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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

It’s another hot weather panicker, please be kind.

104 replies

Em308 · 17/07/2022 09:14

Please talk me down from my extreme state of anxiety…. Yes I am one of the many who are very worried about the impending weather, we are predicted 37 Monday and 39 Tuesday. I am an insulin dependent diabetic and suffer badly with coping with the heat anyway. I also have a heart issue. I’ve been trying to think logically, it’s only 3 days, I have preparations in place (even an air con unit but the talk of power outrages is terrifying me!). But something popped into my mind this morning and it’s overwhelming me. Hot tubs are usually set to 38/40 degrees aren’t they? I have to set ours to 36/37 as I can’t sit in the higher temp, I feel faint. The air is going to be the temperature of a hot tub….wtf?? How do I cope? Please calm me down and yes getting a grip is exactly what I need to do, I know this already!

OP posts:
Mally100 · 17/07/2022 10:42

SleeplessInEngland · 17/07/2022 09:42

The media really haven't helped OP and you are DEFINITELY not on your own panicking.

Why do people say this? The media have just reported the forecast, which is undeniably newsworthy.

Exactly! People are choosing to join in the hysteria. Op is going to be home with an air con! There are far many who will have to go into work and just get on with it.

shinynewapple22 · 17/07/2022 10:42

SleeplessInEngland · 17/07/2022 09:52

It's like saying the swimming pool is contaminated by a dangerous substance but we still expect everyone to jump in!

Eh? This analogy doesn’t work at all. We have no choice but to endure the heatwave and the news has broadly been about taking necessary precautions. In fact with the Tory leadership race it only very recently started talking about it.

@SleeplessInEngland
The poster was talking about the fact that she still has to do a long walk in the heat to take her DC to and from school . She is not being given the opportunity to keep her DC off as the school is still open . In her mind the sensible thing would be to close the school, keep the DC at home. Analogy with the logical thing to do which is to stay away from the contaminated pool

coffeecupsandfairylights · 17/07/2022 10:42

RedWingBoots · 17/07/2022 10:35

@SleeplessInEngland like with Covid the media have a duty as part of their licenses to report government health warnings including over the heat.

But there's a huge difference between being factual and whipping everyone up into a frenzy.

There was a headline recently about "Britains first red heat warning" - well, yes, because the system was only introduced last year!

Lex345 · 17/07/2022 10:42

SleeplessInEngland · 17/07/2022 10:39

For example "brits set to scorch" "blistering heat" "sizzling temperatures" etc etc

Within the bounds of crappy tabloid idioms I don’t think any of those phrases are unduly alarmist.

Well unless British people actually blister, scorch and sizzle, they aren't exactly accurate either.

TheFridayRabbit · 17/07/2022 10:45

Ohmydayssilleople · 17/07/2022 10:12

Exactly!! Working in a care home with zilch AC tomorrow and Tuesday…absolutely bloody dreading it TBH !! And some of the carers are not particularly fit with various medical conditions!

Show quote history

Lots of people are thinking of those doing it tough in the heat. Take it easy folks.

LaughingCat · 17/07/2022 10:50

Em308 · 17/07/2022 10:13

Thank you so much to you all for your kind and helpful words and advice, and for not ridiculing me. Some of these ideas I’ve already implemented, others I will do today - preplanning meals and clothing is something I hadn’t thought of either. We decided not to put the hot tub up this year due to electricity costs, but the paddling pool is ready to fill! Water temp and air temp not being comparable is a very good point, I hadn’t thought logically about this, so thank you for pointing that out.
I am very lucky that I am not having to work at the moment (the environment I was in would be terrible to work in so I’m grateful for small mercies!) so I will be able to do the minimum for a couple of days, life can go on hold.
Regarding my anxiety, I’ve suffered many years and am usually able to keep on top of it but have had a really bad 18 months with a particular family situation so I think I’m on heightened alert most of the time at the moment. My go to help for anxiety is guided mindful meditations but I’ve been struggling to keep my mind focused whilst doing them the last couple of days, I will stick with them though as I know they help.
Once again, thank you to you all, I do feel a little calmer and sending love to all those others feeling like this too.

So glad you’re feeling a bit better about it all - hope it goes well for you on Monday/Tuesday!

Jovanka · 17/07/2022 10:50

By the way, I have discovered cola-flavoured Calippos. Heaven.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 17/07/2022 10:50

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 17/07/2022 10:08

@Em308

I'm so sorry that you're worried and panicking. I've been on a couple of threads this week saying what a load of histrionic nonsense, and people are nuts, and I was harsh, but I never stopped to think people ARE actually worried. And for that I am sorry. It just seems that on this forum and a couple of others - Facebook especially - people seem to just go completely crazy bonkers when the media puts any kind of "warning" about anything, and it does get irksome, but yes I get that people ARE genuinely worried and I blame the BLOODY media..

As I think the second or third poster said, the media have not helped by getting everybody whipped up into a frenzy. The top news story for 5 or 6 nights has been the heatwave we're about to get, with the headline DANGER TO LIFE emblazoned in red! I mean really we're not going to have temperatures much higher than we've had them quite a few times over the last decade or so. It's been up in the mid to high 30s a few times and yet the media seems to be making a massive massive deal of this for some reason. Why? because Europe having it really bad at the moment?

