I've been anxiously trying to discover if there's an afterlife for well over ten years. What can I do?

I've only recently been diagnosed with autism (last November). The reason I became interested in the possibility is that I have been struggling with anxiety and depression for well over a decade. One of the reasons I've been struggling has been a profound fear of death. And a strong dissatisfaction with Reality and desire for there to be something transcending it that will fill what now seems, at present, to be a completely unsolvable yearning deep within the heart of me. 

I should quickly add that I respect all faiths and also atheist viewpoints. But I've spoken to vicars and philosophers, heard from the religious (from all kinds of faiths), the spiritual, researching in great detail why they believe what they do... and I've spoken to none-believers and how they find meaning and purpose in the face of death.

And have had TWO therapists, who tried to help me with the issue.

Thus far, nothing has helped. I want 'faith' but can't find any evidence strong enough to make me believe or overcome my innate skepticism. And- with much respect towards those for whom this works- the numerous ideas that comfort and bring meaning to nonbelievers simply don't work for me. Life that ends in oblivion and where this hunger within is never answered, seems to me- personally, I'm aware this is probably very different for many of you- to be devoid of anything worth existing for. 

I've had much advice along the lines of, 'have you tried not caring?' or 'have you tried finding value in something else instead?' but, while I'm open to trying new things, obviously what I can't change is my very shape of my heart. How easy life would be if we could just choose not to care about things (you'd never have a worry again!) or if we could choose what it is we want. 

It's all very upsetting- but I feel like I've run out of ways of attempting to solve this problem and it's feeling very hopeless. 

Can anyone relate? What can I do? 

Parents
  • The word you need to understand is 'faith'. There is no evidence what so ever for any relegion, you just have to have faith and believe is basically how it is. Personally I have no relegion what so ever, I only work in logic and proveable things. We are animals on a planet that has evolved over millions of years, there are probably other planets with live on out there. Satistically there has to be life on other planets so how does god fit in with that? I am a simple person and believe nothing until I see it.

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  • The word you need to understand is 'faith'. There is no evidence what so ever for any relegion, you just have to have faith and believe is basically how it is. Personally I have no relegion what so ever, I only work in logic and proveable things. We are animals on a planet that has evolved over millions of years, there are probably other planets with live on out there. Satistically there has to be life on other planets so how does god fit in with that? I am a simple person and believe nothing until I see it.

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