Freaked out by news of Ebola outbreak!!

[missymarmite]

I don't know why but this has me really scared. Am contemplating going into hiding with family until it all blows over!

Agree with hackmum. Antibiotic resistance would be much more worthy or your worries.

Good grief, we are now likening the unimaginable and very current suffering of families in west Africa to a film on tv.

Good grief, I think I might be likening an unimaginable situation, that actually did happen in 1912 to the many that are happening in 2014.

What deadly situation in 2014 would you like to single out greenbananas??

I'm sure lots of people died needlessly in 1912 besides drowning on the Titanic too. They just didn't make films or wring their hands on websites about it.

wring their hands on websites about it. There you go again limited. Sneering at people's concerns. Very kind of you.

limited, I think you have your head on the sand and are refusing to engage with the very real threat that people in West Africa are dealing (or not dealing) with.

The titanic was a freak and dreadful disaster. It didn't spread ...

I am not "wringing my hands", because I choose to concentrate my energies on dealing with things I can actually make a difference to. But I was very upset reading the news last night, and couldn't help thinking about how few people are seriously considering how it would be if our own families were affected.

There's no point in panic, because it doesn't help. But your point of view seems utterly crass and unsympathetic to me.

By the way, I live in an area where loads of people arrive from all over the world, every day. I have read about how hard it is to catch ebola, but I also know my children share pencils (which they chew) in school every day with people who have relatives visiting from Africa.

There you go again limited.

Whoa! Where did that come from bowlersarms? I'm not the kindest but I didn't think I was particularly keen on mocking death and destruction.

Perhaps you can remind me.

And while we're at it greenbananas There's no point in panic, because it doesn't help

No, it doesn't, does it?

Those of you being snotty about peoples anxiety clearly have no idea how it works. It’s not always logical and it doesn’t mean people don’t care about others at the same time.Get some empathy yourself and fuck off with the MH bashing.

Did I say I was panicking? No, I said I was upset by reading about what people in West Africa are facing, and that I spent some time imagining how I would feel of I was in their position (and it was very upsetting, because what they are going through is unimaginably awful).

I am now hiding this thread, because I don't want to see any more comments along the lines of "its only those poor Africans, it will never happen to us" - shame on you for thinking like this

I'm not sure this qualifies as MH bashing does it? Possibly there's one comment that might be but I don't really see anything else that would fit that definition.

I've asked mn to move this over to the ebola topic.

Yes, I did too. Hopefully someone is awake up there.

I'd give them a bit of time. They've probably all fainted in relief that we still have an mn!

There's a useful saying to remember in situations like these: "if something's unusual enough to be in the news, you don't need to worry about it".

People die every day crossing roads. It's not interesting enough to be written about except in a local paper. But that is far more likely to affect you and your family than Ebola.

The worst thing of all is when worrying about Ebola makes you distracted when crossing the road.

There's far bigger things to worry about:

Can I just type the bleeding obvious here?

It's entirely possible to suffer from health anxiety and be empathetic to others' suffering. These things are not mutually exclusive!!

In fact, us tortured souls who suffer anxiety tend to be emphatetic people generally, so it's a double whammy of worry. And in terms of health anxiety, there has very often been a trigger e.g. massive cock up by doctors so we are extremely cynical when listening to reassurances.

Welcome to my mind - it's great

Rooners, are you feeling more anxious about it or less anxious that you were a few days ago? I ask, to understand what impact both the news and the various discussions are having on people who are anxious about it.

"its only those poor Africans, it will never happen to us" - shame on you for thinking like this

I don't think that's what they're saying though. They're saying it's extremely self centered to witness the devistation of people thousands of miles away, and rather than focus on them and what trivial, almost meaningless gesture of compassion and solidarity for fellow human beings you might be moved to perform, such as donating to a disaster charity, people focus on what it means for meeeeeee, even though it means next to nothing for meeeeee because the chances of it getting near meeeee are so vanishingly slim as to be utterly meaningless.

Living in the west makes us incredibly self centered and myopic.

