London Terrorism fueling my anxiety

[Anxiouscow]

Hello guys, I haven't used this site for a while, mostly because my anxiety has subsided recently and i haven't felt the need to post.

Usually my anxiety resonates when I am ill, or more commonly, when I perceive I am ill. Health anxiety has been my biggest problem. But I have a new kind of issue at the moment, and that's terrorism.

I live in London, UK, and whilst I am privileged and happy to live here, the recent terrorism is sending my anxiety into overload. The thoughts I am having are sending me into meltdown. I feel like whenever my girlfriend goes to work, she will not come home, or if I go on public transport, I will be killed.

It's crazy, and whilst I can understand the likeliness is low and that most people aren't happy about the recent events, but I feel as if it's only a matter of time before i am killed by terrorists, or someone close to me is.

I don't know whether I should be this worried or not, and that is what is driving me crazy.

Any replies would be greatly appreciated.

Anxiouscow

[Anxiouscow]

Anyone?

[phil06]

I'm going to London on holiday soon so know how you feel.

I'd also welcome some advice on how I can feel good about my trip away.

[snowghost57]

I don't want to add triggers. We can't think about "what if", that is what anxiety does to us. I can get in a car accident on the interstate, I can have a heart attack, anything in life can cause our death. You can't stop living because of it. I don't recall terrorist striking the same area twice.

[Anxiouscow]

I'm going to London on holiday soon so know how you feel.

I'd also welcome some advice on how I can feel good about my trip away.

The really weird thing is, I think London is a very safe city. I think it's safer than most US cities statistically, and it's definitely one of the safest cities in Europe according to figures.

So in terms of you feeling good about coming to London, really, I think there is nothing to worry about. I just wish I could listen to my own advice!

[jelly2010]

Anxiouscow I am so sorry. I empathise completely - I am not in London but elsewhere in the UK and feeling pretty scared. I am due to go on holiday next week and I'm seriously considering cancelling as I am having bad anxiety attacks over it.
I've been fairly well for a couple of years but I think this recent spell of attacks and the general state of the whole world has really triggered my anxiety this time, so much that I have gone back on medication.

My brother in law works in the anti-terror department of our police force and tries to send me comforting statistics and I know that rationally the chances of being caught up in an attack are slim but when you have anxiety it's not so easy to see the rational side.

I'm sorry I don't know if this is comforting or unhelpful but just wanted to let you are not alone.
J

[Hollow]

These events are designed to cause maximum fear in people and the media is doing a good job in making sure this happens. I would say don't believe everything you see on the news or just stop watching it altogether.

[mary jane]

Hello guys, I haven't used this site for a while, mostly because my anxiety has subsided recently and i haven't felt the need to post.

Usually my anxiety resonates when I am ill, or more commonly, when I perceive I am ill. Health anxiety has been my biggest problem. But I have a new kind of issue at the moment, and that's terrorism.

I live in London, UK, and whilst I am privileged and happy to live here, the recent terrorism is sending my anxiety into overload. The thoughts I am having are sending me into meltdown. I feel like whenever my girlfriend goes to work, she will not come home, or if I go on public transport, I will be killed.

It's crazy, and whilst I can understand the likeliness is low and that most people aren't happy about the recent events, but I feel as if it's only a matter of time before i am killed by terrorists, or someone close to me is.

I don't know whether I should be this worried or not, and that is what is driving me crazy.

Any replies would be greatly appreciated.

Anxiouscow

I study in London and also take the eurostar a lot, and having to stay around St Pancras station is not easy, but then I also have severe anxiety since brexit ..so I can definitely relate ...however, I got a nice phone app for anxiety called Pacifica and I use the free audio tapes they have... it has really helped me so far.
I don't go to a lot of tourist-y places and the tube I hate with a passion so I try to avoid it as much as I possibly can ... I have had a lot of health problems these past few years and it only hit me recently they may be caused by anxiety ..I try to do a lot of deep breathing, I take my magnesium and sleep early. I have also started to avoid the news, I realized reading it triggers my anxiety .... I actually blame the media A LOT for triggering anxiety in people, they always point out the most negative things in a super dramatic way
I can't live with the health problems any longer so I am actively trying to decrease my anxiety... it's starting to work ..

I really hope you will feel better soon and your anxiety decreases..I know it's rather scary ..I think everyone is a bit on edge these days however I'm certain things will settle down soon :)

[MyNameIsTerry]

It's big & scary, the media amplify it further, it feeds right into anxiety but the same irrational thoughts will be experienced by many without anxiety.

