Ask HN: How to Deal with Death Anxiety?

Then I went to a psychiatrist. Got prescribed benzodiapenes. Two weeks on it, every existential thoughts vanished. I felt normal again. Then my doc stopped it. Got some severe withdrawals from the benzos. I would never ever touch benzos with a 3 foot pole again. Even after 3 months of leaving benzos I have some bouts of anxiety. I use Ashwagandha regularly. To me it's been life changing. The thoughts don't completely vanish but even if it comes, it makes you feel meh. Also travel. Traveling a lot helped me. Made me focus outwards rather than my inner voice. Traveling, going out a lot, Ashwagandha and talking to people is what's helping me by a significant amount.

I am not a native speaker, so if anything confuses you please ask away :)

But what makes it completely disappear for me is a different thing. I’m religious and I believe in the afterlife. That makes me comfortable with the idea of death, but doesn’t prevent me from having anxiety, as I believe my outcome is tied to how well I’m behaving/avoiding and repenting for my wrong deeds. Basically whenever I’m sufficiently happy with my actions, the anxiety disappears.

You can do this. Take care of yourself

Alternatively, you can practice nihilism. Nothing really matters, including life itself. What does it matter if humanity ends? Life has no point so if we die, so why should you care if it happens?

You can practice pragmatism. Death is inescapable, and there is nothing that can be done about it, so don’t worry about it. What will happen will happen. Might as well get on with life in the mean time and worry about death when you’re dead.

Acknowledge that death may be good in some contexts. Some suffering (like depression, torture) is worse than death. Death provides an end to suffering. Death is the great leveller as fuck and poor, success failure alike will all die the same. It takes the pressure of succeeding in life off.

You could also simply be thankful that life exists at all.

Discuss with your friends and family. Often they have good insight. If you find that you are still struggling do add others suggest and seek medical help as this may be the manifestation of a mental health problem which could be treated. But don’t worry, most people go through something similar at summer point of their life, especially if they are the questioning type. I have personally adopted a bit of a mix of all the above, and it’s really broadened my love philosophy and I’ve become a better person for it.