... for those who are devastated about Brexit, how are you dealing with the fear and depression and anxiety?

[testytesting]

Has anyone got any strategies? I am genuinely not one for melodrama, but I am devastated, angry, terrified, depressed, and I feel so utterly helpless. Nothing in my lifetime has made me feel like this, and I just can't imagine feeling like this for the next two years and beyond. I can hardly bear to listen to the news, but I feel compelled to anyway. How are other remainers dealing with this, what are your coping strategies? And what, if anything, can we DO?

@testytesting, as for strategies for those of us who think leaving the EU will be bad for the UK, we still need to have a strong voice at all stages of exit and negotiation in arguing for as close ties with EU as possible - and ultimately in the coming years when it becomes more apparent the real cost of Brexit perhaps more will join us in pushing for closer ties and even another referendum?

The eurosceptics fought to leave the EU for decades those of us who feel we are better as part of the EU have every right to argue for our belief to keep close ties with EU and even return to the EU one day.

Earlier on this thread I read someone say other countries do ok outside the EU. Yet these other countries will part of other huge trading blocs. Not many prosperous countries are not part of a trading bloc. I have read a country trades best with close geographical neighbours. The EU is our closest trading bloc and we are leaving it, seems utter madness to me.

@Fingalswave, I forgot to say fully agree with you that it's madness we are taking ourselves of of the decision making process and now have to negotiate for free trade with the EU with agreements that will be worse than if we had been part of it. Not to mention cooperation in many other important areas which we will have much less say in outside the EU.

YY Sleepyowl ten years of our civil servants negotiating trade deals only to arrive back at a worse place (less access, benefits and protection) than when we started.

Of course we can trade with China, Indonesia, India etc but to compete effectively we will have to become a low wage, low tax, low worker protection economy.

And YY to very important trading block point and scary/disturbing right wing movement.

All completely unnecessary: not to mention arrogant and stupid. I despair, I really do!

Glass of wine seems to be sorting it!!

@Fingalswave, Heseltine this week described leaving the common market as Britain's biggest self sacrifice since WW2. Yet those of who are very fearful of what lies ahead are told we are ridiculous for despairing and we should stop moaning. I will not stop campaigning for us to keep close ties with the EU and ultimately be part of it again as I think that is best for us.

As you said we are facing years of trade renegotiations with EU which will ultimately be worse than what we had. I too despair that to survive outside the EU UK will have to switch to a low regulation low tax country which means there is no money for a welfare state and little provisions for workers rights and the environment. This is not the kind of society i wish for my country and citizens.

Ps I think it is worth campaigning for our government in the next five to ten years of trade negotiations with the EU to get some kind of trade deal with the EU rather than walk away and revert to WTO regulations. If we do, as you said U.K. will definitely have to become a low tax low regulation country to survive. Do you think if we get some trade deal with the EU we can at least mitigate having to become low tax low regulation?

Of course not all people who voted for Leave share the far rights views, but they are unwittingly supporting a group of people with very unsavoury views

You can say that about anything. Far right and far left.

The eurosceptics fought to leave the EU for decades those of us who feel we are better as part of the EU have every right to argue for our belief to keep close ties with EU and even return to the EU one day.

Keep dreaming.... you never know.... don't hold your breath though

@pennypickle, thanks :) I won't just dream, I am willing to campaign for what I believe is best for the UK. If it was up to me that would be to have never left the EU, but as that vote was lost then I will still voice I think UK needs to have close ties with the EU if we want a prosperous safe country.

@PigletWasPoohsFriend, it is just a fact that those who led the Leave campaign such as Banks and Farage have far right views. I am unaware of those who led the Remain movement having any ties to extreme far left or right.

@pennypickle, out of interest are you happy for the UK to change to a low tax, low regulated state with minimum welfare support rather than having any trade deals with the EU? Or do you support a trade deal at least with the EU so the UK won't have to take that option which they will if we cut all ties in the coming years and negotiate no trade deal?

Sleepyowl

In answer to your question >"Do you think if we get some trade deal with the EU we can at least mitigate having to become low tax low regulation?"

I think it's hard to know as it depends on the nature of the deal - undoubtedly any trade deal is going to be less than being a member or a full part of the single market - so the question is, how close can the trade deal get to replicating the benefits of being part of the single market?

The problem is we simply don't know what the UK will be asking for and we don't know what the EU will actually be prepared to offer.

If you look at other trading relationships, EU-Canada looks like one we would be most likely to replicate I think.

In any trade deal though, I think the most vulnerable sectors are going to be agriculture and fisheries.

Feel very worried for Welsh hill farmers right now.

