View Full Version : Worried about conflict
Anything with the words Trump and Russia sends me into a spiral of anxiety. I keep thinking any outcome of investigation into Russia's involvement in the election will lead to war. Please tell me that's not the case.
Why don't you get away from the news if they upset you so much and focus on the things that you can control instead? Your daily life is interesting enough (and challenging if you've got anxiety!) for your energy to be spent on. I'm blissfully unaware of what goes on in the world, and the things that concern me and could affect me personally and/or professionally, have a way of reaching me through other people.
It's certainly a time of uncertainty and discord. I totally understand your trepidation as I'm seriously concerned with the current state of affairs as well.
That being said, the only thing we can do is stand up for what we believe in. We have the right and power to vote and freedom to express our voices.
Positive thoughts
But it probably won't lead to a conflict right?
But it probably won't lead to a conflict right?
No one can say for sure but isn't that the root of most anxiety issues? It's not in our control. What is in our control is how we respond.
"Life is 10% what happens to us, 90% how we handle it." Charles Swindoll
Positive thoughts
MyNameIsTerry
03-12-17, 01:35
Why don't you get away from the news if they upset you so much and focus on the things that you can control instead? Your daily life is interesting enough (and challenging if you've got anxiety!) for your energy to be spent on. I'm blissfully unaware of what goes on in the world, and the things that concern me and could affect me personally and/or professionally, have a way of reaching me through other people.
I agree with ana.
The media are just whipping things up because they "in" with certain political groups. They feed you their bias.
Look at the evidence, 11 months of the media telling us he is going to cause WW3 and look what has happened? Naff all.
In recent months he was going to cause a nuclear attack by N Korea. Again, naff all.
And the media did all the same when we had Bush Jr. He was invading everywhere, he will lead the world into war, blah blah blah. Americans voted him out, problem solved.
Unplug from the media & social media. The latter is just peddling hysteria.
Something you also need to consider is that whilst we are told Trump will bumble his way into a war with Russia because he has a big mouth and no political background...Putin is a seasoned politician who has ben used to dealing with slippery eels like Obama. He's not a fool. He has to navigate around the US turning nations into war zones for the black liquid stuff. Or do you think he just waves his sword and jumps into war because that's what Russians do?
Totally relate to your dilemma. At the beginning of my most recent period of depression, I cried every time I read a newspaper. I had to stop. I got sucked back in to news around the Trump election and again around Brexit, and each time I had to forcefully train myself to not read the news any more. I get sucked in occasionally when I hear there's been a terrorist attack.
Now when I read the news very occasionally, I see it for what it is in a way I didn't when I was used to it. It's all the horrors of the world, distilled into a few pages. It's not an accurate representation of the entirety of the world.
I would ideally like to be up to date with current affairs, but not at the cost that I currently have to emotionally pay for it. One day when I'm feeling more hardy, I'll get back to reading the news. It's ok to take a break for a few years of being properly engaged in the news.
Unless you have some way of taking action about Brexit or Trump (like a vote or going on a protest), there's less need for you to be very engaged with the news. In general it's important for people to be engaged with news, but for people with anxiety, it's disadvantaging us more than it advantages us, if it's a trigger.
Conflicts are possible, but it's much less likely than the news plus your anxiety would lead you to believe.
MyNameIsTerry
03-12-17, 02:10
Now we have the internet the news has become very draining. So much of it is speculation. They trot out another expert to talk yet again about the same subject with little new learned.
They seem to have so much space to fill. The quality of journalism has greatly reduced and now we have so many more online blogger types writing articles.
Brexit is very draining. Hardly anything has been happening and the media have been in a frenzy. I suspect most are just sick of hearing about it and getting on with life. So much of these articles include the words "may", "possibly", "might", "could", etc. Speculation to fill space with little actual news. :doh:
I follow some news but I'm not up on current affairs these days. Too much negativity & bias. It's interesting that some studies are appearing about how unplugging increases mood and that's in people without mental health challenges!
PWO_Nathan
03-12-17, 11:03
Hi, I just wrote a massive reply to this and then hit the back key on my laptop and lost the lot. Not amused. So here is a condensed version which I hope offers some reassurance.
WW3 will not happen anytime soon and here is why.
The thing you fear is not knowing. Putin is a lunatic, Russia are aggressive War is imminent etc these are all things you no doubt have read or heard in the news/media. I have three sites I read for three different reasons, I will not give you them as I know you will find no comfort from them but the exact opposite. One I read for a brief overview of whats going on but its not fully accurate. One I read exactly for the fear mongering WW3 which is on its homepage EVERY day and has been for the last 2 years I have been reading. Why do I read this? purely for the comedy value.
