The desire to live when there is no afterlife

[The Transcended Omniverse]

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?

 

[SpeaksForTheTrees]

Whatever your doing your doing to much , whether that be flogging yourself or abusing substances .
Growing up is up and down an is only later in life one becomes comfortably knumb .
So long as you can over come what bothering you , humble yourself and move on , try not take to personally anything , your one of billions before and hopefully after .
Anything other than sticking the game out is compromise.

 

[Quintessence]

If you have the ability to do so, I would strongly encourage you to work with a clinical psychologist on this.

 

[George-ananda]

This hardwired feature is stronger in some people and weaker in others.

I believe our core is eternal Consciousness/Brahman/God best described as pure being-bliss-awareness. In the physical life our core motivation naturally becomes being happy and to survive. This is our innate drive.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

For me I've learned to live life for its own sake. Just like one can enjoy an alcoholic beverage for its own sake, because it is pleasant. Given the way I view the world, there is no other reason to live. I wonder about how beneficial beliefs in afterlives really are. They seem to generate a lot of fear in many. Fear is obstruction, and will never fail to taint the good life with mental suffering.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Just to add. Albert Camus called on us to consider the myth of Sisyphus. He invites the observer to think for a moment that Sisyphus is happy. In pushing the rock up the hill, Sisyphus has a meaning for his otherwise pointless existence.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

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?

I read this in full a couple of times. Let me ask. Are you saying you dont want to believe in living forever anymore? If so, why dont you? If it makes you feel better mentally and physically, what is it in you that may be challenging what makes you comfortable?

If it is depression, which it sounds like it in my opinion, it may not be you personally. The best thing you can do also is maybe see a clinical psychologist and talk it out. Maybe lessinging the depression will help you find if believing in the afterlife is benefitial to your physical and mental well being.

 

[Sleeppy]

You'll either be reborn, or you'll move on to something else altogether. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed.

And, here's another secret:

Time is an illusion. You'll always exist. Your former selves, your present self, and your future selves will never be omitted from God's memory.

 

[The Transcended Omniverse]

I read this in full a couple of times. Let me ask. Are you saying you dont want to believe in living forever anymore? If so, why dont you? If it makes you feel better mentally and physically, what is it in you that may be challenging what makes you comfortable?

If it is depression, which it sounds like it in my opinion, it may not be you personally. The best thing you can do also is maybe see a clinical psychologist and talk it out. Maybe lessinging the depression will help you find if believing in the afterlife is benefitial to your physical and mental well being.

The truth is, I wish I had my full belief in the afterlife back to me. It's just that I am a skeptic and can't help being a skeptic. Many scientists in the past thought there was a soul that lives on after we die. But we then later discovered the brain and that this is what makes us alive and who we are. So knowing that, when the brain dies, you die along with it for good. Although there is evidence that people claim to exist for the afterlife, I also read what the skeptics say about it as well. Skeptics are not just simply people who dismiss. They do, in fact, come up with great arguments and natural explanations. So really, I am unsure about the afterlife and I am a bit doubtful of its existence. I have an open mind to it. But I have read the arguments of skeptics and their natural explanations which seem quite plausible to me.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

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 used to suffer from depression and it's exhausting. I strongly recommend you seek professional help.

 

[Quintessence]

The truth is, I wish I had my full belief in the afterlife back to me. It's just that I am a skeptic and can't help being a skeptic. Many scientists in the past thought there was a soul that lives on after we die. But we then later discovered the brain and that this is what makes us alive and who we are. So knowing that, when the brain dies, you die along with it for good. Although there is evidence that people claim to exist for the afterlife, I also read what the skeptics say about it as well. Skeptics are not just simply people who dismiss. They do, in fact, come up with great arguments and natural explanations. So really, I am unsure about the afterlife and I am a bit doubtful of its existence. I have an open mind to it. But I have read the arguments of skeptics and their natural explanations which seem quite plausible to me.

Ask yourself this question: do you want to believe in an afterlife?

If the answer to that question is yes, than aspire to believe. Forget what others say. No matter what you believe or do, there will always be someone out there who contradicts you. What's important is for you to be comfortable with you. Believe what you want to believe, and what works for you.

 

[The Transcended Omniverse]

Ask yourself this question: do you want to believe in an afterlife?

If the answer to that question is yes, than aspire to believe. Forget what others say. No matter what you believe or do, there will always be someone out there who contradicts you. What's important is for you to be comfortable with you. Believe what you want to believe, and what works for you.

I look at the actual reality of the situation as opposed to just having something like faith. The reality of the situation is that people who think there is an afterlife do offer arguments for their position that seem a bit plausible. But then we have the skeptics who offer their arguments which seem plausible as well. That being the case, I think the actual reality of the situation is that we don't know if there is or is not an afterlife. All evidence the believers present will only be dismissed as flawed research, experiments, and evidence. But the believers would then try to back themselves up. So the reality of the situation is that we have these two sides constantly arguing against each other and we have no idea whether there is or is not an afterlife.

 

[Quintessence]

I look at the actual reality of the situation as opposed to just having something like faith. The reality of the situation is that people who think there is an afterlife do offer arguments for their position that seem a bit plausible. But then we have the skeptics who offer their arguments which seem plausible as well. That being the case, I think the actual reality of the situation is that we don't know if there is or is not an afterlife. All evidence the believers present will only be dismissed as flawed research, experiments, and evidence. But the believers would then try to back themselves up. So the reality of the situation is that we have these two sides constantly arguing against each other and we have no idea whether there is or is not an afterlife.

