Fear of Losing Someone You Love
Fear of losing someone you love is a common fear. (Or something happening to someone you love.) These fears comes from a great love. The fear is love. But once you realize the love, and take action on that, there is no point to the fear. Fear is immobilizing, love is energizing.
Remember, the biological reason for fear is to get us to act, after the action, the fear is pointless. (Worse than pointless, as it hurts you.)
In this article, I am going to share something that will hopefully change this fear. At first, we fear losing something because everything is impermanent. Everything changes. But there is one thing important we neglect when we fear impermanence. Here it is:
Even Loss is Impermanent
This, too, passes.
Old friends reconnect, forgive. A late mother's adages are remembered. Memories of connection come to our minds. And many of us believe in an afterlife where we will join our loved ones again.
In this tangled web of life, we are all connected. Our minds, hearts and souls are in sync with the world around us. When we are not connected to that world–when we feel separate–it is often expressed in mental health problems.
Anxiety, anger and depression come from a sense of disconnection. Anxiety makes us afraid of where we are are going; that we could lose something, miss an opportunity, or be inadequate. It makes us fear losing someone we love. We have to think we are separate, or different, to feel this way. Depression makes us feel bereft, isolated, left out, unloved and like we don't belong anywhere–separate. Anger comes from a sense of injustice that happened to us–it stems from an "us-them" mentality.
All of these are in our mind. We create a world where we are separate and don't belong, and victimized and then we feel worse and worse. Where, in reality, this makes us blind to the love we do have in our lives, blind to the people who care about us, and blind to our own contributions in life. This is lose-lose.
Take Action. Reduce Fear
There are many ways to take action instead of being immobilized by fear. For example: spend time with the person, tell them you love them, show them you love them, keep them company, offer them help, and thank them. All of these actions will help you feel more connected and lessen the fear.
Fear of Losing Someone You Love
If we remembered that we are connected, our hearts would warm and our grief would ease. When we bring to mind the unbreakable bonds between us and a loved one, as well as the influence those have had on our life, the fear of loving someone you love would decrease.
People are afraid it is too late. It is never too late. Even if someone dies–the relationship–the influence goes on, and so we can do something. As long as the "relationship" is there, we can mold it, and make new meaning around it. (Meaning that includes connection rather than loss. Meaning that includes positive self identity of love and caring.)
This makes all the difference in how we feel: bereft or connected.
Have you been immobilized by the fear of losing someone you love?
APA Reference
Lobozzo, J.
(2012, November 28). Fear of Losing Someone You Love, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, November 21 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/anxiety-schmanxiety/2012/11/fear-of-losing-someone-you-love
Author: Jodi Lobozzo Aman, LCSW-R
Hi Jodi sinc the age of 15 I have had major issues with the death of family members I have been on anti depressants since the age of 15 I am now 32 and have a young son. I have always struggled with the anguish of death but since I've had my son it has amplified ten fold! I have dreams of his death and other vile things happening to him that I'm powerless to stop I feel utterly useless and terrified all of the time to the point where I don't sleep through sheer fear I see a councillor and have upped my dosage of anti depressant but nothing works there is so much wrong with the world and I feel like I'm going mad thinking of ways to keep him safe and me sane.
I want to thank you for bravely sharing. I lost my sister to suicide when I was 19. It devasted me, but at the time I could not see how much more devasted my parents were. I am now 42 and the loss still haunts me. I have a young daughter and like you, I often feel so much fear of losing her. It terrifies me. She is my whole world. My husband had a nightmare some months ago that she died and I am haunted my that. I am now expecting another child, 7 weeks pregnant. I'm probably the oldest lady in my town to have another child. And I realize I partly wanted a second child to feel less vulnerable, but it has in fact made me more vulnerable. To love is terrifying but then I think, it's what makes my life beautiful at the same time. I don't know what to say to help, but I wanted to share my story and hope that it will bring comfort to know you are not alone in this fear of loss. I felt comforted in this way by your post and I thank you for sharing.
My boyfriend is afraid of loosing me and it's driving me nuts. I love him and although I tell him and show him, he is still afraid. I do not agree that showing me more and telling me more, will help him. It will only drive me even more nuts. ;) I can feel the fear when he talks and he is always making concessions. Too many, that I am afraid he will regret it later. I believe the best thing to do is learn to relax and accept that you may loose the person, but it's not the end of the world. Don't make him or her the centre of your life. Keep busy if she or he is busy. Anyway, my 2 cents. ;)
I don't deal well with death of loved ones. I just had to put my much loved 14 to 15 year old cat to sleep due to health problems I didn't see comming and I feel like I'm having bad anxiety and blaming myself for her death. I don't think I will cope with my mothers death. She is in her 60's I depend on her for so much. I'm scared to loose more loved ones pet/family/friend. I'm scared to die and scared to see loved ones die. I can't cope.
