UPSET THAT PARENTS WILL DIE ONE DAY

Dear Coleen

I know this sounds ridiculous and so dramatic, but recently I’ve been thinking about the fact that my parents are inevitably going to die one day and it really upsets me.

It keeps me awake at night, I can’t concentrate in class and, on occasions, I have left the house and had to turn back because I’ve thought about it and got really emotional.

I’m 16 and it might be because of other big changes that have happened around me recently, but I just can’t shake off the fear of it and it breaks my heart just thinking about it. They’re not elderly, but obviously are getting older and I appreciate them so much.

Do you have any advice on how to manage these thoughts? Maybe I need help with how to deal with grief. I don’t know, I’m just really overtaken by it all at the moment and not sure what to do.

Coleen says I think most people go through this stage at some point. When I was about your age, thinking about death generally used to keep me awake at night, too.

Sixteen is a tough age – you’re a young adult now and starting to see the world differently and it’s all part of growing up. But you have to tell yourself that you’ll be able to deal with it when it happens – hopefully after your parents have had a long and happy life.

And don’t be scared to tell your parents how you’re feeling. I’m sure they probably went through a similar stage when they were younger too.

I also found distraction was a good tool. Even if it’s the middle of the night, put on the light and read a book or watch something until you relax and fall asleep.