer at my cousins. I didn't realize at the time that he had lived at my cousin's before he died and that I was sleeping in his old bed. I was in my 30's when my grandparents died. If you are talking about dying in a past life, I don't know. I was killed in battle so it must have been rather sudden.

 

[obstacles]

4 - 7


I had anxiety about dying from a very early age...and some of it had a past life connection, in fact.


When I was 5, I had memories of being a baby that was killed in a car accident. That was pretty upsetting and I was worried it was going to happen again. So, a past life was definitely involved in starting me off with that anxiety. It's odd because I don't think kids are typically able to grasp the concept of death at that age...and, hm, now that I think about it...it may not have been death itself that I was so worried about, it was more the violence of it.


I had lung problems every year in childhood which led to some pretty scary moments of being unable to breath.


I feared eating when I was 7 because I believed that the food would make me sick. I feared I would die from eating...which was really bizarre and caused me to lose a lot of weight.


Again, more of a fear of a horrible end. Seems like I should change my answer to 10 or 11 or so. I think that's when worrying over mortality/existence itself started.

 

[usetawuz]

I can remember at a very young age the difficulty inherent in a physical body...the understanding of the restrictions. The idea of the need to breath, eat and sleep helped me understand very early that what was considered normal and customary here was somehow not what I was used to. Then as small clues which didn't justify, indicate or support the normal and customary view of the physical world and life began adding up in my mind, that realization was slowly and surely bolstered with a view more in keeping with what I now believe. I do not believe I have ever feared bodily death and the transition back into spirit, and while I have had views of dying with apparent intense pain and agony, I've never felt anything but relief upon passing.

 

[ColourODarkness]

I don't remember ever being bothered by death or dying.


My great grandpa died when I was 9 and my great uncle a couple of years later and I was never sad or worried about it. My entire family cried when the dog we'd had since I was a baby had to be put to rest, but I saw it as a good thing as he was unhappy in his later years. My family never understood why I never got upset at these things, but I always told them that death isn't a bad thing, it's a part of life, and once you cross over you'll be happy and well so there's no reason to be upset by it. The person crossing over wouldn't want you to be upset, they want you to be happy and live your life

 

[cloud potato]

LifePurpose,


To answer your question:


I started to think about my own death around mid 20's. I would say 23 after having an experience which translated to fighting and holding on to what I thought was consciousness- I began to think Death might be a similar process(maybe in its initial stages) and how scary of a thing it is for anyone.


As my grandparents grew, they were prepared for their own death... And I think perhaps then I might be too.


It's like ColourOfDarkness has stated...

The person crossing over wouldn't want you to be upset, they want you to be happy and live your life

My grandma said to us, "I'm more ready for this then you are" just before she passed.


...

 

[kmatjhwy]

Now am unable to post in the poll above for death has never really scared me. Now I have never really had that fear of death. I might have a fear of having a crippling accident but not death. For after death we go on to the other side. First in my youth I was an avid christian. And then for years now have deeply believed in reincarnation - past lives, ever since I guess a kid. Now I love life and love wandering in the mountains. But I also have no fear of death. Guess this is one thing one has to confront, the what if's, in going deep into the wilderness where a grizzly could be right around the corner or such.


Also in my youth, I had a number of times that something happened. When I was born, I was 2 months premature back in the 50's, the doctor gave me no hope of living. But today am so healthy and strong with being this way all my life. And then as a kid I onetime drank paint thinner, rushed to the hospital and continued to live without problems. As I see it, the Creator has his hand on us and when it is time to go then it will be time to go. So in the meantime ... Go For It and Enjoy Life!


Wishing Everyone the Best!

 

[BriarRose]

45 is around the age where, when I woke up in the middle of the night, the thought that a "long sleep" could come fairly soon, began to prey on my mind. I never worry about it in the daylight. I fear it less, now that I understand more.

 

[Mere Dreamer]

Up till now I haven't experienced death as a concern.


More, I've been worried about living through a devastating accident ... if that makes sense. I've often thought "if it's going to be traumatic and painful to live afterward, I'd rather just die in the accident and get it over with." <-- This finally makes sense to me! huh.


I recently told family and friends that if I start losing my mind, I'll just go on an errand of mercy to some warzone so I can use the last of my life to do some good before sudden death from war ... instead of wasting my time gibbering in some room. They thought it wasn't funny ... but I was quite serious. Oh, well.


It isn't death that scares me, but life.

 

[Owl]

I cared about it quite a bit around 8-10, I was worried about who was going to die, when, etc.

 

[BethC]

Between the ages 8-11, as is the popular age in the poll. However, when I was a college student, I had an epiphany about dying just being the next part of a journey, and from that point on was never really upset about my own death again. Over the years, I've had fears associated with death (mostly loved ones).

 

[ColourODarkness]

Over the years, I've had fears associated with death (mostly loved ones).

I sometimes get upset and panicked at the thought of loved ones passing without me, particularly my partner. But it's not death that worries me, but more living without the person.

 

[BriarRose]

It's sometimes little comfort to know that we will be with them again. I woke up this morning, singing the WWII Vera Lynn song, "Don't Know Where, Don't Know When". "We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when". I have started to pay attention to songs that are in my mind when I wake up. It should be the "theme song" for the forum.

 

[Sister Grey]

I’m skeevied out by the thought that my consciousness could snuff out at any minute and I’d no longer exist. Of course when that happens I won’t know, but it gives a slight constant feeling of desperation to my momentary existence. I check every so often. Am I still conscious? Yep? Still alive then? Great! And there’s the thought of losing my husband. And the thought that while death may not hurt, getting to the point of death usually involves a great deal of pain, or so say the people who’ve survived heart attacks and assorted life-threatening things. I’m not completely convinced of an afterlife; most of the Christians I’ve known used Christianity as a guide for life and morality as opposed to delving into mysticism and I don’t think many of them (that I know) genuinely believed in an afterlife. Reincarnation sounds okay, at least it’s survival, but there’s still the gateway of death to be faced, which means I’ve lost everything that I’ve worked so hard for, I’d really hate being a child again, I don’t want to be stuck with the same people again while perversely not wanting to lose them either. (And trust me, I do not want my husband back as my baby in some future life. saywhat) And I’m fully aware that despite all my complaining I’m better off than 99% of the world’s population ( http://www.globalrichlist.com/ ) which means odds are the next life isn’t going to be fun. Death at best, means change, and I don’t like change.

 

[Cryscat]

By the time I was 16, I had lost to death; 1 set of grandparents, 1 aunt, 1 great-uncle and 1 friend. No wonder I was struggling and trying to figure it out at that age.