17-Year-Old Fears Death?

I am a 17-year-old teen and I have a fear of death. Most people my age probably aren’t thinking of this but I am.

I believe in God and I am a Christian, but at times when I am out or at night I constantly/sometimes fear death. I get scared about my family dying.

I know u can’t stop this fear, but I would appreciate some advice on how to reduce the fear. I want to live my life but I can’t seem to stop the fear. Thx

If you were my son or daughter, I would take you to the Doctor for an assessment of your anxiety. Your fear seems to be a form of anxiety.

Don’t let that thought scare you, or cause you to feel discouraged, because anxiety is treatable, and here’s what you need to do:

Go see your family Doctor. Your Doctor will be able to advise you on whether or not you have an anxiety disorder or if some other medical problem is making you feel fearful. If the Doctor determines you do have anxiety, they will help you with treatment. Treatment can be counseling, medication, or other forms of treatment. There are many things that qualified medical professionals can do to help you.

When fearful thoughts invade your life this much, it does rob you of living with peace and happiness. I’m sorry this is happening to you, but hold out hope as things can get better.

Read what I found on the medical advice Internet site, webmd.com, about anxiety:

“The first step in treating a mental disorder is recognizing that something is not right. The second step is getting help. These two steps may in fact be the hardest part of the entire healing process. Once you seek help from a qualified health care provider, a correct diagnosis can be made and proper treatment can be given to help you get back on track.

Early recognition and treatment of a mental illness will offer the greatest chance of recovery and the earlier you seek help the greater the chance that recurrences can be prevented.”

Feel proud that you have taken the first step, which is recognizing that something is not right. And, you’ve taken the step to send me your question for advice. The next step you need to take is to tell your Mom and Dad about your fear and make sure they help you get an appointment with your Doctor.

I know you may not want to go to the Doctor, but from what you wrote about how invasive your fears are in your life, you should make this a priority.

Since you mentioned that you believe in God and are a Christian, once you get your anxious thoughts under control, you can consider letting a counselor or minister help you explore your fear of death and how it relates to your Christian beliefs.

Click here for several good articles from webmd.com on how to live and cope with anxiety.

Thank you for posting your question. Bless you.