What triggered your anxiety and fear of dying?

[star68]

Hi everyone, I have been going to psychotherapy sessions for a while and me and my therapist are coming to the conclusion that my anxiety was triggered by witnessing my mother's uncle dying at home (he used to live with us) I was only five years old. i remember the event very clearly, my mother and grandmother around his bed and me with them. My mother used to tell me that I kept saying to him "Please don't die yet, don't die, wait a bit longer" I think it must have been so traumatic for me, that not long after that I started developing anxiety symptoms and a fear of dying. My mum had to rush me to the doctor's many times and nigh time because I thought I was dying.

What do you think triggered your anxiety disorder and fear of dying? Thank you for your time.

[Jeff1943]

An exaggerated fear of dying is a common symptom of anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorder is caused by our nervous system becoming over sensitised by us having to put up with too much stress, worry and/or over-work for too long. In that state small concerns become exaggerated ten fold into a major obsessive worry.

I think you're right that the trauma of your uncle dying is what your anxiety has latched on to. I believe that once you recover from anxiety the symptoms such as exaggerated fear of death will pass.

However, if you were not experiencing anxiety disorder you would not be obsessing about death. The obsession is a symptom not the cause of your anxiety which was caused by those other things.

A healthy mind can cope with traumas from long ago but as people with anxiety disorders our minds are going through a period of not being healthy.

[autumnthebrat2]

my sister died at 12 years old, my mom's first husband died in the war, and her second husband died of a heart attack. Her sister died in a fire. I was very small when my sister died, but I heard all these stories growing up about tragedies. During my middle adult years I was pretty busy working and going to school and raising kids, so I was pretty distracted. My wife and I became older parents and I was laid off and became a stay at home dad. I was so scared that something would happen to me while I was taking care of the baby along with the stress of taking care of the baby, it kind of always present in my mind. Then my dad moved in when he was sick and I took care of him and watched him die a slow death. I really was pretty bad for awhile and did and dabbled with ad's for a year. I should have stuck with one, but gave up on the med after a couple of months. During this time my wife who was the provider, fell and broke her arm in 4 places and was out of work for quite awhile. So a lot of life stressors all added up to make me the stress case that I am.

[Jeff1943 in reply to autumnthebrat2]

Autumnthebrat, you have certainly had more than your fair share of traumas and you are to be congratulated for your courage and staying power in the service of your family. They say these things are sent to try us, not for ever by still waters, but I sincerely hope you enter a period of calm and freedom from high anxiety from now on, you certainly deserve it.

[autumnthebrat2 in reply to Jeff1943]

Thank you jeff

[star68]

What triggered your anxiety? Thanks

[star68]

What started your anxiety?