Why are people afraid of death?

Because nobody knows what lies beyond the point of actual death.
People are afraid of what they do not know and cannot prepare themselves for.

What is waiting for you? What about the things and people you leave behind?

People are afraid of the unknown.

Because death is the Great Unknown.

Because I will no longer be me. And I like being me. Also, I want to know how things turn out.

I don’t like surprises.

I think death is scarier when it’s someone else. You fear missing and longing for your loved one.

As for myself, I think as long as I make everyday count and enjoy my life now, then I don’t have to be afraid.

I’m sure it would be different for each individual I would say one big part is the fear of the unknown. What happens to us when we die do we move on to another place or is it just lights out end of story? Does the soul go to a better place or is this it?

If we dwell too much on this it can make us uneasy that is why we should concentrate on making the most of the time we have before we die because whatever is the next step after death will be revealed to us or not.

“Should” might not be the ideal word to use. It places expectations and that stops the flow that leads to acceptance. Acceptance of what is, including physical death, comes to everyone in their own time. C’est la vie. Et le mort.

I am not afraid of death. I just don’t want to stop living.

Because we are afraid it will be a gruesome experience.

I’m not afraid of dying myself but I am very afraid of people I love dying because I don’t like the idea of living the rest of my life without them. Simple really!

I think the reason I’m afraid of death is because, since no one really knows what happens when you die, I’m afraid of not being able to be with the ones I love anymore.

I’m curious about what happens next, and I just don’t want to miss finding out.

People are afraid of the possibility that the existence they lead is finite, lasting from birth to death. They are afraid that they will be annihilated when they die.

Not everyone is.

@doggywuv Well, if you are “annihilated” when you die, you won’t know it.

I am not afraid of death. I even have a picture of myself standing with “death”, that I have told my wife to display at my funeral.
I do worry about what will happen to my wife without me.

@filmfann I do worry about what will happen to my wife without me.

A couple of years ago when it did not look as though I would beat the cancer, I was accepting of death, but terribly concerned about my wife. I did as much as I could, made lists, organised and paid for a funeral etc., but my wife was my only real concern.

Because they are the descendants of people who were afraid of death trying to avoid it before they had sex.

Some of the reasons have been already been alluded here:
• Fear of the unknown, they have no clue where they are going really.
• Not finishing something here because they believe it is of some significance.
• Not liking surprises.
• Can’t take the mammon with you.

If you know where you are going and that is better than here, there is no fear of death. If you do not believe you are going into some ”nothingness” but do not believe there is someplace in the afterlife your soul will reside, that can make one afraid, where you end up might be a frightful surprise.