Even I have same fear of loss of my parents from my childhood..now my husband and daughter..some one suggest how to stop this..I thought am the only person thinking like that..
I have a boyfriend.i always thinking about him and suffuring from scared of loosing him.l have done some mistake in my life and he know everything very well.It made me so sad as he never trust me.because of these thing i am always feeling dipressed,scared,breathing problem and crazy like a psycho person. I just don’t want to be without him but he want to leave me i am feeling like i am going mad abot him.please suggest me how can i deal with this situation or any medicine for this problem.
If you're focusing on being scared of losing him then you've already lost him. Focus on keeping him repairing what you have broken but if he doesn't trust you then maybe it's time for you both to move on because for love to work it has to be based on a secure foundation.. so it's 50/50
Repair the trust that he lost in you or just let him move on so yaw both can be free.. @ the end of the day you have to find securefor yoruself
Am tabitha i met this guy five months ago we started chatting and became soo close but afraid of meeting him gave many excuses cz i was afraid and did trust him fully cz of my past experiences though he was so sweet and good to me , so i devide to visit him and and had a good time there was a strong connection between us . Later i told him i lied so he got so mad at me that didnt want to see me does text me or call what can i do am depressed angry at myself inreally want him back
I am afraid of losing my family. This fear started about two years ago. Now, even thinking that my big sister is gojng to marry and leave us bring me to tears. It's not about death anymore. But I'm sure that death is the biggest problem. Thinking about how my grandma is so old, and that she might die soon breaks me, literally. I unconsciously imagine dad after losing his mom and my aunts as well, I imagine grandma's siblings after the loss. And the greater, I put myself in that time, like, imagine what would it feel like if she actually died. I don't know if my words make sense, but this fear is just becoming unbearable.
Hi. My bf and I moved very quickly in our relationship,. We haven't even been together 4 months... but in those 4 months, I started college, my grandma died, and my mom got diagnosed with leukemia. I've had so much pain and he's been here with me through it all. I think the craziness is what made our relationship move on. The thing is, all of the craziness is making me feel like he might want to run. How do I mange these feelings? Should I express my fears to him?
Im in a relationship of 7 month with my bf we love wach other i had a night out where i was drunk msg d my ex bf felt so guilty told my bf he was very understanding but since im having anexiety and panic attacks bas thoughts i dont wana lose my bf but in same time as hes far away i m afraid to see him and know that this love is gone , confused of having any feeling left to my ex which is never truly had and im the one who ended it plz help what is that im having horrible panic attacks
I have had fear of loosing my near n dear ones from when i was a kid.These days its started to bother me a lot.I am afraid if something might happen to them when they r travelling or going somewhere with other people.I dont fear my death but i am more worried if something would happen to them.Every time i hear about a death , I tend to imagine myself in that situation and start to worry a lot.It takes away half my happiness and am always worried.I have no idea how to overcome this fear.
For many months now, I have extreme fear of losing my mum and the life I'm having now. My dad passed away for around 7 years and now I only have my mum and elder brother. I don't have a best friend and my mum has been my main pillar of support for every event of my life. I really feel like I will die without her, even as I'm typing this now. I feel suffocated and have a very uncomfortable feeling around my chest just thinking about it. I will always feel like crying and even throwing up sometimes.
Some may say if I can get pass my dad's death, I can get over this as well. But no, I know it will definitely be different from losing my dad. My dad was rather irresponsible; he smoked and slept at home all day, my mum even had to pay for his expenses apart from all the food and bills. There was a time my dad even beat my mum and brother after a quarrel over money. I definitely have a lot of resentment towards my dad, but still I took a very long time to get over his death. If that's the case, I'm not sure if I could even survive without my mum, who sacrifice so much for the family.
Right now, my mum is almost 60 but still works as a house cleaner 7 days a week to support our family since my brother is in the uni now. I'm currently working full time but my salary is not that much to support the whole family and the best I could do is reduce my mum's burden by giving her a huge portion of my salary. I will also help to do as much chores as I could to reduce her work loads. However, I feel like no matter what I do, I will still lose her sooner or later. By the time me and my brother could finally repay her, the time is going to be extremely limited. When I see that my mum is getting so much older and weaker, it just breaks my heart. I know I shouldn't be so negative and should be cherishing all the moments I have with my love ones instead of griefing over the loss of it in advance, and if I focus so much on the bad things I will not be able to enjoy anything at all but I couldn't help it. Whenever we are having a good time, I will always thought of it ending, and true enough, it ends. That greatly contributed to my fear and now this fear has really taken over my life. Each passing day is like a nightmare to me, and it's bringing me closer to the end of happiness by force. I can't sleep at night with all these thoughts of losing. I want to stop that, which is why I'm reading this article and many others related to this issue but it didn't seem to help me.