Europe have had really bad heat LOADS of times before, and Spain have had up to 46-47 before and they've had fires - forest fires moorland fires whatever - and then it's been between 32 and 36/37 over here. To be quite honest I don't think we're going to get to 40, and if we do it'll probably be for one day and it'll just be in a small part of the country.

The map that I put in this picture I've attached, illustrates just how ridiculous and histrionic and OTT the media are being Just a few years ago, the temperature was mid 30s and the map on the left was shown... THIS week, the temperatures are the same, and they have put up the pic on the right, making it look like the country is going to set on fire. The temperatures are virtually the SAME. Ludicrous!

As has been said just have a spray bottle with cold water in and spray yourself with it, drink plenty of cold water, sit in front of a fan indoors, or sit outside in the shade, pop a cold wet flannel on your forehead, maybe get some ice pops or ice creams, and don't go out unless it's a total emergency. Also, apply yourself with sunscreen for the occasions when you might accidentally pop into the sunshine. And above all stop worrying and stop panicking - it's really not going to be as bad as the media are making out.

To be honest I'm quite disgusted with them for the histrionic absolute bloody circus they are creating with this heatwave. Creating that photo where the map on the right looks like the country is going to be on fire is bloody ridiculous.

Look after yourself. Flowers

That image has been doctored. It uses the new colour scale and the old map view and old symbols. You've posted a fake news image.
The met office redesigned the colour scheme because the blues and greens of the old one weren't accessible to colour blind people.

LuckySantangelo35 · 17/07/2022 11:11

You’ll be fine OP

alphapie · 17/07/2022 11:14

How poor was your education that you don't understand that water temp and air temp impact the body differently.

This is basic year 7 science people

Original poster
Em308 · 17/07/2022 11:26

alphapie · Today 11:14
How poor was your education that you don't understand that water temp and air temp impact the body differently.

This is basic year 7 science people

Well, anxiety does tend to be illogical which is why I was looking for support….thanks for your helpful comment.

OP posts:
ShirleyPhallus · 17/07/2022 11:34

alphapie · 17/07/2022 11:14

How poor was your education that you don't understand that water temp and air temp impact the body differently.

This is basic year 7 science people

How poor was your upbringing that your manners are this bad to someone asking a question? It may be obvious to you but not to everyone, and the poster is already anxious enough

alphapie · 17/07/2022 11:35

@ShirleyPhallus it's obvious to anyone who went through a basic education.

alphapie · 17/07/2022 11:36

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

ShirleyPhallus · 17/07/2022 11:37

You really don’t need to be so rude @alphapie

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 17/07/2022 11:38

alphapie · 17/07/2022 11:14

How poor was your education that you don't understand that water temp and air temp impact the body differently.

This is basic year 7 science people

So rude. Hmm

Somethingsnappy · 17/07/2022 11:41

alphapie · 17/07/2022 11:35

@ShirleyPhallus it's obvious to anyone who went through a basic education.

And anyone with the most basic sense or education will understand that the mind often does this funny little thing, called forgetting sometimes. Very surprised you've never come across this phenomenon...

Afterfire · 17/07/2022 11:41

alphapie · 17/07/2022 11:35

@ShirleyPhallus it's obvious to anyone who went through a basic education.

Anyone who has any intelligence whatsoever knows that dragging others down to feel better about yourself is the height of rudeness.

Afterfire · 17/07/2022 11:43

Op I have multiple health issues. I’m actually doing something a bit different to many and am planning on spending the day at the cinema / shopping centre. The air con is bound to be much better than what I can muster up at home and I can stay there for the hottest parts of the day- thank god it’s only 2 days. If you can I’d recommend getting yourself to somewhere with great air con.

Bloodybridget · 17/07/2022 11:51

Alphapie obviously reached doctorate level in rudeness.

MatildaJayne · 17/07/2022 11:51

Ah, that particular poster has been posting aggressively all over MN. Just ignore.

SleeplessInEngland · 17/07/2022 12:03

Lex345 · 17/07/2022 10:42

Well unless British people actually blister, scorch and sizzle, they aren't exactly accurate either.

Show quote history

But they say that when we have a spate of high 20 days too. If you get alarmed by that you’ll get alarmed every summer.

VirginiaCreek · 17/07/2022 12:11

This reply has been withdrawn

Message withdrawn as it quotes a deleted post

Oioicaptain · 17/07/2022 12:27

Not read the whole thread, but the best way to cool down is to cool your feet down by sticking them in a tub of cold water, or having a hot water bottle filled with ice cold water at night. You could also put a plastic bottle of water into the freezer, then wrap it in a teatowel and use it as a cold water bottle for your feet at night. It was meant to be really hot here today, but currently there is cloud cover and a strong cool breeze. Maybe it won't feel quite as hot as they are predicting tomorrow either.

ihavenocats · 17/07/2022 12:29

This could be just like the extreme storms they kept predicting; none existant.