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 too have quite bad health anxiety which I have under control now that I'm on medication, I also had CBT which I found to be incredibly useful.

I don't read or watch the news at all anymore, I'm completely out the loop with what is going on anywhere in the world. I know for some people they'd be shocked at how little I know about current affairs but it's about protecting myself and not projecting my anxiety onto my kids.

Before my meds I was terrified to let anyone even hold my kids nevermind take them away, on the news at that time was some terrorist attacks with vehicles and I would scroll Twitter and various news outlets endlessly. I was terrified someone would take my kids a walk in their pram and some terrorist would run them over. I stopped with the news after that (and when I'd been seen by my GP) and that was 5 years ago.

I'd say turn off the news, don't check the news sites, don't go looking for anything on it. You might think you're being prepared but you're torturing your mind thinking of the what ifs. You're worrying now about something that might never happen, if something did happen (and I mean this I'm relation to anything youre worried about) then you'll worry again anyway! Don't waste precious time and energy on it.

You can DM me if you like, I got a ton of really useful tips from my therapist that I still use very regularly to keep my anxiety in check.

Thank you so much everyone, you honestly have no idea how much this thread has helped!

I have been prescribed Setraline for my anxiety but the GP said that it can make it worse before it gets better and I'm not sure how I'd even cope with that so have avoided them.

You're all totally right. I've blocked BBC News from my search engine and will block the Facebook page lol.

I started on Sertraline. I'm on my third type now and this one finally works the best, I didn't have any increase in anxiety but did have other side effects. They take about 6 weeks to fully kick in so if you do have increased anxiety you'll know it's short term, plus the GP is always there if it becomes too much and might recommend another type.

I feel the same

Yes it is awful and if you were in the Ukraine (which I presume you are not) I could understand your fears. When we have children we are on high-alert for them all the time because we love them so much. However, I’m trying to say this kindly but you need to be rational here and take on board the previous posts. The tension between Russia and the Ukraine has been ongoing for a very long time- this is not a new situation. Papers sensationalise everything as does the news so perhaps take a break from it. Finally, we have moved on a long way since the 1940s- evacuation as it was then would never happen now. Try to take deep breaths and be calm- your children will sense your anxiety about this and that won’t be helpful. Things are always worse at night, too- I hope you feel better in the morning.

Putin is not a good man but as others have said, he's not insane. There won't be a nuclear war, I'm inclined to think there won't be anything other than the aforementioned willy waggling. If there is, it will be cyber/around fuel.

I lived though a fair bit of the Cold War and MAD was an often mentioned thing. It is 'Mutually Assured Destruction' and it was first posited in the '60s. It sounds horrible, it is a horrible idea, but oddly, it keeps us safe, because no one is going to go there, because it is unwinnable.

This kind of stuff panics me to the same extent and has since I can remember. I mute everything on all my social media to do with this kind of stuff and refuse to pay any attention. I find being blissfully ignorant helps keep me calmer. I hope you manage to feel a bit better soon, I can fully appreciate how horrid it feels to panic this much over it x

Despite what the Western media portray, Putin is not thick, far from it in fact. I'm no fan of the man but he's not irrational. Now if Trump were still president, I'd be digging a bunker. But really, this is all just posturing. There will be no nuclear war over a conflict in the Ukraine.

OP, sounds like you would benefit from some talking therapies as well as meds. Have you spoken to your GP about this?

@bubble321

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)

Because the West hates Russia and need to keep that fire burning. Haven't seen any invasions so far, have you?

Also serves as a good distraction from other issues a little closer to home.

Honestly, you have all helped me massively!

@RoseRedRoseBlue I've been referred for CBT, just a bit of a wait I believe. Thank you x

Hard to keep away from news when it flashes up on your phone (BBC notification).

I've felt sick since I read that when I woke up about 40 mins ago. When we were kids in the 70s, our main fear was Russia pressing the red button.

I'm thinking of deleting the BBC app now. Can anyone recommend a non scare mongering news app?

Nuclear war isn't happening, no point being rich and powerful in a toxic wasteland. Media fucking loves the drama, Ukraine doesn't seem that bothered, its ridiculous. Stop watching the news, if ww3 is imminent I'm pretty sure it won't pass you by.

This is the first thread that has helped ease my panic. Since being a child in the 80s I've suffered anxiety about war (well, anxiety about lots of things!)

I find it really hard to step away from the news because I'm reading it to try and reassure myself. My panic was a bit overwhelming this morning. My DH also is a bit doomy, and yesterday when I talked to him he basically just said I think you're right to feel anxious, which sent me into another heart racing anxiety spiral.

Anyway, will really try and keep away from my phone today. Thanks all.

I remember this feeling as a child, my parents watched and listened to the news a lot. It was the 80s so my fear was aids, nuclear stuff, then later bird flu, swine flu, after which I stopped worrying

@Featuredcreature

Nuclear war isn't happening, no point being rich and powerful in a toxic wasteland. Media fucking loves the drama, Ukraine doesn't seem that bothered, its ridiculous. Stop watching the news, if ww3 is imminent I'm pretty sure it won't pass you by.

Please do not insult the whole country by writing that Ukraine is not bothered. I live in Ukrainian capital, Kyiv and many my friends and colleages have back-up plans where to go in case of the full-scale invasion, our children are taught what to do during bombing in schools. Yeah, life goes on and it is 8 years of "not bothering" but the last several weeks were really scary like it is 2014-2015 again and no one knows what will "sane and pragmatic Putin" do. It slowly destroys soul knowing that Ukraine has a "sane" northern neighbour like Russia that can begin war any moment.

@TheUnquestionedAnswer

Hard to keep away from news when it flashes up on your phone (BBC notification).

I've felt sick since I read that when I woke up about 40 mins ago. When we were kids in the 70s, our main fear was Russia pressing the red button.

I'm thinking of deleting the BBC app now. Can anyone recommend a non scare mongering news app?

I've just deleted my news apps and any news source from social media. I'm really not coping

@ThePlantsitter

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

That’s because he was in bed with Putin. Knowledge is your friend.

...well not really in that case

In fact this while thread is about knowledge not really always being your friend!

gordianknott I cant imagine how scary it must be for you all in Kyiv right now. I heard on the radio some interviews with people living in Kyiv at the moment and they seemed calm and pragmatic. It is a lot to cope with though - I do hope things calm down soon.

@Indiaplain

gordianknott I cant imagine how scary it must be for you all in Kyiv right now. I heard on the radio some interviews with people living in Kyiv at the moment and they seemed calm and pragmatic. It is a lot to cope with though - I do hope things calm down soon.

Thanks for you kind words. It is really calm and life goes on as usual, all people go to work as usual, children to school, all the cinemas, restaurants, shops are open and full of people. There is just everyday worry not knowing what comes tomorrow, if today is the last day of comparative peace and stability, and now I am talking about cities far from the occupied territories, because there is often shelling on Donbass and Ukrainian soldiers have been dying every month for the last eight years. So war never stopped, it is just localized for now.

Will be politics and maybe some local warfare sadly. It's all about the money. Oligarchs don't want their lifestyles upset and wars are v.expensive

How can it all be about money when ukraine as a state and Ukrainian oligarchs as well lose money partly because of the corruption and partly because no sane business would invest in a war-torn country. Or do you mean Russian oligarchs?

Sorry I haven't read the full thread but want to give my ideas. I felt like this has been going on for ages. BJ was getting so much shit about his parties and that he should leave. He needed a distraction in the media and so this was ' bigged up' ti draw attention away from him. Also the general public may think 'yes he's a selfish twat who likes to party but he'd be stronger than the labour alternatives in a serious war'.