... 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?

You haven't been able to breathe? Count yourself lucky. My internal organs have been failing one by one. I am currently on a ventilator and dialysis and am only keeping my liver functioning by viewing a picture of Donald Tusk and Angela Merkel embracing every half an hour.

I am devestated that Fenella may not be able to afford a year in Paris doing her Eramsmus programme on the breeding cycle of gnats as well as her car and deposit unless we cash in one of the buy to lets. And we're facing the dreadful prospect of retiring to Bournemouth instead of Tuscany. I'm not even sure Ocado deliver there.

see what I mean.

Well we shall see what happens. I can guarantee taking the piss out of those who have valid concerns regarding jobs and livelihood won't help anyone's cause

Check yourselves

I can see that the difficulties with travelling and living in Europe after Brexit are annoying but they're not the biggest issue in the scheme of things. More concerning for me is the loss of the single market and the fact that we now have a prime minister who is resorting to going round the world doing trade deals with fascists because our options are now so limited.

But hey. To answer the OP's original question, I cope with it by reminding myself that our time on earth is short, one day I'll be dead and then it will all be someone else's problem. I'm cheerful like that.

Well you know poorboy, if the people who are suddenly so concerned about jobs and livelihoods when it's their own that's affected had given two hoots when it was my family's main wage earner who saw wages in his industry collapse and conditions get progressively worse and worse over the next ten years - well then I might be able to muster up some sympathy. But seeing as they almost exclusively thought it was marvellous because they could get a cheap plumber/nanny/cleaner at terms favourable to themselves I really don't care.

Perhaps if some of these people had 'checked themselves' a few years ago rather than just simply expecting other people to suck it up up we might not be in this position?

Personally when my family's income dropped considerably as a direct consequence of the EU we had to pull ourselves together, start claiming tax credits, accept we'd have to stay in a shitty rental, pull ourselves together and get on with it.

So excuse me if I don't much feel like indulging those who want to hold candlelit vigils because their gap year will be expensive.

Still, at least Brexit's popular in France.

Isthisthisnormal
I am near London. Just out of interest, at these vigils, how do you answer the questions

What do we want?
When do we want it?

Do you know what exactly you want?

Precisely Bill. I had to raise a quizzical smile at the indignant remain poster who was having to get her Polish builders in to finish her house off before Brexit happens. Oh the irony.

I can't live, if living is without EU

LOL

Excellent last post Bill.

And campaigning to end May's Brexit arms trade:
www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/stop-uk-made-weapons-claiming-yemeni-lives?utm_source=Paid+Facebook&utm_medium=Targeted&utm_campaign=YemenAnniversaryh&utm_content=CAT

As well as Human Rights breaches of British citizens:
www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/guarantee-rights-eu-migrants-citizens-uk-brexit-europe

Brexit Britain now joins totalitarian regimes like Chile and apartheid South Africa in its disregard for human rights.

if the people who are suddenly so concerned about jobs and livelihoods when it's their own that's affected had given two hoots when it was my family's main wage earner who saw wages in his industry collapse and conditions get progressively worse and worse over the next ten years - well then I might be able to muster up some sympathy

Spot on BillSykesDog

Bill your a person after my own heart!

Lol! French lavender another peep on my wavelength.

Bill I would be interested in knowing exactly what that industry is. Please be more specfiv. Prey tell which industry fell in wages 40 years ago?

If you are actually talking about FOM and Polish builders. Perhaps you should remember the influx of UK builders to Germany in the 1980. But that was OK as it was migration not immigration?

Also you know the old saying. If an immigrant who speaks little English can come to your country and take your job...just question how good you were in the first place

PS I have plenty of unskilled and skilled manual workers in my family. Not one has suffered due to the EU.

Wonder whether peeps would be so worried about other countries despicable behaviour and against us trading with them when there's no petrol to put in your cars, or our arms for our military are Ill effective against others. Don't get me wrong I condemn all of the mentioned countries for their atrocities they have committed. But I live in the real world and all that matters nowadays is money. Which is absolutely tragic.

I'm not sure why some of you seem to think that wanting to stay in the EU is particular to only those with the trapping of middle class life. It's not.

I come from one of the most deprived regions in the country (and is indeed a major recipient of EU grants because of that). I'm a single parent who spent a long time on benefits with no prospects and no security. I clawed my way out through adult education - I started uni on my 30th birthday.

One of the reasons I want to remain in the EU is so that my daughter has the opportunities that I didn't. Leaving is a race to the bottom. Nobody wins except those who can afford to do exactly as they please, and who can ignore the limitations for disadvantaged people set by our national, sovereign government.

Regarding tax credits etc. That is a UK governmental policy which enables big businesses to pay below a real living wage

Incidently those of lower skills and wages will be hit harder than any other sector so I really wouldn't be rejoicing too soon about the idea that there will be jobs for the UK British masses too soon.

Hogs good for you! It seems to many that they just want to shut the door. Trap us all here with the insularists.

Which then starts to smack of the 'r' word again. If non of these facts are due to membership of the EU and instead things like oh the worldwide recession and government policy etc etc then what do they have to cling on to?

For what it's worth, I was absolutely gutted. I will admit to driving across the countryside near me and actually weeping for what had become of my country on June 27th. Because it is my country too. I was born here, I pay taxes, I vote.

Yep. Construction. I worked in a University when the ascension states came in the first time. DPs salary literally halved overnight. And all my colleagues who would go out on strike if they didn't get a pay rise, let alone a pay cut, would crow about how marvellous it was they could get a cheap plumber. Ignoring the fact that plenty of labourers and fixers and slingers who weren't particularly well paid anyway had seen their wages plummet. There's no training, everybody is self employed, you can hardly ever take a day off, have to work 12 hour days six days a week or you're off the job. It's literally so bad that when I was in hospital having a threatened miscarriage of an IVF pregnancy my DH was told if he left to come to me in hospital 'a Romanian will be doing your job Monday'. I have to laugh when people try and claim the EU has given us any sort of meaningful working rights.

If Germans in the 80s were undercut and badly affected by British migration in the 80s that was their problem to solve then. I'm not going to feel I deserve this now because someone else benefited in the 80s.

I'm not sure why some of you seem to think that wanting to stay in the EU is particular to only those with the trapping of middle class life. It's not.

Actually the only social groups who voted in majority for remain were the wealthy ABs. Of course it's not exclusive in any group, but there is a definite trend that the wealthy believe they benefit from the EU but the poor don't.

I would be really interested to hear what sort of opportunities you think the EU offers for young working class people. Youth unemployment is a major problem in the EU and one of it's deep flaws rather than being some sort of beacon of opportunity.

I have to laugh when people try and claim the EU has given us any sort of meaningful working rights
Working rights are gained through collective action.
What's your union BillSykes and did you help organise any action?

Good post Bill.
My brother works in a factory and says wages there have fallen considerably over the last few years. He has friends with similar stories.
If people come to the U.K. And are willing to work for minimum wage, employers are happy to pay that. £12 per hour now nearer £8.
He voted out.

So construction. That um protected industry with no organised unions etc. Many of my family have worked and still do in construction. Training went out with the ark (where it even existed) way before the EU migrants.

The under cutting of wages has been created by the businesses. Not the migrants. If you look at other industries such as caring zero hours contracts where not introduced due to migrants. It is due to business.

Do you really think if everyone went home tomorrow wages would improve? They won't. Big business and the rich won't allow that

The point re Germany is that our workers have been able to take advantage of FOM too.

Bill have you thought about politics? Spot on post and agree with you.

Personally I am feeling quite optimistic now.