people

When I was young I understood that people died in one of two ways: either through old age or some terrible accident or disease. However, I thought that once someone had a mid-life crisis, they knew *exactly* what age they would die by simply doubling however old they were when it happened. It made sense at the time, and indeed until I was probably 11 or 12 years old.

Michael

When I was around 5 or 6, I saw part of some police procedural tv movie, and the victim had died from a "blow to the back of the head". For at least a year or two afterwards, I thought that if someone blew on the back of your head, you could die. It affected me enough that I could not fall asleep on my side, with the back of my head exposed.

Vincent Kargatis

i used to believe that people didn't die but decided to spend the rest of forever underground in a dark casket. Also, if one dead person wanted another person's casket because theirs was nicer, they would have dead person fights in the less nice casket and the winner moved to the nice casket.

Anon

When I was little my parents pointed out the gravestones in a graveyard and explained that it was where people had been buried. I didn't realise they meant people were buried in the ground, I thought people were literally buried in the headstones. For years, everytime I walked through a graveyard I'd try to figure out how they could possibly fit a body inside them (surely dead people weren't that skinny!). I was particularly baffled by how it was possible with the simple cross shaped gravestones. I felt so ridiculous when I finally found out the truth.

Kirsty

When my uncle died, my mom told me that we should keep him in our thoughts and prayers; that now, he could watch over us, all the time. I was so scared that he could see me when I took a shower or went to the bathroom.

Anon

When I was about 3 years old, and my parents took me to the cemetery to visit the family graves, it gave me a queer feeling when I was told that our loved ones were underground. I pictured them being trapped down there, and I had a sense that they were aware of my walking around on the ground above them. I thought that if I stepped on their tombstone they would be mad at me and psychically shout, "Hey, don't step on my stone!" Also, when my mom or dad pulled out the water can for the flowers from its hole in the ground, I dared not to look into the hole, thinking that the dead relative would be looking back up at me. I also thought that if you stuck your hand in the hole they would grab your hand from below.

DeeDub

When I was little I believed that people only died at night. So, I'd sleep with my light on thinking that I'd die if it was turned off. I only thought I was safe if someone else was there, like a friend. Until one night when it was lightning and the lights went off, I panicked for awhile and went to sleep at 6 a.m. when I found out I was still alive.

Melissa

my older brother told me that if i didnt clean every bit of dirt out of the prints on my feet, i'd die

chel

My parents didn't get married until I was 4 and my brother was 8. One day my aunt was taking care of us and I asked my borther where my parents were. He said they were getting married, but I thought he said 'buried' and cried until they came home because I thought they were dead.

Greg

I used to believe that I was certain to be hit by a car and killed while wearing a red polka-dotted dress at the age of 19. However, this fear didn't stop me from also worrying that I would randomly die in my sleep.

Mariah

When I was around five my grandma died. I had refused to give her a kiss goodbye the previous night and for a long time I believed that she died because of that.

Barb

I used to believe that a street sign that read "Dead End" meant that there were dead people buried there.

Anon

When our pet bird died I saw a cloud shaped like a bird. The same thing happened with my dog, so I thought you became a cloud when you died.

Vicky

I thought that when I got older "they" would invent a cure for death and I could live forever.

wishful thinking

I used to think that if you got run over by a car your body would just go all flat and all you could do was lie there in the street.

Mr. Mastodon Farm

I once heard the story of Rip Van Winkle and from then on I thought the reason they wrote R.I.P. on gravestones was because the people were sleeping.

Solan

My dad used to think that "R.I.P." on a tombstone stood for Rip Van Winkle because dead people are "sleeping" for a long time.

Erika

I used to think that the people that died in action movies wanted to give up their life so they really died.....

Diandra

I remember running into my mum and dad's room when I was little, bawling my eyes out saying I couldn't sleep. They asked me why and I replied "Mummy, what will happen to Rosie (my doll) when I die?"

Anon

my grandad died 2 years before i was born so i never got to see him, but all through my life ive believed that he can see me and everything i do. so when i done something wrong i would hit myself and apologise for my bad behaviour.

randombeliever