Is anyone NOT feeling anxious about world events?

[youhadmeatjello]

Just curious. My anxiety is out of hand at the moment so I feel like everyone must be terrified and full of dread also, but wondered if that’s actually the case?

Those who say they don't worry about things they can't control, how do you manage that?

I allow myself an hour of worry. I go full scale, think of all the worst case scenarios, do anything I can to reduce risk in the circumstances I can control, and that makes me a lot calmer.

For instance I think what if we get bombed/ a storm comes/somebody accidently cuts a pipe and the power gets cut, so I have a bag (I've had it for years, not just for this) with a hand cranked radio and torch, a lighter, candles, other torches and batteries, a first aid kit a couple of charged powerbanks and other bits and pieces that I would need in that event. I also keep spare duvets and blankets.

I always keep the house stocked with enough food like noodles and tinned stuff for about 4-6 weeks (this is actually because I'm a single parent and I worry if something happened that made me unable to go shopping for a week or 2).

I really don't think I'll ever need my emergency bag, but it makes me feel more in control of things, and my food supply came in very handy during the first weeks of covid when shelves were bare, I used things in my house and didn't contribute to the shortages.

Do something about the things you can do something about, everything else isn't worth stressing about because it isn't in our control.

@DoorLion I ask myself, what are the possible outcomes here? If the thing I'm worried about happens, will my worrying have helped? No. If the thing I'm worried about doesn't happen, think of all that wasted worry! It's not that I'm closing my eyes to the seriousness of the situation, it's that I just don't see any point in worrying about it.

Those who say they don't worry about things they can't control, how do you manage that? I don't find that worry/fear is a tap that can be turned on and off

I don’t think it’s a tap to be turned on and of, there’s a discipline involved. I’m used to going from very risky, serious issues in work to moving to something less serious, I simply couldn’t hold all of that in my mind and function. I’ve learned to focus on what I can influence and not focus on the things I can’t. In terms of the current issues in Ukraine, I keep myself informed about what’s happening, give myself space to think about it and then put it away in a mental “box”. I don’t do 24 hour news, don’t spend time watching some of the distressing footage etc because while I can (and do) have every sympathy for the people involved I can’t change things for them in any meaningful way.

I think some of the crying, shaking, fearful responses on here are pretty extreme and may point to wider underlying anxieties for the people concerned. I also think at times social media compels us towards more extreme reactions - almost like you don’t care unless you’re unable to function with grief or anxiety. I do care, but I have worries closer to home that need me to be able to do the things I need to do, that’s where I focus my attention most of the time.

I’m distressed and upset for the Ukrainians but not the slightest but worried about myself.

I am worried about what my children are feeling. There's a lot of talk at school. Other than that, I have a niggling anxiety which I have partitioned off in my brain so that I can just get on with what's in front of me. The images on the news are terrible, but I feel deep sympathy for those poor people, rather than anxiety.

I'm not feeling anxious about this.

I have other things a lot closer to home in my personal life to think about and get on with.

I am concerned about what is going on and feel terrible for the Ukrainians stuck dealing with what is going on, but I am not worried about myself of my family.

I'm not anxious. Nor is anyone I know. Or if they are they're not saying it.

I really don't see the point in being anxious about things that I'm too insignificant to have any control over. If the world ends tomorrow, it ends tomorrow and there's fuck all I can do about it. I will enjoy the time that I'm here. I'm in control of my own emotions, not the other way round. I've always been like that though.

Fear and hope are two sides of the same coin.

Choose hope.

Me. I feel terribly sad for those actually affected though.

For those asking how to turn off the worry tap, try reading the stoics.

Ryan holiday offers a modern, accessible entry point.

Stoicism

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoicism

I have stressful events in my own life right now so I'm avoiding all detail on news events.
I'm focussing on crafting. I need to get outside walking every day and talking with friends. These three things have a noticeable impact on dampening my anxiety.
Plus avoiding caffeine most of the day.

I too worried about war in the 80s. My dad back then calmed me down. I'm now in his role with my own children.

@ElIie

I’m distressed and upset for the Ukrainians but not the slightest but worried about myself.

