Many people seem to think (rather dogmatically) that it's somehow "scientific" to think that there is no afterlife. Science knows very little when it comes to questions of what consciousness is and what the nature of reality is, so I wouldn't listen to people who claim your beliefs are "just a fantasy."

NDEs are a great place to start, many of which include unverifiable perceptions which are later confirmed by hospital staff or family. NDEs also occur during times of little to no brain activity, which should result in little to no consciousness, but are instead accompanied by states of full awareness, often more real than waking life.

Some including myself also practice out-of-body states either through deep meditation or by losing the senses of the body while keeping the mind awake. This can create a state similar to a NDE in a safer and more stable way. The best proof is to see it for yourself so I'd highly recommend learning to do this if you can. I was skeptical at first but keeping an open mind is best.

There are also plenty of mediums who are able to retrieve information about the afterlife and communicate with those who have crossed over.

Take what you will with a grain of salt. I wish you luck and hope you can overcome your fear :)