Reading news today - serious anxiety

[Randara]

I've read the news today about Turkey shooting down a Russian plane and it's got me really anxious.

I'm prone to catastrophising but she been feeling a lot better recently, however this has just thrown me. I am so worried and I can't see anything positive happening. I don't know what to do, I'll try avoiding reading the news but I'm still going to be on edge.

[teaandtoast]

I can completely sympathise - I feel the same

However, I am trying to focus on the fact that no countries want things to escalate really, it's hassle for them and if they can keep the peace, then they will. I think the fact that Russia is in talks with Europe and USA re. Syria airstrikes is actually a positive thing because although they may not be 'allies' as such, they're sort of working together so they won't want to risk that 'working relationship' falling to bits by doing something silly. I hope that made sense, I don't have a full understanding of what's going on because it's all rather complicated but that's the rough idea that I have in my head.

[rational mind talking] Honestly I think the media and social media have blown this out of proportion. Yes it was a bad thing to do - especially if the plane wasn't over Turkish airspace like it's being suggested, but I really don't think with the current world climate that it is going to lead to anything terribly bad - some silly people are scaremongering saying it's going to lead to WW3 but no one wants that and it seems to be being resolved responsibly so far....

I feel a bit hypocritical because I too am scared about all this, but I've told you what I'm trying to tell myself.... let's hope all this blows over and settles down soon

[Randara]

Thank you so much teaandtoast!

I'm feeling a lot better now, I think it's just the feeling of hopelessness and no control in these situations. I feel like the leaders of all the countries are so wrapped up in their own heads that they don't think about what the people in their countries want. I just want to tell them all to stop being so stupid and to get on!

Agree with everything you say, and it definitely helps hearing it from someone else!

Planning a day of distraction tomorrow and will avoid over checking the news!

Hope you are feeling less anxious too xx

[happydylbob]

This is something that affects me badly also. I feel that I don't want to check / read the news but I have a compulsion to do so which only makes me feel worse.
I also think that facebook doesn't help as you get a lot of people giving opinions when they don't really understand the situation themselves.
Many people say try not to worry about it or there's nothing you can do about it but whilst true this is still a trigger for some panic and anxiety sufferers.
Lets just hope common sense prevails and we can all work together for peace

[Randara]

Happydylbob thank you for the reply, you've summed it up pretty well!! Hope you're dealing with it well and not too down. I'm feeling a lot more positive and coping a lot better now so that's good news.

[Emma1027]

Best advice I can give is to try not to look at the news to often as it will make your anxiety worse. It's easier said then done I know but then it plays on your mind and makes it worse. I often check bbc news website but a good example was the ebola headlines. Not only do the papers scare us to the point of locking ourselves indoors til things blow over but they take total control over our lives. We need to be aware of dangers and take risks but we also can't live in a bubble and take everything at shock value otherwise we wouldn't even cross a road in case a car hit us. I know the news has really hit me recently because I am edgy and watching everyone's moves on the bus which is crazy.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I've been through some of this myself a few years back with TV news. In some ways I wonder whether it more fear of change because it was like my day wouldn't be as I would expect it to be if war broke out. I didn't seem to be worrying about the real issues in war, more the impact on my anxiety and it's safety behaviours.

You don't need to look at a PM or President and think they don't know what they are doing because they get voted in and stay for short terms. The real people, the civil servants, are the ones that advise them on how to tackle real situations and these people spend their whole career in these fields so they are experts. Politicians are just there to sit inbetween the civil servants and us but what they tell them steers them towards keeping the country moving in the right direction.

Friendly fire incidents happen in these conflicts, some of our troops were killed by accident by the US. It's just what happens and the US has already raised concerns over Russia's activity not being co-ordinated with them & everyone else involved including us and how accidents were a matter of time really.

Whatever happens though, the pilot bailed out so really it's just some expensive twisted metal.

[Randara]

Thanks Terry and Emma. Looking back to yesterday the fact that the news instantly reported what happened didn't help, it's like they make the biggest deal over something they have no information on. it does feel like they're trying to scare us!

[unspoken]

I know this feeling. I've never been unable to cope with the news before, but since the attacks in Paris it has been relentless reporting of deaths and disasters. I know terrible things are always happening all over the place but I can't read 20 pages of solid coverage of death. I've been going through some difficult things myself and I feel guilty saying this, but I can't cope with thinking about all the problems of the world when I feel like this.

The comments above do rationalise things, as often the way the news is reported is quite sensationalised. I've been trying to avoid reading too much news. I got into a habit of checking it multiple times a day but now I only check once or maybe twice.

[Emma1027]

I've just come across a rumour of a threat in Sheffield on black Friday and boxing day circulating on social media. It's terrible anywhere but your heart jumps out knowing it's in the city you came from and you have loved ones. I can't picture actually losing loved ones like so many people have in Paris. The fear they must have gone through and will constantly struggle with. I always think that cars can be fixed as can many things but you can't replace a loved one. Life is so precious.