I really want to live a normal life like how I used to and enjoy every single day of my life, without having the constant fear that is haunting me now.. but I couldn't find any help..
I know how do u feel. I live in this constant fear of losing my dad, my mom n my brother. I am so dependent on them it feels like I'm gonna die if I lose em. My parents are not from a really rich family background they worked hard to provide us a better life. My dad is getting old n live in this constant fear of losing him it's like I would completely break apart if something like that happens. Even now when I am writing this I can't stop crying I'm just working hard for them so that I could repay them with all those things that they provided us with. Even now when I am writing this reply I couldn't stop crying. When I am with them I'm all happy and smiling but when I'm alone I just couldn't stop thinking about this thing that I would lose them someday and I have no clue what would I do when it will actually happen. I don't really get attached to anybody else only because of this reason I don't get indulge into relationships only because of this reason
I chanced upon this article because I do encounter such fear recently. What I learnt help best is to be happy and to enjoy the time spent with them tremendously and dont wait until it's too late. I will seize the day I have with my loved ones and stop bickering about the little stuff. When I get anxious and fear myselfing losing that someone I love, I try to write all the happy things we spent together and are going to spend together. It helps! Try to think positive as much as you can :)
I'm worried about myself and it really scares the hell out me and what could happen please help
My bf told me to order cake for his sister's birthday,I was too late and there's no cake anymore.he told me it was okay but he didn't talk to me..when I text him he replied me but was so cold...I don't want to lose him..I think he was very angry..what will I do?
I have a paralyzing fear of losing my family. Three years ago my dad passed 5 days before my birthday. He was my best friend and had a friendship as well as a father daughter relationship and also the birthday before that, I turned 25, and I specifically told them it was the best birthday I had ever had. They were both happy and came to see me, my husband was there and e erything was perfect so my birthday is always blah..ugh..sad. so I went on a downward spiral and had just taken baby steps to leading a semi-normal life and this was 3 years after his passing! I'm still all to hell. In June of this year I got the call that my cousin passed away, I was again broken. As if it wasn't hard enough my precious, amazing grandmother passed away the day before we buried my cousin. My heart is now in pieces and I'm trying to lead a normal life when another death! I got my baby, puppy, Winni, when I was 15 and I am now 29. I have went from a little girl promising her mom she would take care of it and pay for her all by myself to a 29 year old woman who is married and lives in a totally different city and zip code. My Winni, was my ONLY constant in the crazy life I have lived and now she is gone. She was my child, not my dog. I have had 2 miscarriages and Winni was right there, she was my therapy dog. She got me out of bed, she gave me a purpose, especially in her older years. She was my girl, my ride or die, my soul mate, my baby, the love of my life and she is gone. I literally don't know how to live without her and now I won't have her at my weakest times. I'm so scared and so lost. My family is taking a beating and I'm terrified for what is next.
I also have been diagnosed years ago with severe anxiety and depression and it has gotten unbearable with these deaths. I have trichotillomania, which means that I pull out my hair. I started after dad, three and a half years ago and it has gotten so bad that I won't answer the door or even walk out of my bedroom without makeup on and my eyebrow colored in. It has progressed into skin picking and I have now scarred my face, especially my eyebrow, a lot will never come back. I have very thick eyebrows so it is very noticeable. This OCD, fear of losing everyone I love and to pain we go through has been too much for me and I'm honestly scared I will become an agoraphobe. This is not a life to live. I'm sorry, I felt I had to add that.
Dear Sally,
I hope this article helped you. I know it did help me. I hope that you felt the same peace that I did when it wrote about all of us being connected. We are all just energy. We are made out of molecules that are balls of energy and it is in our brain where we separate ourselves from one another. You said that your way of life is not a way to live. You should be happy that those people in your life are a part of you and influenced and molded you. Their legacy lives on in you. Energy cannot be created or destroyed and you cannot lose the part of you that is them. I hope this brings you peace. Try not to be afraid and go out and spread more love with your husband and new friends! I will pray that things look up for you, Sally.
Much love,
Someone who cares
I too have trichotillomania and had my eyebrows tattooed on ($400) by a process called microblading. It has been one of the best decisions I have made. Do research your research before choosing. I would advise meditating.
