Hi, LazyMum. I have also experienced bouts of existential depression since I was very young (about 3, I think). Since you've been through it yourself I imagine you can already guess what might be triggering this crisis, how she might feel and how to help her cope over the years.
When I reflect as an adult about what scared me when I was a child I think that my fear was partially due to:
-I could not imagine what being dead is like, so I always though of it as being alone, in the dark... and alive.
-I understood that as I was growing up my parents were growing older, and I felt guilty and sad.
-I realized that my parents missed the times when I was little, and I felt painfully sorry for them.
-I didn’t like change and was afraid of the future.
So maybe you could explore how she thinks being dead is like, and also make death less of a tabu: try to make jokes about it, make it a household item so that it doesn’t look so scary.
Also, reassure her that you are happy that she is growing up and that you look forward to the future. I love reading science and technology stuff and imaginig how new developments might make our lives better, so that the march of time has at least a silver lining.
Last edited by Isabel; 11/08/18 06:21 AM.
