Support for autistic and ADHD people living in an uncertain world

[ofwarren]

I've read a few posts from other ND people who are struggling with the threat of war and nuclear bombs and wanted to create a support post where we discuss ND ways to improve our mental health in this challenging time.
I have been dreadful the past week. Doom scrolling on twitter and ending up a nervous wreck. This happens to me every time there is a big world event, I get all consumed by it to the detriment of everything else.

I REALLY need to stop reading constant news but it's so hard as my brain needs to know what is going on and the uncertainty is awful. My brain is a fixer and can't rationalise that nuclear war means I can't plan, prep, fix or prepare anything at all. Covid was easier to deal with as I could wear masks, not go near people, test etc. Nuclear means I can't do anything and I'm finding that hard to accept.

What do you do/are you doing to stay on an even keel at the moment?

I'm a person who deals with practicalities in all circumstances, so I've been trying to get my head round what I would realistically do in the event of an attack. I don't think long term, just how to get through the immediate concerns that need addressing.

I think what helps me is knowing that there's literally nothing I can do about it. If it happens, it happens, and living in London means I would be wiped out immediately. I found it pretty stressful at first, but stopping doomscrolling and trying to focus on other things has helped. It really is completely out of your hands, and nuclear attack is a pretty unlikely scenario to boot. I take the same approach with plane travel - I don't like it much, but whether I sit there stressing, or sit there relaxing has no effect on the plane crashing or not, so I make a real effort to not focus on it, and my plane travel experience has immeasurably improved over the years. I suppose that's my black and white focus coming into play - worry or don't worry!

@BarrowInFurnessRailwayStation

I'm a person who deals with practicalities in all circumstances, so I've been trying to get my head round what I would realistically do in the event of an attack. I don't think long term, just how to get through the immediate concerns that need addressing.

I'm sort of the same but dwell on what ifs.
I have things like a wind up radio, candles, torches, power banks etc but my house is far too small to really protect from a fall out scenario.
Prepping for covid or for brexit was far easier because you could just hunker down.

It's so hard not to read the news because I've always watched the news and need to know what is happening. I can't stand being out of control.

I walk away from the scrolling news and listen to music or read every so often.

I will restock some of the food tomorrow (earplugs!!)

DP should be able to liberate a generator if necessary. If it comes to it, we have a wood up the hill with fallen trees, and I can use a chainsaw, an axe and light a fire.

I don't feel helpless as such, more resigned to what will be will be. Someone on on one of the war threads described how they were born and lived through the cold war and I am the same. You live with it.

Putin may threaten nuclear attack, but we have also have a nuclear deterrent and as NATO members so do France and the US. I think his threats are those of a man who knows he is beaten however deranged and disordered his thinking is.

This music calms me a lot

I either retreat into a complete media blackout or I go the other way and deep delve into absolutely everything I can lay eyes on.

I’ve been reading news articles from all over the world and it’s weirdly reassuring to see how similar the hysteria is on the other side except that they see the Allied Imperialists and NATO as the avaricious, warmongering lunatics in this situation. I find the more nuance I can find, the more I grapple with it as an intellectual/academic problem. It’s a different type of sand to stick my head in.

I’ve gone down so many rabbit holes in the last 72 hours about historical conflicts, history of the states involved, random cold war stuff, Cuban missile crisis, EU politics, WWII etc etc.

I don’t honestly think putin is quite as mad as everyone says and I’m quietly hopeful that we might come out of this and maybe, just maybe learn something about our common humanity in the process.

You can join me in my cupboard under the stairs if it would help?

@LizDoingTheCanCan

You can join me in my cupboard under the stairs if it would help?

I think I need to
We live near an air base and the sound of the planes has me on edge at the best of times. Today they are tipping me over the edge.
I have headphones on but can still hear the rumble.

I'm rewatching Parks & Recreation and South Park. It is kind of helping, but I am also freaking out :(

@duvetdayforeveryone

I'm rewatching Parks & Recreation and South Park. It is kind of helping, but I am also freaking out :(

I'm ok when I try not to think about it but then the thought keeps rushing back.

My ND is probably different to your ND, because I struggle to process the "realness" of past or future or geographically distant events. So, generally, if it's not happening right now or in the extremely near future to me personally, it doesn't really affect me much because my brain doesn't seem to properly acknowledge the existence of something I'm not currently experiencing.

Either:

a) The world will stay out and Ukraine will fall, then Russia will go after other previous soviet countries.

or

b) The world aids Ukraine and Russia starts a war against us all.

It is all so horrible :(

I am finding things really hard today :( Everything is so horrible :(

@duvetdayforeveryone

I am finding things really hard today :( Everything is so horrible :(

I know how you feel
I'm trying to avoid following what's happening.
I know there are talks today though, so hopefully there is a bit of good news for once.

I have a tummy ache, I can't concentrate on anything, and I don't want to get out of bed. I just feel tired.

Sorry I am so negative. It is the first day of my period which is not helping my thoughts. I need to get out of bed and eat more chocolate.