Again, forget what others say. Forget what you've been told the "actual reality" of the situation is, because the "actual reality" is that humans are all making it up as we go along one way or another anyway. Ask yourself: what do you want to believe? Then go with it. If you don't want to be a fence-sitter, then don't be a fence-sitter. You get to decide what you believe, and you get to decide how you interpret "actual reality." Take charge of that. You can even change your mind later. But let your life be an expression of your own will.

 

[Thief]

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?

don't fight the will to live....
when the last breath leaves you....stand up

your body will not follow you....

but if you don't stand up....you will follow your body into the grave
and eternal darkness

I don't believe the fail of chemistry is the fail of spirit.

 

[DanielR]

I am the complete opposite. To me existing forever or continuing to exist after I die would be sheer horror. I suffer from depression as well .

 

[SpeaksForTheTrees]

I look at the actual reality of the situation as opposed to just having something like faith. The reality of the situation is that people who think there is an afterlife do offer arguments for their position that seem a bit plausible. But then we have the skeptics who offer their arguments which seem plausible as well. That being the case, I think the actual reality of the situation is that we don't know if there is or is not an afterlife. All evidence the believers present will only be dismissed as flawed research, experiments, and evidence. But the believers would then try to back themselves up. So the reality of the situation is that we have these two sides constantly arguing against each other and we have no idea whether there is or is not an afterlife.

You are young ? Is a total feeling of nothingness .?
Good.
Is the best place to start , with an open mind .
Is a transition through life what worry you today will not be such a worry tomorrow .
This is easy , if heaven we ALL go , if not heaven no one goes , fact is we all in it together my philosophy what was good enough for them , will be good enough for me.

 

[The Transcended Omniverse]

Again, forget what others say. Forget what you've been told the "actual reality" of the situation is, because the "actual reality" is that humans are all making it up as we go along one way or another anyway. Ask yourself: what do you want to believe? Then go with it. If you don't want to be a fence-sitter, then don't be a fence-sitter. You get to decide what you believe, and you get to decide how you interpret "actual reality." Take charge of that. You can even change your mind later. But let your life be an expression of your own will.

This isn't true. We can't choose what we want to believe. Here is a topic about that:

http://www.religiousforums.com/threads/we-cant-choose-to-believe.185052/page-6#post-4654717

 

[Unveiled Artist]

The truth is, I wish I had my full belief in the afterlife back to me. It's just that I am a skeptic and can't help being a skeptic. Many scientists in the past thought there was a soul that lives on after we die. But we then later discovered the brain and that this is what makes us alive and who we are. So knowing that, when the brain dies, you die along with it for good. Although there is evidence that people claim to exist for the afterlife, I also read what the skeptics say about it as well. Skeptics are not just simply people who dismiss. They do, in fact, come up with great arguments and natural explanations. So really, I am unsure about the afterlife and I am a bit doubtful of its existence. I have an open mind to it. But I have read the arguments of skeptics and their natural explanations which seem quite plausible to me.

That makes sense. I understand that reasoning

You have to keep in mind (if you will) that belief in the afterlife is more a belief; and, knowing our brain will cease to function is a fact.

People live on beliefs and they live on facts. That isnt wrong, in my opinion. Beliefs help people breathe, as you say. They give hope and all the other benefits listed in your OP. One think Id question is, do the skeptics you read about have any say of how you personally view reality? Are their conclusions yours or would you like to develop your own?

Think about it, though. I know personally that my brain will cease to function. I mean its already acting up now while it ages through medical illness and natual digression of human function. It sounds sad, and I choose to believe that I have a spirit and if I pass away before my family members, my spirit (who I am and who they remember me as, to put it simply) will live in them. So, I will live on just not in flesh.

That is how I personally see the "afterlife" among other definitions.

Though that is an example, many people believe without actually knowing they will exist even though they Know their brain will cease to function. They choose to adopt or are indoctrinated to believe such things are facts and the most important part, even when they doubt or skeptical, they know it helps them.

Do you think that if you choose to believe in the afterlife and define what it means to you, you can still believe while knowing physically and mentally your brain will cease to function?

Usually belief in the afterlife involves a spirit or soul extending beyond ones flesh. So, if you did believe in the afterlife, that doesnt mean you arent a skeptic anymore. It just means:

You know your spirit or soul (or however you define it) will live on after your body ceases to function.

Many people have doubt....but its all in what you want to believe and as Quin says, not what others want you to believe.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

I am the complete opposite. To me existing forever or continuing to exist after I die would be sheer horror. I suffer from depression as well .

When considered, I can't personally see why a person would want to exist forever. Forever is a long time. Epicureans saw death as good, even if an unpleasant notion, because- in death suffering can end, while good is attainable in life. Its not somewhere far off like in a heaven.

 

[DanielR]

When considered, I can't personally see why a person would want to exist forever. Forever is a long time. Epicureans saw death as good, even if an unpleasant notion, because- in death suffering can end, while good is attainable in life. Its not somewhere far off like in a heaven.

oh, I like that Epicurean view. Don't get me wrong I love religions but to me they are supposed to help me with this life not with an afterlife. Heaven always sounded boring to me, like what are you supposed to do with an eternity. Samsara on the other hand sounds already like hell to me, being thrown back into this existance sounds gruesome. Sometimes I believe that people don't think through their wish for some kind of eternal existance.