To ask when is it going to be normal again?!

[AnxietyLevelMax]

When? Just when? I am so so tired and fed up! Already!

First we had Covid. (Still exists-I know) - being sick, then having sick baby, queuing at asda early morning to be able to get what we needed while pregnant, not seeing family for ages, was due on Xmass, family's plane cancelled last minute before Xmass, then two more times. Took ages for the family to meet our baby. Being furlough and not knowing if company will make it, being redundant, I can go on and on…
Then war, prices are going crazy, mortgage, gas and electricity, fuel, we wont be able to afford food soon and three years ago had a proper financial cusion! (Literally we will be eating beans on toast daily now)
I know everyone is affected, some are in far worse position although it doesnt really make me feel better. I know everyone has own story, experience and own battles to win to survive now…. But when is it going to be normal?!

i do not want to worry about tomorrow and if we will be able to make it from paycheck to paycheck next month…

have also other personal problems which play a huge factor but not related to whats happening in the world now. We all have some other problems.

i just want to feel that peace again….

Throughout history, there have been peaks and troughs. It's important to maintain perspective. It won't be like this for ever

Try to take pleasure in the small things

And TBH, there are quite a lot of threads like this one, and they're probably not very helpful

I hear you OP. Hugs

@Dajeeling I like your post.

And yes, pleasure in the small things is really important. I'd suggest trying to wean yourself off rolling news too (if that's a thing you do). Lots of sleep if possible, exercise in the fresh air, trying to spend time with people you have fun with

It's been a tough few years and we have done tough times ahead. We earn decent salaries but just today I have had to look through what is going in/out and what we can cut back on. Luxuries like cinema trips and meals out are going to have to go. Meals are now very carefully planned to avoid waste and I now do my shop online so I can stick to a budget. As others have said try and enjoy the little things. We went to the beach with dc last week, took a picnic and didn't spend anything. They had the best day!

@Dajeeling I think your positivity is inspirational. I’d love to be able to think that that. My glass is always half empty and I’m prone to catastrophising even at the best of times.
I’ve realised that even though I come on Mumsnet for a bit of light relief, it’s actually making my anxiety much worse at the minute. I think I’m going to have to do what I did when COVID first started....avoid the news, avoid Mumsnet and try to appreciate the little (cheap!) things.

Turn off the news, the media loves a shit storm. Every morning go out in your garden and take some good deep breaths, listen to the birds look at the brown greenery and soak it up. Do one thing every day that gives you happiness doesn't have to be big, when you shower imagine all the shit going down the drain. Smile, smiling is proven to produce endorphins, I don't mean walking around like a mad Cheshire cat all day but a couple of times a day.

Tell yourself that nothing stays the same forever and this too will change eventually. Hang in there!

Something just came into my memory.

On here a while ago, there was a thread about (IIRC) how people cope with their worries in the middle of the night. And someone said...they remember that somewhere out there, there are blue whales gliding through the oceans, unaware of any of our human trivialities.

That mental image has really stuck with me; I love the grand image of this legendary animal silently streaking through the dark dark waters. It makes my worries seem smaller somehow.

This is a great way of looking at things, it’s never as bad as it initially seems.

I stopped consuming news. Check in the morning and that's it. Spend time with family and friends. Read. That one is probably escapism more than ever.

The normal we had isn't coming back. I'm still dealing with that, personally. Some days better than others.

If you have access to clean drinking water, a dry bed, hygienic sanitation services, enough food to keep you alive, access to education services & emergency medical care if you're sick and the ability to have an opinion without fear of persecution, you're probably in the top 20% of the global population.

I know some of have it tough right and it might get worse, but it really is first world problems.

Oh thank you all. I was afraid I will be told to suck it up as everyone goes through a rough patch now. A lot of lovely suggestions which i will implement in daily life

I don't know what to tell you: My energy supplier told me that prices were going up in October and then there would be another price hike in January. The forecast they gave me was 4 times the price of my original bill.