Living in the West (especially in the UK) made us over-solicitated. For all kind of human dévastation. In UK newspapers, tabloïds, the radio, TV, Underground stations, leaflets, chuggers...all the bloody time, people are asked to give money.
And UK people are generous, but please, please stop using every discussion boards to guilt people into coughing up. You may get the opposite result.

Well, you have a huge amount of it compared to the people dying of ebola.

Give money, don't, whatever. But don't sit in your wealthy country watching the news and thinking "but what about ME?" and try and tell us it empathy. Thats not empathy, its hideous selfishness.

kitten it's a good question. In terms of what is happening at its source is west Africa, I am less anxious as I feel something is now being done about it. For months, the WHO has issued its warnings which have gone unheeded and that does ramp up my anxiety.

And generally, I am less anxious if I feel action is being taken. Some of the reporting just fuels mania though eg the Daily Fail.

How do you feel?

I am not going to enter into the discussions about the "selfishness" of those who worry, and may also donate. Some people will criticise others no matter what they do. And the fact remains that for most of us, donating to MSF is about all we can do.

A huge part of learning to manage my anxiety is recognising there are limits to what I can control.

Rooner A few days ago [around the time the patient in Texas died] I heard Dr Tom Frieden, Director of the CDC talking about managing anxieties about ebola spreading both outside and within W Africa. And how avoiding panic is so important.

His belief is that education is the key in both circumstances - from calm and authoritative sources so maybe that might help you, too? I've looked everywhere for this recording but cannot find it - he is the main spokesperson for the CDC an gives lots and lots of interviews.

Living in the West (especially in the UK) made us over-solicitated

Why especially the UK? Do you think that people in the UK hear more appeals for charitable donations, and on what do you base this?

Do you not think it's a little odd to focus on whether you're being asked to donate some cash as the chief consequence of the ebola outbreak?

There is a link I posted in ebola about another way people can help if they are time rich and have a pc/laptop. Will dig out the link in a mo (unhelpful cat)

I'm glad your anxiety is easing Rooners. It's true, much more is being done and it does seem as if in some parts of Liberia the efforts are having an effect in slowing cases down. If this result is sustained, that's a really hopeful sign.

As for how I feel about it. Clearly I'm keeping an eye on it. My concerns are still almost entirely with those in West Africa - just because it's suddenly hit the media because of three other cases world wide, this doesn't mean the risk factors have suddenly changed.

As for risks here, I genuinely think we are in a really good position to deal with any sporadic cases. The Royal Free have specialist beds where no one has to come into contact with the patients at all. This really minimises the chance of spread to healthcare workers and differs from Spain and Texas where it appears they have been relying solely on personal equipment - which does a brilliant job, but is reported to be tricky to take off without risk of contamination at that point. I think protocol will be adapted in these countries. We can also look to MSF who have had very few healthcare workers infected despite dealing with huge volumes of patients, because they have very very strict procedures. There is a lot to be learned from them.

thread about practical way to help fight against ebola.

Ofa. Please don't harden your heart. I agree sometimes these appeals can become overwhelming. I have to be very selective else we'd be bankrupt and please don't shoot the messenger. Lots of people do want to know how they can help. It's not a guilt thing, it's a signposting thing.

Agree about calm and "authoritative" sources. Aside from Ebola, my anxiety re health often stems from a massive distrust of doctors (and not without good reason) or other "professionals".

So if some smooth talking politician is on the news telling us not to panic/all is under control, I simply don't believe it. My DH feels this is a form of extreme arrogance in me which I think is unfair. But it takes me a long time to trust any "experts" and I'm naturally cynical. And in fairness this attitude has mainly helped me in life - it actually saved my child's life.

Anyway, enough boring introspection. I can't believe that a US health worker has been infected. Something is going seriously wrong in the decontamination process. I don't believe these workers are wiping their faces with gloves on.

I would be a lot happier if the Royal Free had more than two of these beds....

Apparently it could take a year to get things under control in W Africa. And a vaccine won't be ready until the next outbreak. Feels like we are all learning the hard way....