To find it really difficult ATM to not think about all the shite stuff in the world?

[KlingybunFistelvase]

I think I'm having some sort of existential crisis or am going a bit funny due to coil removal / hormone crash, but lately I just can't stop worrying about shit stuff like climate change, the refugee crisis, the American election, Brexit.

I'm normally pretty upbeat and can enjoy my life as well as thinking about the big issues, but I think I'm just a bit worn out by it all, which is a ludicrous thing to say as I have a very easy life compared to so many in the world. I give to charity regularly and am pretty good with conserving energy, recycling, but I'm just feeling guilty and terrified about the future of the planet and civilisation.

It's all so saddening and I'm feeling devoid of joy all the time.

Ugh title should have "all the time" at the end. I don't want to switch off completely. That would be U!

There's a German word "Weltschmerz" that means world-pain or world sadness. A lot of people feel like this, so you're not alone.

It's difficult when there's so much injustice in the world, and huge issues you can't control. I try to focus on what I can control, volunteer work, charity, helping the community, being the best person I can be.

I also find it helpful to take a break from world news every now and then. It's just for a few days, I don't think turning your back on world events is healthy, but I find it does help me to "reset".

It's not uncommon at the end of the year. Also for anyone vaguely to the centre or left at all in their politics this year has led to an alarming sense of a hostile majority.
Do switch off from constant news updates. Take time to enjoy the pleasures of your life, laugh with friends and family. Wrap up cosily and allow yourself to feel content a bit.

I'm having similar thoughts since I had DS. I'm honestly terrified of the world he'll grow up in.

Thanks both.

The time of year does make a bit of sense actually. I'm sure I've felt like this once before, shortly after Xmas. Also I was bereaved on Xmas eve a few years ago so maybe that explains the feeling of impending doom?

Think I'll take a break from some websites (not MN though - heaven forbid ).

Weltschmerz is a great word. World pain kind of describes it. Thank you.

X post naughty. Yes, that's an enormous part of it. I am terrified for my DC's future in this society, on this planet. But then, I rationalise to myself, I didn't want to have a DC because I predicted they'd have an easy life. That's too much to expect at any point in history I think.

I am also very much experiencing sadness and anxiety currently as well. I'm about to embark on my first round of IVF and DH and I have been having conversations on our anxiety about having a child in this world and what the future will be like, we are seriously concerned. We are almost at the point of viewing the IVF process as something that we will do to be able to say we tried everything but if it doesn't work we might think it's better considering everything. I've never felt this anxious and ambiguous about getting pregnant before, previously all my anxiety was about not being able to get pregnant :(

It is klingybun it's just hard. There's so much doom and gloom, we 'live in interesting times' but that had been the same for most of history. I'm an utter pessimist though! It doesn't help!

This is true naughty. I'm trying to be prepared for the worst while not losing all hope and despairing really.

I think the horrible thing is the fear of the unknown for my DC's future, but then that must have been true for parents at many terrible points in history. That climate change is happening now is a fact, but how we respond to it is still unwritten. I have a small amount of hope that we can mitigate some of the damage or at least respond to the damage with dignity, compassion and care for one another. The American election... hmmm I'm trying to find a bright side.

YANBU.

I keep being very upset over Syria and the Yemen.

Just so sad.

You're not on your own. I worry for my children. I trust people less as I feel betrayed by our exit from the EU. The country is not what I was born in to (or won't be when we leave) and intolerance seems to be on the rise from statistics on hate crime. TBH although it pains me, I'm trying to not get apathetic. 2016 has me scared though. We're semi seriously thinking of emigrating.

I totally get where you are coming from. I thoroughly recommend disconnecting your tv or at least no longer watching the news. I still consume news online, but as and when I feel ready to watch it and in the right mind frame to handle what I'm going to see. It's a life changer.

Also a gratitude journal that I write in when I remember, couple of times a week. May sound a bit twattish, but focusing on lots of little lovely things to be thankful reminds me that there's a lot of good things in the world too.

When it comes to charity, I try to do small acts in my immediate community...giving lunches and clothes to specific people in need. I do make donations to bigger charities of course, but these can feel remote.

These small thing have helped me

Thank you. Local charity is a good tip! Money leaving my account once a month doesn't feel like I'm being terribly proactive. Thanks all.

I feel this way too. What helps me is to remind myself what a tiny tiny part of the universe we are, spinning away on our little planet. If the human race dies out (probably as a result of climate change) the rest of the universe will carry on without noticing.

Maybe that makes you feel even more depressed (sorry!) but for me it really gives me a sense of perspective about events which otherwise feel so huge and awful.

Well, I don't know where people plan to emigrate to. Norway?

Most countries have worse 'problems' than we do.

I am annoyed when people blithely diss the UK, when it's actually a good place to live and much better than most. I have lived in quite a few countries over the years, Middle East, China, USA and visited many others.

If the human race dies out (probably as a result of climate change) the rest of the universe will carry on without noticing

Yes, very true. Not sure many will find it cheering though!!

For some reason I do find it consoling! No idea why!!

Ah whatever makes you feel better Amber! Possibly not the most cheerful thing I've ever read but hey ho.

I tend to agree with you that unless we take action soon that's exactly what will happen. I think the question is when it will happen and if we'll have time to respond effectively to mitigate the damage. There are a lot of terrifying articles online about this happening quite soon, when global temperature rises reach a certain point (4 degrees I think). But they tend to all be from the same experts. Livestrong (not sure how reliable that is) says most experts say we would be able to survive that temperature rise. We wouldn't be wiped out as a matter of course, it's the things that come with it which will be challenging, but not completely impossible to survive through. I think there's a lot of speculation about the end of humanity, but it's obviously not something which can be predicted accurately.

WARNING - you might find this a little depressing:

A weird thing which makes me feel better is that we are the first species to know what is happening in terms of our potential extinction. If we were dinosaurs we wouldn't have had a clue the asteroid was coming for us etc. We have an opportunity to at least try to avoid it, or die trying. If we can't avoid it, if we can preserve the best parts of our humanity until the end, that sounds kind of heroic to me, so I can live with it.

Take yourself away from sources of current affairs information for a while. It isn't burying your head in the sand but it can be overwhelming. I'd second volunteering, I started a few years ago, one of the best things I have ever done - I may not stop the planet warming up or the war in Syria but I am making a difference in a very small way to somebody's life.