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Why do I always think I'm dying?

134 Answers
Last Updated: 11/27/2023 at 4:13pm
Why do I always think I'm dying?
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Alex DS Ellis, MA, LMFT

Marriage & Family Therapist

Feeling depressed or anxious can be so overwhelming. I want to help you feel better and be able to enjoy life. You are not alone and you deserve emotional support.

Top Rated Answers
phasmophobia
- Expert in Anxiety
June 23rd, 2016 4:16pm
Being afraid you're dying or in danger is a really common symptom of anxiety; both of my closest friends with anxiety are constantly worried they've contracted some disease or are having a heart attack. I'd suggest looking into that.
SoialWorkerAllan
March 24th, 2016 2:20am
You are probably having panic attacks thinking your dying or you have lots of stress in your life that causes physical symptoms
NicolesAdviceAndSupport
March 31st, 2016 7:09pm
You may be a hypochondriac. I am also one myself. Maybe you should talk to a counseller about it or if you just want someone to listen, I'm always here. :)
Flawlessinsanity21
June 30th, 2016 6:18pm
Because we as humans, most of us, are afraid of dying. We google a symptom and all of a sudden think we have something crazy like stage 4 lung cancer! Maybe we feel funny or different in some kind of way and so we assume something is terribly wrong, and that we might be dying. It's a normal thing :) I promise.
Anonymous
July 9th, 2016 2:37am
You may have a type of panic disorder. Don't be scared as many are struggling with this including myself. I would love to listen
DoctorJupiter
July 20th, 2016 5:20pm
This is a common symptom of having anxiety, some may also associate it with hypochondria. Having depression can also cause this, especially if aided by anxiety. Depression may cause us to feel fatigued (tired) all of the time, low, and generally a feeling of unwellness. If you aren't sleeping this may also cause fatigue, as well as dizziness, stomach ache, other various aches, tension headaches, as does anxiety. Just keep in mind that you're not really dying, although anxiety can certainly make us feel that way. You are just going through a rough time, but you will get through it with the aid of therapy and/or medication.
YellowDaffies
April 1st, 2016 9:29pm
Everyone is dying from the moment they are born. So what are you going to do with your life before you die? Are you going to make your choices clouded in the future worry, or are you going to embrace what you have today?
Marcus22
June 17th, 2016 9:27pm
It's a side effect that comes with anxiety, it's very common and you have to remember that you are in control of your body. It's much easier said than done, I understand that even a left or even sometimes right side of the arm going numb or getting pins and needles may lead to you thinking that you're in a critical state but 99.9% of the time this isn't the case. Your mind is a powerful thing and it can play tricks on you, you have to try to remain in control and remember it's your body and your mind. It ultimately comes down to anxiety.
Anonymous
April 20th, 2016 9:56pm
That sounds like a very scary thought, thinking that you are dying. I can totally relate to that feeling. I used to struggle with thoughts of me thinking that I am dying or that I got ill very often. What caused this was my anxiety, I had very irrational thoughts around my own health and the health of the people I care about. This could be the case for you. The anxiety I felt around the thought of me dying (pounding heart, dizzy head etc) also made me think that I was dying, which made everything even worse. Now what really helped me was exposing myself to the thoughts and letting myself sit with those thoughts without trying to "fight" them (this is often what happens with people with OCD, for me it also has been linked to OCD, pure O, to be spesific). It was incredibly hard and uncomfortable. It caused me to be very scared but in the end it helped me a lot. Also CBT is a very helpful form of therapy. Rationalizing thoughts can be very hard, CBT can help with that. Breathe, you're not alone.
Anonymous
April 6th, 2016 7:26pm
Becaause you have only negative thinking. think positive, stay alive, be happy. we all love you for whooi u are,
Anonymous
May 26th, 2016 4:38am
Because you have witnessed/heard people die and you are very negative and depressed concerning your own life right now.
Reddy
May 29th, 2016 3:11am
From experience thoughts that one feels that they are dying come from a health anxiety / and anxiety disorder or maybe someone close has recently passed away and we suddenly feel our mortality for the first time. Its not unusual to feel this way at times as we are all human and all have the same hopes and fears to varying degrees.
Anonymous
