Meaning of life/why and what

Michael John · Post by **Michael John** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 11:09 am

Recently, some of my obsessions concern what is life, am I real, etc. Experiencing anxiety over the what ifs of being scared of death and insanity, has caused me to question what is life as well. Not in a spiritual sense, but what is it and who am I, what am I doing, etc. Anyone experiencing the same? Thaks

deedee00 · Post by **deedee00** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 11:22 am

Hi Michael. I don't know if this is what you're talking about but I use to feel so spacy and weird all of the time that I use to question if I and eveything else was real. I use to bite my lip to make sure.

Michael, I hear this a lot around here because of the spaciness symptom that most of us feel. I just want you to know that it does go away.

Camnuck · Post by **Camnuck** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 2:17 pm

Recently, some of my obsessions concern what is life, am I real, etc. Experiencing anxiety over the what ifs of being scared of death and insanity, has caused me to question what is life as well. Not in a spiritual sense, but what is it and who am I, what am I doing, etc. Anyone experiencing the same? Thaks

I worried so much about this every day. "The fear of being afraid". I kept on saying this to myself and only when I found this life changing program did I get it. I was in fear of getting anxiety or a panic attack.
Thinking about death is something I have thought a lot about. And when I thought about it it would make me panic. Then I would kick off the horrible circle of fear, i.e, Thoughts of death lead to feeling panicky, feeling panicky created more fear, more fear created more anxiety. See the circle? What you have to realise (maybe you already do) is all anxiety is is your body trying to protect itself. In your case, the negative thoughts of death.
Judging by your comments you sound so much like me.. I think you like to have complete control too?? I know I do. I have to learn to have less control to have more control.. That does make sense.
When I think the What if's I quickly say "NO what if", which makes me stop trying to unconsciously make myself scared.
I used to be anxious about death, I am religous and the thought of living for eternity scared me. It still kind of does but it's all about control. Death is a part of life, you cannot control that no matter how hard you try. But if you are afraid of death (or after death) it is natural, you just can't obsess over it.
And one more think. I hope this kind of helps.

bobsdiane · Post by **bobsdiane** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 4:50 pm

I kind of think I know what you are talking about. I have felt that from time to time - feeling unreal in a situation, like, was it really happening? Sometimes I didn't feel like myself, but someone else. Strange sensations. I never realized what was going on in my head until recently when this program helped me start putting the pieces together. The pieces of what I have been doing to myself, that is. Many years I have had negative thinking and in the past year, I have been totally terrified of death - not for eternity because Jesus is my Savior, but actually going through it, sometimes even imagining what would go through my mind at the time. And terrified because I have two little ones. But one thing I have discovered and am trying to consciously apply (I'm only on Session 3, so I'm still working on my thinking) is this, so many things are not in my control at all - what happens to me and my loved ones, my lifetime, our world situation, etc. They are in God's hands, and He is a loving God, even for the likes of me. (:)) And even though all of those things are not in my hands, one thing He did give me control over is my thinking. So it is up to me to deny the thoughts that come to me and change my messages. The good thing is that the messages are based upon the truth in God's word. It's a process - just today I had some panic thinking that I had some heart problem because I felt like I was going to faint. But once I realized my thinking led to that, then I began changing those message. I finally got a journal, and I'm going to write the negative things I think, and then write the positive things that are true.

Anyway, sorry so long, but I think the things you are feeling are shared by others. We just have to stop letting them have so much rein in our heads. We may think something, but we don't have to entertain that thought and explore it, especially if it hurts us.

Hope you are doing okay.

Michael John · Post by **Michael John** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 5:40 am

Thanks for your suggestions and advices. I have been turning the death issues over to God and really trying to let go of things I cannot control. Clearly, death and to certain extent, illneses, etc., are truly beyond mortal control, yet my anxiety goes right there almost every time.

Boon · Post by **Boon** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 4:46 am

Michael-There is a way for you to overcome this.

Write up a worst case scenerio about your fear of death. Don't try to fix anything. Just make it as gruesome as you possibly can. Allow the anxiety to come up. Use your tools to guide you through the feelings.

Read this worst case scenerio for 45 minutes a day until you no longer react to it. You can also read it out loud onto a tape and listen to your scenerio for 45 min. a day until you are no longer emotionally charged. It works.

If you are too emotionally charged. Stop. Take a break for a few minutes to get your adrenalin lower (using your breath work) and then read it all over again until you can keep your anxiety at a 1, 2 or 3 level easily.