Not read full thread - sorry. I voted Remain and am proud to be a Remoaner and a 'snowflake' and not be one of 'the people'. I went on the pro EU march last weekend; my first protest march ever... 120,000 people and not one arrest (compared with 200 far-right pro Brexit marchers yesterday - 14 arrests). It was great to be with so many like-minded and thoughtful people.

I am very active on a couple of Remain Facebook pages (The 48% is one and 48 And Beyond is another). They are a great source of information and a place to let of steam. I have learned so much from people in there. I also do a lot of campaigning on Twitter and follow some great Remain thinkers. Jolyon Maugham is an interesting lawyer who tweets a bit. He doesn't think Brexit will ever happen. Now the ball is in the Leave court and the truth will start to come out (eg the NHS will be starved and will not see a penny of any supposed EU 'savings') the tide will turn.

I am very, very angry about this, too. The stupid reasons people give for why they voted leave makes me want to spit. But we must use that energy to resist, campaign, spread information and we must not let anyone force us to shut up. The autocratic nature of this government (and I voted the fuckers in!) is quite frightening. The only argument leavers have is 'shut up, move on, get over it'. That isn't an argument, that is guilt.

He doesn't think Brexit will ever happen. Now the ball is in the Leave court and the truth will start to come out (eg the NHS will be starved and will not see a penny of any supposed EU 'savings') the tide will turn.

I really wish I could believe that. Most of my older family voted out, they want Brexit at absolutely any cost. They just want foreigners out. I'm losing my job because of Brexit, they don't care how much poorer I will be, even if we lose our home. They just compare it to the war and loads of people made sacrifices then and lost their homes. I think loads of people think the same, have a look at a Leaver Facebook page, the racism is shocking, some people want Brexit at any cost.

How would it happen though even if the leavers did see the light, how could we ever go back now to not leaving?

It seems that the majority of people currently favour remain:

www.economist.com/news/britain/21719758-it-leaves-britain-little-time-get-through-bulging-contentious-agenda-two-year-countdown

This is a very good article on Brexit:

fivebooks.com/interview/jonathan-portes-brexit/

It seems that the majority of people currently favour remain:

I can't find anything which says this in the Economist article Chicken. Please can you explain where it says this?

I think it's the opinion poll table showing remain/leave positions over time.

The only argument leavers have is 'shut up, move on, get over it'. That isn't an argument, that is guilt.

Actually I have whilst campaigning heard some very comprehensive reasons why people voted leave. I may not agree with it, but respect they have their reasons.

17million people don't, strangly enough, feel the same way nor I imagine do they all feel 'guilt'.

Just as not all remainers are 'distraught' at the result, have been crying for months nor want to overturn the result.

I have over the past couple of days heard some quite nasty views such as no one over 50 should vote (yes really).

I voted Remain...one of only 30% who did so in my area.

I've spoken to lots of people about their reasons etc and had a variety of answers from "let's make Britain great again" to "I remember the days before the EU and it was better".

I don't know any Leave voters regretting their decision at the moment.

As a Remain voter I accept the result of the Referendum and am glad that A50 has now been served because I think we need to get on with things and get all negotiations going. It's now down to history to show if we've made the right decision or a massive mistake...and even then people will not agree.

However as a Remain voter I reserve the right to raise concerns if I have them .

At the moment I am broadly confident that all will be okay long term although I am no expert.

They are so bloody vague though aren't they? All that Trump like 'Make Britian Great Again' I mean really? The days of half the global map being pink are long gone (thank god). As for it was fine before the EU, the world is a totally different place to back then and I suspect most is just rose tinted glasses, my Dad (83) holds that view but he is in a time lock - I do think people possibly over the age of 70-75 shouldn't have been allowed to vote.

It's an arrogance within certain section of thexUK. They do actually believe we are superior. Well we are not. And it's going to slap.them in the face when they finally realise it.

I do think people possibly over the age of 70-75 shouldn't have been allowed to vote.

Completely disagree. They have just as much right to vote as anyone else does.

We should all be pulling together now whatever you voted. Now we should all be united in making sure we hold the Government to account in their negotiations for the country as a whole. All this bile about leavers and remainers is just so stupid and unproductive. The bigger picture is surely All our futures and not individual futures?

I do think people possibly over the age of 70-75 shouldn't have been allowed to vote

Just because your dad is in a time lock (whatever that means) doesn't mean all older people are. Some - gasp - are quite wise.

Perhaps we need to stop them doing anything else which might influence public opinion or policy?

ban them from writing books and articles
keep them off the TV and radio
sack mps and lords at 70
ban them from attending public meetings
sack all councillors over 70
sack all judges and academics over 70

Any more ideas?

Think through what you are saying, please