But how many people think about the murder rates? Aren't they much higher? The stabbing rates certainly will be.

So, isn't it some normal irrational thinking with anxiety added on top to amplify it more?

Protecting yourself based on police/government advice is sensible just as it is to avoid the other crimes we could experience, where possible.

[phil06]

I'm also not keen on going to concerts after Manchester.

Got one next month but not keen. I've opted to avoid booking anymore for the time being.

[MrDanny]

I don't want to add triggers. We can't think about "what if", that is what anxiety does to us. I can get in a car accident on the interstate, I can have a heart attack, anything in life can cause our death. You can't stop living because of it. I don't recall terrorist striking the same area twice.


Reading this helped tbh (i have had similar thoughts about what ifs etc, not the recent terrorist attacks) i guess sometimes you just need that reality check, so thanks.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Reading this helped tbh (i have had similar thoughts about what ifs etc, not the recent terrorist attacks) i guess sometimes you just need that reality check, so thanks.

Exactly. Here is some based on my city (SOT) which is a lot smaller than Manchester and London.

Violent Crime North Central South
Oct 2016 305 298 219
Nov 2016 297 304 212
Dec 2016 304 295 201
Jan 2017 325 344 217
Feb 2017 247 296 208
Mar 2017 353 310 252

I live in the South constituency. Violent offences in my constituency alone dwarf terrorism per year at a national level.

[GaryP]

Well this is certainly a real threat, so probably a natural response, however it's the fight or flight problem again. I am the same, I can't stop thinking of the future because I don't know what's going to happen, therefore I worry about worst case scenarios, and usually it's never the case.

It might be a good idea to take steps required to avoid areas you believe to be a threat to terrorism. I think it's a legitimate reason to feel that way. It's something we can't control, so I don't know.

[phil06]

I go on holiday soon not keen due to all this.

I was planning another city break in September but again due to all this going on in Europe I wonder where is a safe place to be?

[Hollow]

I go on holiday soon not keen due to all this.

I was planning another city break in September but again due to all this going on in Europe I wonder where is a safe place to be?

In a mosque probably.

[unsure_about_this]

I been to London in 2013 and yes it a wonderful city. I have been to a lot of places in the world where I felt more in danger Egypt, Tunisia and several more islands in the Caribbean even though this was on a cruise St Lucia, Barbados and Jamaica, also we took in Colombia last year.
I know it scared I am scare everytime I go sometimes especially going on a train.

[FrankT]

It feels like there's an attack a week now. I spent all of Friday worrying about when and where their next attack would be. Of course, I get the feeling that the last two attacks were politically motivated, given they happened during an electoral campaign. All the same, though...

[KK77]

In a mosque probably.

Nope. They're Islamists, not Muslims...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/istanbul-gun-man-attack-mosque-hasan-pasha-algeria-a7504606.html

[Gotagetthroughthis]

These events are designed to cause maximum fear in people and the media is doing a good job in making sure this happens. I would say don't believe everything you see on the news or just stop watching it altogether.

This.

Half of the stuff you see on the mainstream news is lies. Half of these events are false flags/fake with no one actually being injured.

[phil06]

Something happened in Brussels now

Going there on holiday soon so not good :ohmy:

[MyNameIsTerry]

Something happened in Brussels now

Going there on holiday soon so not good :ohmy:

Keep an eye on the government advice from both sides, Phil. The reality is that these people are in our countries and it could happen anywhere.

As someone said in a discussion on another forum I was reading, it could be any bus queue. That tells us we really have to just get on with things.

And remember people are killed in other ways all the time. Do we worry about all of those things too? You would never leave your house if you did.

[ankietyjoe]

The reality is that these people are in our countries and it could happen anywhere.



Like we are in theirs.

And 'we' are doing a whole lot more killing than 'they' are.

[FrankT]

My God, we've brought this on ourselves! We wouldn't even BE in this mess now if not for the Bushes!

[MyNameIsTerry]

My God, we've brought this on ourselves! We wouldn't even BE in this mess now if not for the Bushes!

Our governments. Not us.

You've got to look at things with balance, Frank. Terrorism is rare compared to deaths on the road. How many does cancer kill each year?

