Anxiety THROUGH THE ROOF - Russia

[bubble321]

Hi all, extremely sorry if this isn't the best section to post in but oh my gosh. I've just got the children to bed and cannot stop shaking and crying. My anxiety is sky high. I am so terrified of a world war 3 happening and I can't shake the idea. I've just pictured sending my kids off to be evacuated and keep having break downs. Aware to most people this probably seems OTT but I suffer with quite extreme health anxiety as it is. I have extremely minimal knowledge with all this talk on war etc. How likely do you think a nuclear war is? If I read a post like this from someone else I would be but I really don't know where else to worry/ look for reassurance

I suffer from anxiety and I remember feeling like this about 5 years ago and it was the same thing with Russia and Ukraine. I was terrified. I've now cope by not reading the news and I remember posting similar to what you just have and a poster told me things like this had been going on for years and years. It's really hard but soon there will be something new taking over the news.

if it happens i struggle to think of a safe place to send kids....there will be no evacuation plan!

if it descends to nuclear wr then theres no point to worrying

Nuclear war is absolutely not on the cards, OP. This is a lot of posturing and willy-waving which will, at the very worst, affect Ukrainians and Russians. It's awful for them, but the worst case scenario for us is the odd cyber-attack, or wonky energy prices for a bit.

Posted similar yesterday & I got flamed.. I'm seriously worried especially after seeing putin with the Belarus president & Brazilian president yesterday...

I have family who work in the MOD and they are all pretty chilled. I have a friend who is Ukrainian and neither she nor her family who still live out there are falling apart over this.

I would stay away from the papers, particularly the really sensationalist ones.

Step away from media / papers / news

Do something you enjoy

Find a mindfulness app / website / video and do some meditation.

Repeat until your anxiety decreases.

@Southerngal5

Posted similar yesterday & I got flamed.. I'm seriously worried especially after seeing putin with the Belarus president & Brazilian president yesterday...

hmm yes. bit of a red flag there

I'm so sorry you have such high anxiety. That must be so hard to live with.

I agree stepping away from media headlines. They are designed to be sensationalist.

Russia like to Willy wave. But they so love power. They will not start something they can't win and so they won't set off nuclear weapons. They gain no power from that.

How likely do you think a nuclear war is?

Putin wants what he wants, but he isn't an irrational man in the sense that he would initiate a nuclear war. Highly, highly unlikely.

Thank you everyone. This has really calmed me down massively Why do the media like to scaremonger so much? I was never like this before having my babies, I was really quite chilled. It's so hard to live with and a daily battle (I know there are people with far, far worse problems than I)

I keep telling myself - I notice they didn't do this when Trump was president...

You can't win a nuclear war. It won't happen. Putin is posturing. Granted, his posturing is more impressive than sayyyyy, Boris. But nuclear war will only happen via accident or a truly mad leader. Putin isn't mad.

And what are you going to do if you get the three minute warning? There is fuck all you can do, apart from take your family and head for the epicentre so you don't suffer.

Anxiety is shit.
We have to trust that any sort of full scale conflict isn't where anyone wants to go.
The Men will Willy Wave, because that's what they do.
F*ing testosterone fuelled crap.

I too am scared. I keep obsessively checking the news. I feel like I need to know what’s happening.

For what's worth, I think it's highly unlikely. They'd sooner let them have Ukraine and Biden has done everything to signal that US troops will not be being deployed to defend the border. If you go back and read his record on foreign wars, you'll see he is not keen to enter. Only if the US enters would nuclear option be on the table. Ukraine has no nukes, having famously given them up on Russia's word that it would not be an aggressor.

@bubble321

I’m exactly the same as you, especially since having wee ones too. Right to avoid the papers and media as they like to scaremonger, from what I’ve read it’s between Russia and ukraine

I really don't think we will have a nuclear war ,I think we were far more at risk during the 80,s ,nobody wants a nuclear war it's not in anyone's interest

@bubble321 they scaremonger like this simply because it sells papers/ hits their viewing targets. The media serve to make money and will do whatever it takes to do so. They care little for the truth.

There'll be no nuclear war. I've lived through a non-nuclear war. It's shit of course but also parts of life tend to go on almost as normal. The pandemic lockdowns did remind me of it in a way. All I'm saying is whatever happens, you'll surprise yourself with how strong you are when you need to be. Also, a lot of strength comes from knowing you're not alone in this situation. War affects the whole society. There's no point in stressing over things you have no control over. Whatever happens you'll deal with it.

My concern is not war but that putin could do something to affect gas/oil supply

It's the whole uncertainty, I think the only guarantee will be increasing inflation, fuel & energy costs.. We will all be affected by this.. I think cyber attacks & hacking will be more likely, if say the banks, transport & energy will be the likely targets. Have cash to hand & keep a full tank I guess... Who knows but I don't want to keep my head in the sand..

I spent a lot of the 80s worrying about a nuclear war. I refuse to start worrying again but I completely understand your anxiety.

This week I was speaking to a Ukrainian work associate and even he was fairly chilled.

There won't be a nuclear war. There won't even be a European war. Although there might be some fighting on the Ukraine borders. Putin is intelligent and sane, and knows it's not in his interests to start a war with other powers.
Get on with your life and stop reading the news.

I have had lots of periods of my life spent anxiously obsessing over things that I couldn't control and that never actually happened. Lots of people become more anxious when they become mothers - it changes your brain. But wasting your life worrying is pointless (I know it is easier said than done to stop!). I got help for my anxiety, focussed on other things, stopped looking on the Internet for the things I was obsessed about (the whole process of trying to seek reassurance is a vicious circle as you need distraction not constant reminders!). I can't tell you for sure that all will be ok (although I doubt very much there will be a big war) but I can tell you that you can help yourself stop feeling anxious. Focus on your family and friends, get a hobby, get some help for your anxiety if it is overwhelming (I don't do medication but counselling worked well for me), avoid the news (in fact the internet altogether if you can!) and remember that this sort of thing happens all the time and for us lucky people in the UK it very rarely affects us at all. It will be ok.