Worrying that before I die, I'll suffer like most people

[carlossong]

Hey guys,

I have this worry thing that I might suffer before I die. For example, people who suffer from cancer before they die. 

People who suffer from pneumonia and suffer for the last 2 weeks before they die.

People who have to be in a hospice for the last 2 months of their lives before they die.

I don't wish to suffer before I die. I prefer to die from painless heart attack while I'm asleep.

[Wooster]

Worry steals joy from today.

I know it's difficult to recognize worrying about suffering when you die as an unproductive thought. But unless it's paying rent, it doesn't deserve to take up room in your head.

[carlossong]

I thought it might be anxiety that I had for a long time. However, I'm taking meds for it. It doesn't

seem like they're working that well.

[Wooster]

Therapy is effective for most people with these kinds of thoughts if you get someone who specializes in anxiety.

medication can be helpful for some people sometimes but it won't teach you how change or challenge your thoughts. Therapy will.

[flowerseverywhere]

I think about death and how sad I would feel to die in a hospital. I don't want to suffer before death either. Some part of me is fearless and another part is..scared to death of dying.

[kateislate]

Have you thought about acting on this worry in some productive way, like designating a healthcare proxy or working on a living will to specify what you want done in different end of life circumstances?  Or just talking with your family? I'm not saying you can 100% control whether you will suffer before you die, but you can certainly take steps to plan and increase the odds that you don't suffer unnecessarily or that things go more how you'd want them to.