Bob: I often worry about death and then panic

Bob, 34, has suffered from panic attacks for years, and thoughts about death have always been the cause. Usually these thoughts overwhelm him when he is in bed, and then the squeaks of death and his fear of death begin on his own.

Bob: “I find it very difficult to get out of this flow of thoughts and can panic a little at a moment like this. I used to do it sometimes during the day, like when I was behind the wheel. Luckily I didn’t really have time, but I still I worry about dying now and then. Fortunately, I’m not sick, and fortunately I don’t have anyone close to me who died early, so I can’t explain this fear either.”

However, panic attacks and thought of his death actually started, according to Bob when he lost his grandfather when he was a young boy. “Then I suddenly realized that my parents and I were also going to die at some point. Then the grinding started. Moreover, I know my dad also suffered from it at my age, but it came out of it, he says. Being that you explained this literal pain and is there anything that can be done about it?” “

Worrying about big topics

According to healthcare psychologist Bjarne Timonen, Bob suffers from what’s known as an anxiety disorder, or – as experts often call it today – “generalized anxiety disorder.” “Although such a diagnosis is difficult to make, at least it smells like it. You often see that people are concerned about the big issues in life, including death as Bob does, but also about relationships, the future, or work and your education.”

“Often, these people assume that worrying about these things gives them a degree of control. But the opposite is true: you see with Bob, it actually makes him panic. Where most people sometimes think about death, Bob adds fuel to the fire all the time by thinking In it all the time.”

According to Timonin, Bob begins to worry, especially in the evening before he falls asleep. “The evening is a typical moment for anxious people: it’s often quiet, and you have fewer distractions, so you face more with your own thoughts.”

But Timonin has good news for Bob: “If he seeks professional help for his anxiety, his ‘illness’ can be resolved relatively quickly. With proper treatment, there is a good chance of improvement. I would definitely advise him to do so as soon as possible. Possible, because still Too young to wait – like his father – to grow up. And that’s a shame.”

According to a healthcare psychologist, the first step in treatment is to examine the role that anxiety plays in a person’s life. We also look at the source of fear. “In this case, you can assume that genetics plays a big role, because his father also suffered from it. It could also be that Bob inherited his father’s fear – something we call ‘modeling’ in psychology – because his father probably talked a lot about it, but The cause may also be the death of a loved one or, for example, a strict or excessively protective upbringing. ”

Meditation and relaxation

Oftentimes, cognitive behavioral therapy — a form of psychotherapy that teaches you to look at and deal with problematic situations differently — can be effective, Timonin says. Perhaps in combination with meditation and relaxation exercises. “If this ultimately proves insufficient, anti-anxiety medications may also be prescribed by a doctor or psychiatrist.”

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