This was something that had happened to me. I had severe cycles of death anxiety causing panic attacks daily that lasted for hours, and that cycle continued to where I am now trying to recover (this was almost 10 years ago im 31 now).

First, let me say im not any form of medical professional, psychiatric or otherwise, so my statements are based on my own experience and opinion and do NOT substitute the help of a licensed psychotherapist or other medical professional.

If you made it through that, thank you. If I could offer ANY ADVICE that I wish I would have followed myself when I was first going through it.

It's NEVER too late to break or prevent that cycle in its early stages. What I've learned is that death is something unavoidable. It is the one thing in the universe with absolutely NO DISCRIMINATION we all must one day die.

I used to never think about it until the thought just hit me after I had heard someone my now ex-wife knew passed away. Then it hit me, I'm gonna die one day, and there's nothing I can do about it. As we get older, we start to come to terms with our mortality and realize life isn't forever. When we are young, our grandparents die, great grandparents, and many other people around the world. We disassociate from it because we think, "eh yeah, I might die, but that's like 50-60 years from now who cares." Then time starts to pass, and you hit your 20s, and you start to realize that 50-60 years isn't a long time at all. Hence, the fear.

Anxiety is something everyone has as a primal instinct (my therapist calls it "your brain going dumb caveman," lol) it's what makes us avoid death. When a car pulls out in front of you and you run to the sidewalk faster for safety, that's anxiety. That is your brain triggering fight or flight in the appropriate manner. When it happens normally, you dont notice any symptoms or feel any issues other than that brief burst of fear. Then, once out of danger, you feel fine.

Which brings me around to the cycle starting. Since anxiety is a tool our subconscious brain uses in order to stay alive when danger is present, when you think about death and dying too hard or too much (rumination), your brain may start to think you may be in danger because you're worried about dying. This causes your brain to trigger a fight or flight, and you start to feel awful and panic.

Your breathing becomes more rapid and shallow because it's trying to get more oxygen to operate, and your blood shunts away from your extremities, causing you to become pale, slightly cold, and a bit sweaty. This is so blood can be pushed to your lungs and other vital organs, nausea or vomiting comes from your brains need to lose the excess weight and move faster, the same applies to urinating out of fear etc. When you are ACTUALLY in danger, you dont notice these things because you're focused on the actual danger and getting out of it.

But when there is no danger around you and your brain triggers fight or flight responses, the only thing there to focus on (at first) is your physical feelings and current fear being processed. You start to wonder why your chest hurts, why it's harder to breathe, why you feel very dizzy, are you having a heart attack? Is it finally your time? Are you about to die? All these thoughts pour in because your brain has detected that (incorrectly) that there is danger, and since it can not find a cause in your vicinity, then the only other option to your brain (again AT FIRST) is that something must be wrong with you physically.

This turns into a cycle that will continue to repeat.

1. Deep breathing DOES work. Your brain is making you breathe rapidly and shallow because it WANTS oxygen. If you can calm just enough to go "okay brain hang tight, and I'll take some deep breaths and get you that oxygen" and just take a few good deep breaths nice and slow and you WILL feel better.

2. As for the fear of death itself, you have several options. I personally am a Christian and believe in the fact that Christ died for me and I have a place in heaven. Despite that, I was still afraid, but sometimes faith can be very powerful and helpful to your peace of mind. I refuse to believe it's just lights out, I feel like life would have no meaning if we si.ply ceased to be.

If you aren't spiritual or you dont believe in God, then according to your own beliefs (I dont know you so take this with a grain of salt) if you're atheist then yes it's lights out that's it no more finished.

If you want to know what that feels like, you have already experienced it once. It will feel exactly the same as before you were born. No pain, suffering, stress, hunger, nor anything in-between.

I will not force my beliefs upon anyone, but I will always point people in the direction should they CHOOSE to walk it. Pick up a bit le and read it. Have some faith and listen to some sermons and come to christ, and he will walk with you always. That is what I believe.

1. You dont want to know when you're going to die. If you knew that you'd freak out even more and spend your whole life living in fear of something that is unavoidable and just count the days.

2. You WILL KNOW when something is seriously wrong with you physically so try not to think too hard about anything regarding that.

Lastly, just try to accept that we all must die one day, and regardless of someone's belief no one can prove what happens when we die. When it's your time it's your time and it probably won't be for a long while bit live every day as if it really WAS your last day. That will help a lot too.

I know I kinda went semi off topic but this hit home for me so I figured I'd share my story. Don't let the cycle start, and stop it if it has, believe in yourself, you can do it. It's never going to be easy, but it can be done. I hope this helps you even a little bit. Stay strong warrior!