If we live in fear due to terrorism, isn't that strange if we don't also live in fear of the many things that are far more likely to get us? Yet we have to get on despite those too or we will never live.

If I was in a country dealing with the daily bombings, there would be real reasons to live in fear yet somehow they get on with it. And so did we in previous times when we were experiencing bombings and the threat of invasion.

[ankietyjoe]

Our governments. Not us.




Your underhand 'racism for cowards' does not absolve you of blame. A government is representative of the people. I for one vote against these wars and actively try and educate people to the realities of such wars.

You on the other hand, repeat and regurgitate the nonsense you read in God knows where.

You and your attitude, are actually part of the problem.

[KK77]

Your underhand 'racism for cowards' does not absolve you of blame. A government is representative of the people. I for one vote against these wars and actively try and educate people to the realities of such wars.

You on the other hand, repeat and regurgitate the nonsense you read in God knows where.

You and your attitude, are actually part of the problem.

Terry boy thinks he's the NMP Thought Police Commissioner :lac:

[Catherine S]

Phil, after the London attacks you said you'd booked to go to London and didn't want to go. After the Manchester concert attack you said you'd got a concert planned but maybe you'll cancel it. After the Brussels attack you say you're going there on holiday....how unlucky can one person be.

:huh:

[FrankT]

Agh, all your arguing is giving me anxiety!

[Catherine S]

Erm, I hope I'm excluded from that statement Frank, i'm not part of the argument, just an observer.

:unsure:

[MyNameIsTerry]

Your underhand 'racism for cowards' does not absolve you of blame. A government is representative of the people. I for one vote against these wars and actively try and educate people to the realities of such wars.

You on the other hand, repeat and regurgitate the nonsense you read in God knows where.

You and your attitude, are actually part of the problem.

I've edited this as it's not fair on others to see this continue.

The point of the thread is quite clearly about member's worries about terrorism.
It's not about the rights or wrongs. I can't see how that addresses the subject of anxiety.

I thought it was clear last time that I won't discuss topics like this with you because of what happened last time. Don't you think it's better for us all to address the anxiety issue on a board for anxiety? That's why I said that to Frank as he is panicking.
The reality of who & what isn't going to help with that.

---------- Post added at 03:55 ---------- Previous post was at 03:53 ----------


Agh, all your arguing is giving me anxiety!

Sorry Frank. Sadly, we have a few people making personal insults across the forum despite knowing it's against the rules.

---------- Post added at 03:56 ---------- Previous post was at 03:55 ----------


Terry boy thinks he's the NMP Thought Police Commissioner :lac:

Third time. It's just Terry or the full username. Using derogatory names is childish.

[Elen]

Terry boy thinks he's the NMP Thought Police Commissioner :lac:

Here is fair warning originally posted by Nic

"If I feel that someone is replying to a post just to have a dig or make a sarcastic comment I will start removing those comments and banning that member from the thread."

[MyNameIsTerry]

Here is fair warning originally posted by Nic

"If I feel that someone is replying to a post just to have a dig or make a sarcastic comment I will start removing those comments and banning that member from the thread."

Thank you, Elen.

I hope we get back on topic now. It seemed to be these, the first being the OP but didn't want to miss others out who are worried. Apologies if I've missed anyone, bump it on the end If needed. Thanks.


Hello guys, I haven't used this site for a while, mostly because my anxiety has subsided recently and i haven't felt the need to post.

Usually my anxiety resonates when I am ill, or more commonly, when I perceive I am ill. Health anxiety has been my biggest problem. But I have a new kind of issue at the moment, and that's terrorism.

I live in London, UK, and whilst I am privileged and happy to live here, the recent terrorism is sending my anxiety into overload. The thoughts I am having are sending me into meltdown. I feel like whenever my girlfriend goes to work, she will not come home, or if I go on public transport, I will be killed.

It's crazy, and whilst I can understand the likeliness is low and that most people aren't happy about the recent events, but I feel as if it's only a matter of time before i am killed by terrorists, or someone close to me is.

I don't know whether I should be this worried or not, and that is what is driving me crazy.

Any replies would be greatly appreciated.

Anxiouscow


I'm going to London on holiday soon so know how you feel.

I'd also welcome some advice on how I can feel good about my trip away.


It feels like there's an attack a week now. I spent all of Friday worrying about when and where their next attack would be. Of course, I get the feeling that the last two attacks were politically motivated, given they happened during an electoral campaign. All the same, though...