Is anyone else just finding it's all too much lately? Everything seems to be becoming so unstable.

[GrogusMam]

I've always had anxiety, so maybe it's that playing up but it just feel like the whole world is starting to crumble.

The price of living. Basic shopping. Everything is so expensive. Covid still hanging over us. Everything and everyone seems unsettled and on the edge of... something. I don't know how to explain it.

It feels like I felt the UK today was too progressive for us to be in such an awful place but it's all just been a false sense of security

@happydaze

Part of the problem is we’ve become too blasé about cheap energy, cheap credit, cheap clothes, cheap everything really and the reality is it’s only in the last 30 years or so this has become the norm … it’s become easy to flick a switch and have heat, light, without a thought to the cost or consequences …. Maybe we have to accept that this time of consumerism is now gone and we may have to readjust expectations.

This 100%. I also found pre covid holidays abroad twice a year were the norm for many, eating out, take aways a few times a week... Myself include.. This is not possible now. It's shit but my family need to really tighten our belts now.

my husband has been watching a lot of programmes recently about strange things in the sky that might be beings from outer space. Normally I'd totally poo poo these, even though husband says some of the sightings have been by more than one airplane pilot....ie supposedly mentally sound people.

But i think because of covid this has worried me. I think my brain is saying, 3 years ago who thought we would be locked up at least 3 times for months on end? If thats possible what else is possible?

The world feels like a scary place to be at the moment, the big stuff is worrying (war, covid, climate change etc) but it's the things I'm seeing around me that scare me most. Crime, particularly violent crime in my area and the lack of police resources/response, it feels almost lawless around here sometimes. The difficulty in getting medical treatment, people waiting hours for ambulances, then hours to get out of the ambulance and into hospital, then more hours for treatment, cancelled ops and cancer treatments and the fact that few people can see a GP. Add that to the rising energy and food prices and the sheer number of people already struggling and yes, it feels like everything is crumbling.

Yes it just seems to be one crap thing and bit of bad news after the other with no recovery period in between. The pandemic has been collectively very stressful, and it's unfortunate for our country that this coincided with Brexit which has bought division stress and was always going to result in a lower standard of living. I personally find having a lying untrustworthy Prime Minister is very stressful too. I think everything would feel easier if grown ups were in charge not self serving liars, who are adding to the chaos. Definitely not who I want leading the country if there is a war. Just this week storms and the Queen now has covid. I think we all want a quiet 'normal' period.

Governments all around the world did pump paper money into their economies with the nice-sounding "quantitive easing". Prices rising and asset instability is just economic chickens coming home to roost. First rule of economics: nothing comes for free.

Crime rising because people don't feel connected to communities any more. Our communities stopped functioning when people were given the very clear message in the eighties that the only thing that mattered was what you earned and what you consumed.

Social instability comes from social media. Now spreading information/mis-information is very low-cost. Angry mobs are pretty easy to rustle up these days.

The social contract only works if the contracting parties do what they say they're going to. Working people are happy to pay taxes if they have a job, a place to live and a reasonable expectation of receiving health/social care when they need it. The contract breaks down when people don't see reciprocity.

We have become accustomed to living a relatively peaceful and comfortable life in the UK. It's not brilliant for everyone but compared to many parts of the world it is immeasurably good.

Many people in other countries have never experienced peace, stability, fresh clean water, enough food etc.

I lived in fear of The Bomb in the 80s and refuse to do so again.

I recommend looking into daoism and a duvet day/weekend. Turning off the news! Whenever I find myself living in my head too much these strategies really help.

Yes I used to joke about moving to another country when the weather got me down. However this is the first time In my life I would do it if I didn't have elderly relatives to think about.

The food shopping is depressing me when I think of the amazing French supermarkets and the choice available. Climate aside I hate the current government, the NHS is shot to bits including GP's and dentists. All of the pro's of the UK for me are slowly slipping away.
I know I know we are fortunate in so many ways but it just feels like a real slog at the moment.
Yes we have got used to cheaper goods and food but our wages aren't going up to allow us to spend more on better quality.

That we can't even easily move anywhere any more after Brexit is one of the things that depresses me most! Dreadful that it has coincided with this country going downhill rapidly.

Surely petrol food and fuel increases are international and not exclusive to here.

Though I know France does enjoy much cheaper homes plus larger too. They have the space after all.

A friend emigrated to NZ and electricity is extortionate there.

@mjf981

Everyone who feels this way should turn off the news. Delete social media. Get out for walks. Volunteer at a shelter. Meet up with family. I’m not being flippant, but I think the media catastrophizes everything these days, and having 24/7 access to it doesn’t help.

Main concerns are cost of living, and climate change. Spend 10 mins a day thinking of ways you can improve your lot, and then try to put it out of you mind and get on with living your life.

I second this advice. Media catastrophises constantly and you’re already suffering from a sunshine deficit. Disconnect from the rat race a while and you will feel better.

Some people have it bad right now, but the majority are living, eating and generally gelingt better on pretty much every measure than in the past. So we should work to raise up those who need us, and try to ignore those pushing ever increasing consumption and pressure.