April 3rd, 2016 3:20am
It might be because someone you or your family has known died, and it just made you think that way.
Anonymous
April 10th, 2016 9:54am
Has anything happened that's making you fear this? I have experienced the same fear before, and it can be scary. Try to figure out where this fear is coming from and it will all make sense. Know that everything will be alright.
peace2016
June 2nd, 2016 3:34am
I think this way because I am so depressed and discouraged over this constant battle with anxiety. It has made me weary. In the back of your mind you feel like I don't want to go on like this anymore and death is the only way out. You start to accept that as your reality. Your brain actually believes this to be happening.
Anonymous
April 22nd, 2016 1:55pm
because you need to relax and you need to distress, and maybe there is this feeling that you really want to escape. Meditate and feel blessed. We always wish you all the best things in life. You are living here for a reason, enjoy life. Feel free.
MorganDrinks7CupsOfTea
June 11th, 2016 1:15pm
It could be a sign that you are experiencing depression, possibly some anxiety, too. Breathe, take it easy.
mistymountaindreamer
July 21st, 2016 10:32am
perhaps this 'living a human life' just feels too hard, so it's easier to move towards death. Maybe you are needing some inspiration, hope and celebration of life as well as a sense of meaning. So i would ask what are the ways you can imagine these longings being fulfilled. Or maybe in some small ways, they are already being fulfilled. Are you willing to choose to focus on those aspects because you are here living a life and you want to feel as good as possible while doing that..
roses4tears
August 17th, 2016 5:01am
Some anxiety problems actually create the fear of death on their own. Some make anxiety disorders worse or more common, and some are completely independent - the fear of death may be a phobia itself, and not the result of an anxiety symptom. The fear of death is a common cause and effect of anxiety, and even those without anxiety often experience this fear in some ways. This article will examine the fear of dying as it relates to anxiety and find solutions for overcoming it. Fear of Dying = Anxiety? It's so easy to convince yourself that your anxiety symptoms are not anxiety at all - but rather a real medical problem. Visit a doctor, let them put your mind at ease.
cactusmilk
February 25th, 2017 7:25pm
It's possible that you're going through a tough time and feel as if you're dying. Other possible reasons could be stress and anxiety causing you to feel like you're suffocating under so much pressure.
Anonymous
May 6th, 2016 8:30pm
Maybe you're too scared to know you're alive
Anonymous
April 7th, 2016 12:35pm
Thinking that your dying could be caused by a variety of things. Having health issues could cause this, maybe talk to a doctor about whats going on. They can reassure you.
Readinger
April 16th, 2016 11:11pm
Because you are self aware - you are dying. We are all dying. If you are born you are old enough to die. Perhaps too morbid a response? It is the blatant truth, unfortunately. Don't dwell on this, live!
Anonymous
May 18th, 2018 5:21am
Thinking about it all the time can show the way you truly feel about your life and whether you think it is worth living or not. At the end of the day, just know that every life is worth living.
Mikatsu104
June 8th, 2016 8:08pm
Its actually a rare condition. Some people tend to feel like they are dying, so eventually they start to live and act as if they were dead.
Anonymous
June 11th, 2016 10:02am
Have you been to a doctor? Have you been diagnosed with a condition? If you haven't ...you might be suffering from paranoia or I would recommend you going to a doctor to discuss reasons why you think you're dying. He will then see if your reasons are justified.If you need any support , do not hesistate to PM any listener :D
niahereforu
April 24th, 2016 2:41pm
maybe its just because you think about death a lot or maybe lately some people have died around you
helpfulRiver61
May 25th, 2016 5:03am
Death is a natural part of life. Everyday is a day closer to death. We're all dying just at different rates.
Mia27Elephants
March 24th, 2016 4:24pm
Sometimes by talking out your feeling you can find the core problem to this issue. Also when you have panic attacks you feel like you are dying. Talk it out more. :)
Joyfulsmile
April 27th, 2018 11:31am
Some anxiety problems actually create the fear of death on their own...The fear of death is a common cause and effect of anxiety, and even those without anxiety often experience this fear in some ways. but It should be noted that death is more of a universal fear. You can have a fear of death without having an anxiety disorder, since death is something that most people fear at some point in their lives.