This, plus the fact that me worrying will help no one. I know anxiety is irrational but I find it useful to channel my thoughts that way.

l think its understandable that this awful situation will create alot of anxiety. l don 't feel anxious but appreciate plenty of others will be,.as was the same with covid.
l just carry on as normal,.l am aware of what is happening but don't follow the news or social media reporting of it, this is not a recent thing, l stopped following the news years ago. l have suffered with anxiety and panic attacks when younger, so have kind of trained myself to be aware of my thoughts and the feelings they can create, fearful thinking is non productive.

I haven't read the full thread so maybe this has been mentioned before. Have you heard of the Serenity Prayer?

God grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change;

Courage to change the things I can;

And wisdom to know the difference.

I'm not anxious. It is what it is. Nothing we can do to change it. If i worry it's about my children being at school and me not being able to get to them if something happened, I used to check the news and SM every morning first thing but I don't anymore. Twitter is ridiculous and full of conspiracy theories, am shocked by some of the stuff commenters I previously admired are coming out with. I haven't read the threads on here. I remember only too well how out of hand the Covid threads were at the beginning and won't contribute to that level of drama again. Just getting on with things really. I have an essay due for OU in two weeks so mainly thinking about that and keeping my children on task and unstressed - both teens so aware of what's happening.

I think it is concerning. However I am not anxious as it is completely out if my control and being anxious won't change anything. I'm going about my life as normal.

Not anxious but very sad and extremely angry though with the whole situation though.

Further to my previous post, my Dad was in the forces as was I. My service was peaceful but as a child I lived in West Germany during the Cold War and we know fine well what would happen to our Fathers and all the other soldiers we knew of Russia moved, they were the immediate front line. Also lived in NI. Also friends with children whose Dads were in the Falklands during that conflict. Surrounded by military conflict really. Perhaps that's why I am fairly pragmatic about it all though I am sure I will feel it if any further serious developments 🤞🏼

I don't feel anxious for myself, as mentioned by PP worrying won't make a blind bit of difference to the outcome of anything. I was prone to high levels of anxiety in my teens and had a perimenopausal period of free floating anxiety in my early 40's which I really hated, it was exhausting. It does take practice to worry less. If I find myself focussing too much about things I can't control I bring myself right back to the present moment and remind myself I'm fine in the here and now.

@Crucible

No. My main feeling is one of exasperation about it all for the whole world - I know that sounds daft but I think we've all just got through a very stressful 2 years with Covid19, and so many people have died and here we go with this invading other countries/world leaders who are nutcases playing at BillyBiggestBollocks yet again. I know exasperation is a trivial sounding word but after Covid and all the death from something we didn't cause or control it's the best word I can think of to describe how I feel.

This is where I am, too.

It is frustrating that the great majority of people in the world would like peace, safety and enough to eat, and this would surely be possible if we had sensible international cooperation. Instead it has always been the case that psychopaths climb to the top of the heap and mess it all up for the rest of us with their lust for money and power.

What I do (most of the time, I'm not perfect):

1. Ask myself how important it is for me to be up to the minute informed.

1. Ponder what I can actually meaningfully do.

....

1. So I decide to limit my engagement to certain times. Do what works for you. I'm pausing my MumsNetting for a while because the PutinBots are starting to appear here. I check in the news very briefly just before work (so I am less likely to be surprised by what anyone else might say) and engage more deeply later on after whatever o'clock. I have relatives in Ukraine. They will message me to give me an update if they want to and of course won't if they are dead or the communications are all down.

1. Donate. Polish Red Cross works for me, as they are where so many refugees are. There are others we can donate to. Then donate again if you feel the itch, no matter how little it is.

Thankfully I have a pre-school age child who doesn't know what is going on. She has noticed something in me for sure, but isn't at the 'mummy why are you oscillating between rage and despair?' stage yet.

@Billandben444

I'm upset and desperately sorry for the Ukrainians and the dissenting Russians but I'm not at all anxious for me or my family. Worrying about things you can't control is a waste of energy and, as your mental health is initially your responsibility, why would you put yourself in this position. There's enough going on closer to home to lose sleep over tbh. Avoid social media (particularly the threads on MN which are irresponsible and should be taken down), stop watching the news and retreat into a family-centred bubble for a bit 💐

i too am feeling very anxious and i think this is great advice, i am going to try the family bubble idea, it can be overwhelming watching and reading the news. thank you