Sally I am so sorry. I can completely relate to you, as i have had a very similar series of events. My thoughts are with you, i promise you will be okay. Sending lots of love your way
I needed this article, thank you everyone for sharing your experiences. Much love and peace be with you, Godbless!
I have always feared of loosing my best friend . I have no idea how to deal with it . She no doubt loves me alot but whenever she makes new friends i m like why she is talking to someone else . I have never been so closed to someone else except her . I dont even like to socialize after I have met her. I hate talking to people for long time . I want her whole attention all the time but obviously this is impossible . Please tell me what should I do to overcome all this
I lost my mom suddenly 6 months ago. She was in the hospital, but was doing well, about to be discharged. I was talking to her on the phone that morning, and a couple hours later a nurse was asking me what my mother's last wishes were. She was gone in the next 10 minutes as I dropped to my knees begging God not to take my Mom. We had plans to see each other with in the next month, T Thanksgiving and Christmas were coming. My granddaughter, her great granddaughter was about to turn 3 and was talking like crazy. She was about to meet her one month old great grandson for the first time. How can she be gone? I miss her so much it hurts. I middle thru most days, push down the tears, seem happy most of the time. But some days, like today, i can't hide it and i cry uncontrollably. How can i get thru the rest of my life without seeing her if 6 months is this hard? My granddaughter is 3 , and anytime I'm not with her, if she goes vto her other Grandmothers or goes shopping with my daughter in law, I have this fear that something awful is going to happen, a car wreck, a stranger taking her, something awful. Then I'm paralyzed with fear and worry thst the last time I saw her will be it. Did I play with her enough, was I patient enough with her, does she know how much I love her, that I would do anything to protect her and keep her safe.........i worry and grey till I know she's ok. I'm drained, anxious, depressed, and don't know what to do. I want to call my mom and I can't. I feel like I have no control over anything.
I’m only 11 but my mamas died last year and she took care of me, and she was a healthy happy 48 year old and then she got in a car wreck bc a semi truck stopped in the middle of the road. Now I’m terrified of loosing my papaw. I don’t even want him to drop me off at school bc I’m afraid he’ll wreck on the way to work. Idk what to do, I feel like god is mad at me for something. Can someone please tell me how to fix this?
God is not mad at you. He loves you dearly. I just that sometimes bad things happen to good people because we all have free will.
I’m sorry you lost your mother, I lost mine too but I’m much older. It’s hard at any age but harder to understand when you’re younger. Just know you’re truly and deeply loved by your Father in Heaven. Focus on Him and your pain will lessen over time.
Hello there,
So since young I have a fear of having people to leave. I have been to funerals of my dad's brother, his step mother, my grand aunt and recently to my grandmother's. Their death were all very sudden for me and I used to not know what death was to be honest. I am diagnosed with Anxiety and mild depression but I never told the doctor that I am actually just suffering from fear of losing people around me. Currently, friends and relatives have left me and its an on going cycle for me. And all I have left was my family. I realised that I began to rather stay at home than to go to school because I know my family will return home. But now, I am even fearing what if they don't come back one day. It keeps me up at night every night and caused me insomnia. I have no idea how many times have I broken down in tears this year just fearing the lost of them one day. I was so stuck with myself and could not move on and yet I am also afraid of my family having to leave me. Its like I rather die than to have them leave me but I feel so guilty when I think about suicide because I will be the one leaving my family behind. I felt like I shouldn't be thinking such things and I feel that if anything, I don't want my family to suffer but I don't want them to leave me too. I feel so horrible and lost. Please tell me what should I do or at least advise me on something.
Dear Jodi.i just come across this blog because I'm having great anxiety over losing loved ones,the last four years I have lost 7 people in my famiy,my grandma,my two nephews,my brother in law,my brother,then my mom,my dds passed years ago,anyway when someone I love leaves to travel I go into extreme worry and fret,i have never felt like this before until th epassing of my mom last year with cancer,its only been four years from losing all this people in my life,i ws so so close to my mom and brother,i am in grief counseling but these feelings just seem to overwhelm me and my counselor said its common to feel this separation anxiety but I am having time coping,its only for a few days but feels so scary.i am normally a level headed intelligent person but emotions are strong with this grief.thank you,shari
I once had an panic attack during school because my best friend started yell I'm at me and told me she doesn't like me and doesn't wanna be friends anymore and at that time I wasn't 13 now I mean 14 and it sad because I don't remember my panic attack Just the first 3 seconds
"People are afraid it is too late. It is never too late. Even if someone dies–the relationship–the influence goes on, and so we can do something. As long as the "relationship" is there, we can mold it, and make new meaning around it. (Meaning that includes connection rather than loss. Meaning that includes positive self identity of love and caring.)
