The desire to live when there is no afterlife

[Augustus]

The way I look at it, I think oblivion must be like going under general anesthesia (it is understood that people do not dream under anesthesia)

General anaesthetics are weird. When I first had one I remember getting given it then bursting into laughter as the doc counted down. Next thing I know I woke up and told them they better give me another one before the operation as this one didn't work properly.

It did work though and the operation had already been performed, but I just had absolutely no sense of any time having passed like you would have if you had been asleep.

Being in such a situation for the rest of time isn't particularly worrying, certainly won't bother me anyway.

 

[PackJason]

I think I can finally explain my situation. It is no different than being miserable on that roller coaster ride since you know it will end and it ending is the absolute worst thing to you. You have the overwhelming desire for it to last forever since it is something so precious to you. This desire prevents you from enjoying the roller coaster ride in the here and now and no matter what you tell yourself, nothing works and you still remain devastated and miserable.

I am fine with movies and roller coaster rides ending since they are not the most important things. However, me being alive and enjoying this life is the most important and precious thing to me and the idea that this will be forever gone one day when I die prevents me from enjoying this life I have and renders my life completely empty and miserable.

All I can recommend is to live this life the best you can. That's all any of us can really do. If this is causing you that much mental distress though, I'd also recommend making an appointment with a psychiatrist/psychologist for an assessment. Depression is a serious thing and shouldn't be left to gain momentum.

 

[paarsurrey]

MattMVS7 said: ↑
I used to believe in the afterlife of eternal bliss and that I would live there after I die. Having this belief was an absolute psychological need for me that I desperately depended upon my whole life. Why? It is because most of us as human beings are hardwired for survival. The desire to live forever is hardwired into us. At least, that is, most of us. Some people are actually fine for whatever reason with the idea of dying forever.
This hardwired feature is stronger in some people and weaker in others. Unfortunately, in my case, it is very powerful. So upon losing my belief in the afterlife, it was completely devastating for me. I felt very strong feelings of suffocation mentally. Suffocation is a feeling that you need air. So a feeling of suffocation that is instead experienced mentally means that you have a psychological need for something (in this case, my need to live forever).
So me living forever is like the air I need to breathe. Having that taken away from me is like having a big pillow suffocating that life away from me. I am also in a state of depression. At this point, it is not a feeling of depression that is caused by any thought. Rather, it is the type of depression one would feel when they stop taking drugs that they desperately need. It is a psychological low since they can no longer get what they desperately need.
I feel that this desire to live keeps on kicking in, resulting in me experiencing those feelings of mental suffocation. I have no control over it. I am wondering if this will get better to the point of going away on its own. Will both this feeling of depression and this desire to live that is causing me so much turmoil pass on its own over time?

"So upon losing my belief in the afterlife"
Belief in afterlife is so soothing and useful; why did you lose it?

Please
Regards