Is death really the end?

After realizing church wasn't true, the concept of death scares me. When I was a believer, I clung onto the idea that death wasn't the end. Now that I'm out and I find it hard to believe in God or religion at all, the afterlife seems made up.

How do you cope with the feeling that death is the end? I have so many people I love and care about and I now I have panic attacks thinking of never seeing them again.

Are there any books, podcasts or media that may help?