This makes all the difference in how we feel: bereft or connected."
That doesn't make sense to me. The loved one is gone. The relationship is over.
Hi, I am in relationship and I am afraid of losing him after we move on after completion of course : After one year. I am so afraid ... It haunts me ... because we both are not ready to commit. But it's this anxiety is just not going. I talked to my bf and he promised that we will be friends. It's just something is making me worried and I am not able to relax. I already have depression issues. Please help.
Hi, I am in relationship and I am afraid of losing him after we move on after completion of course : After one year. I am so afraid ... It haunts me ... because we both are not ready to commit. But it's this anxiety is just not going. I talked to my bf and he promised that we will be friends. It's just something is making me worried and I am not able to relax. I already have depression issues. Please help
Hi Jodi, please reply me.
I am a new mom of 3montgs boy. We were so happy in our 4years marriage n then being parents, suddenly everything changed. My spouse got a brain stroke after a week of my delivery. He is mostly recovered now but still has clot in brain. He is just 33 and our parenthood just started. I m always worried abt him, that I may loose him.. Can't think of living without him..please tell me how to be positive here..
Hi, I was in the same situation as yourself many years ago. My husband and father of my three kids had a stroke when my youngest son was 2. He was only 33. I should mention that I had worried about things happening to him before it did. This was just my anxiety though, you may also be suffering from post natal depression, even if it’s only mild it can still exasperate your fear. My husband stroke was bad, however he lived for years, he eventually died of something totally unrelated. Just remember that you cannot change anything by worrying. I learned that the hard way, and at the time controlled my panic by drinking too much. I am currently going through a depression and anxiety spell, I seem to get this each year around spring time. Please don’t worry, everything is as it should be. Xxx
Hi Dr Aman,
I have been in a relationship for 4 1/2 mos nkw. My anxiety has gotten to a breaking point of realization, that I deal with anxiety. My boyfriend has been receiving the bad part of it. I have been approaching him about this almost daily, trying to explain to him how it has taken over me and tried to show him that I am getting educated on it through self help podcasts . I continously fear that talking to him has now pushed him away emotionally and drained him . What can I do?
My sister and me are going through the fear of losing our mom in the next couple of years. I've learned to embrace life and love the people around me to the fullest, but my sister is running from it. She doesn't want to face what may happen and she's letting the fear consume and control her.
I have several afflictions, severe ptsd, severe anxiety are some. I finally found someone worth to marry and be with. He is younger than I. In the past few years I thought I almost lost him, doctors were baffled about his seizures that just started. I pushed his neurologist at the emergency room to test him sleeping. We found out he had sleep apnea which I already knew he had. Tests then shows his lung capacity is very low and oxygen levels. The last emergency room visit really scared me. I believe he died and came back when paramedics arrived. Because he had such a low oxygen level resuscitation doesn’t work. I could see the fear in the paramedics eyes when working on him...... This was Nov 2018 and now May 2019 I still don’t feel confident enough he will be ok .... his cpap machine is working but he has to wear it 8 hours a night and when he doesn’t have it on long enough I notice changes in him ... I should be feeling relieved and thankful to have him but I cannot get this fear of loosing him out of my mind. I am afraid to see him die.. I wonder if my own afflictions amplify my emotions to where I panic constantly something is wrong... Luckily he has not had paramedics or emergency room visits this year but I am still afraid... so much that I even thought about running away because I don’t think I can bare it and would loose myself.. I love him deeply and still I stay because I am also worried about him taking care of.... He loves me deeply and I am lucky to have such a wonderful husband. It’s everyone’s dream to find someone who is good and connect in a way that no one else can. I have found him ... A needle in the haystack is what he is. Why can’t I just be happy?
I haven't thought of it like that. You've shown me a new perspective and a way to cope with my situation. Thank you very much for posting this.
I´ve lost plenty things.
True loves.
Pets who were more close than brothers.
Dreams.
Best friends who were some of the few who understood me.
And so I meet this woman who is everything I´ve ever wanted in a woman.
And reading you guys helps me see that those who we have lost things, also fear.
I’m so terrified to lose my grandpa. Sometimes late at night I will catch myself thinking about the day he won’t be with me anymore I can’t even stand the thought of it. I will bawl my eyes out just thinking about it. I’m so terrified of losing him.
I used to think the same thing when I was younger. I’m older now and my grandpa did pass, it was incredibly painful but I got through it and I still feel him with me now more than ever.