Obviously everyone uses electricity so I assume supermarkets, restaurants, pubs, hairdressers, shops, everyone will just hike their prices up to try and pass the cost to customers.

I'm not sure how it will end.

I feel like the UK has gone massively downhill.

We were in Spain on holiday last week - to fill the tank with petrol was 35 euros. It's £90 here. How can that be? 🤷

The NHS is a mess. I have no faith in it.

Cost of living is terrifying

Fuel costs for heating and lighting the house, cooking etc.. are ridiculous

The government are a joke and labour aren't much better.

Seriously considering emigrating

Errr really??

We drove back from Spain earlier this month and were paying about 1.80 euro / litre.

Bit cheaper than U.K. but marginal.

I’m early 20s and come from Spain - I’ve lived through the 2008 recession. I was at primary school when it all started and as a very mature child was painfully aware all throughout of what was happening. Not that the news ever talked about something else either.

It started off 2007, 2008 it became clear what a disaster it all was. Mum had to move to a very low-paying job that year. Flat valued at 120k became worth less than 30k overnight, in about 2009. Dad somehow managed to hang on to his job until 2011, then he was laid off and went on unemployment allowance. He was luckier than half my classmates’ dads.

Younger siblings don’t remember a time without financial problems. We didn’t have any holiday between 2006 and 2015. Mum continued to work throughout the recession, but dad could simply not find a job until late 2014 again.

Christmas presents were PJs, chocolate and books during that decade. No food fests. Mortgage holiday lasted 5 years. Out of a block of 6 flats, 3 families had to abandon them as they simply couldn’t keep paying bills. We didn’t eat out as a family until my high school graduation in 2015, aside from one McDonald’s a year on the last day of school.

Add to that a prolonged family illness and the national state of dread during those years, and today’s situation feels all too familiar sadly.

How long will it last? From my own experience, I’d expect anything up to 10 years. It was 7-8 years in Spain until the country started feeling normal again. Similar situations in Italy, Greece and Portugal during that recession. And even today, my parents are still on a time-limited electric tariff, their flat is still valued at less than half the amount of their mortgage, there are no luxuries. 15 years later and we’re still feeling the effects of that recession as a country.

At least the health system never failed during those years. I’d be scared to get ill in the UK right now.

Forgot to add - whilst there clearly is poverty all the continent, we really are privileged in Europe compared to other parts of the world. We have access to beds - cold as they may be, food - boring as it may be, and basic medicines are available over the counter. Water is safe to drink, there is a degree of social care and help should one need it.

I know how you feel. I have been trying to practice thinking about what has given me enjoyment that day and what I have been grateful for. Usually its the small things such as how much my dog enjoyed his walk or some really tasty blueberries. Sounds sad but it's true ha ha

what Is normal? Just take each day as it comes. The world is always going to change

Don't follow the news for a start. I dip in and out of keeping up but mostly I only get my news via the 3 minutes on the radio hourly which is mostly local. I know if there is a budget, queens death, local arrest but not much more.

I have children with sen so i worry about them, theres no spare head to worry about war etc.

I talked someone once who was involved with my family due to the kids sen. I told her that I sometimes feel that I'm not setting the world alight by only dealing with sen issues. She said that lots of individuals around the world champion issues close to their hearts and collectively we all make the world a better place.

Find a small local thing like helping at food bank or reading at school and do your champion bit. Others can do the worries on war etc

I do feel like the 70/80s are here again except every one has a job.

But the nuke threats. AIDS panic
Mega high interest rates strikes. All too familiar.

Now I'm 3 decades older I dont read sensational news.

I like to get news from 5 live now. Balanced and calm.
The bbc Ukraine cast is also excellent for calm and balanced opinion. When things ramp up I listen to that and I find it helpful.

Also nature. Small pleasures. A nice pastry and coffee. A swim. Meet up with friends. All help.

I’ve found Venlafaxine had helped me tremendously tbh.

This is normal. Best to work with it.