Not that I find WW3 topic funny as clearly it isn't. What I find funny is how misconstrued their stories are. For example, one read "Russian sub spotted close to UK waters signalling Russia is preparing for strike on UK". Lets explore that statement shall we. Submarines, key word sub ie below. In this case, water. If Russia was planning on a strike on the UK, would he not use the benefit of been below the water and unseen?
After reading this, I then headed over to the third site I read which I will give you as it really helps put things in prospective, for me at least. www.rt.com. I headed to this Russian site and was immediately met with "British tabloids go into WW3 meltdown at SURFACED Russian sub in international waters. I open this article and I am met with Russian tabloids mocking UK ones with a multitude of links, all to British media, all saying WW3 is imminent. Russian media finds this amusing and compares our media, to the isolationism of North Korea, keeping the populace in fear. I have to agree.
What I am trying to say is, you are between rock and hard place at the moment. The News is terrifying you, that's clear but if you avoid reading it, it will only add up as it did with me. I got to the point where ANY loud noise set me off on a panic attack. Its a bomb strike, its a fleet of planes heading out to meet a Russian bombing fleet etc. However, if you are in a safe enough place and can handle the imminent anxiety attack it will initially cause, I really think reading up on things will help.
In preparation for this, here is a little more reassurance to set you on your way.. the PWO part of my name stands for Prince of Wales Own. I am ex-forces and while this at no way suggests I a military general or analyst, I feel I have at least some idea of how Military works in general. Couple this with my interest of conflicts and why they occurred, ie politics then I can confidently say the following is what I feel as accurate representation.
If you fear War between Russian and the US or NATO, why? What would either side benefit from this? OK lets say you are correct and lets go with the British media that Russia is the aggressor... IF Russia was building up to WW3 anytime soon, can I ask why Putin is the one of the main leaders pushing so heavily for dialogue and diplomacy between US and N.Korea? Would it not be far better, to push for War, then while the US are busy with N.Korea, invade the Baltic states as our leaders keep fearmongering that he intends to? IF Putin thought conflict was imminent or wanted War, he would not be trying as hard as he is to resolve the Korean problem. Also, why did Putin open up a line of communication between his generals in Syria and US commanders? This was to avoid an accidental shootdown of either side, ie avoid conflict.
If the argument could be, well how do you explain the Russian forces amassed on their border? that's not good!! OK, how would you respond if you were surrounded, literally surrounds by US / NATO bases? You have to remember, Russia once fell for "the forces on your border are of no concern, honest". Operation Barbarossa then happened.
The point I am trying to make, is whatever you 'think' will happen, evidence far outweighs to the contrary. I want to be clear here I am not pro-Russian or Putin, but I do see both sides of every topic equally. The annexation of the Crimea, rather than read our tabloids, have you considered reading theirs? Russia interfering in US elections, how rich is this? US have been interfering in elections for decades, Britains included! Hypocrisy is unreal.
Are you aware that during the Korean War, China was in direct conflict with the US? Did this lead to Nuclear War or WW3? The biggest fear of Nukes is also the biggest safety and assurance WW3 will not come to pass anytime soon. Putin has said numerous times in documentaries that no one would survive a hot war. His actions demonstrate this as above. Also, all the worlds countries economies are intertwined, no one could afford a war between super powers. Look at sanctions, how much damage cutting a small percentage of revenue does to a country. Imagine a war, West not trading with East... you could argue well what about WW1, WW2 then, how did they manage that? Technology these days and our dependence on resource is entirely different.
In closing, I hope you have found some reassurance in what I have said. Wars of the future will be proxy wars. While dangerous, even if they result in actual conflict between super powers like the Korean did, it will not spill over into WW3. Any politician who may want this has one disadvantage previous lunatics didn't have. The internet. IF one wanted a war of aggression against their neighbour, yes they could plant stories in their media saying its a defensive war. Unfortunately, due to the internet, this would be very quickly disproved resulting in mass protest, rioting and eventually the government in question would have to abandon plans.
Nathan
---------- Post added at 11:03 ---------- Previous post was at 10:52 ----------
Anything with the words Trump and Russia sends me into a spiral of anxiety. I keep thinking any outcome of investigation into Russia's involvement in the election will lead to war. Please tell me that's not the case.
I just realised my above ramblings were little off your actual concern.
OK its proven Russia interfered in US elections.. what then?
US cries for War... who would support them? No one.
Russia denies their involvement and cries for war... who would support them? No one.
Russia confirms involvement... US applies more sanctions.
IF Russia did involve themselves, this would be embarrassing for the US as it shows a weakness in their election systems. You have to remember, Trump is the most controversial president ever, this election thing is purely deflection saying we never wanted him anyway.
In no scenario could this or would this ever lead to a conflict between the two. VERY worst case scenarios would be as they have continue to be, yet more sanctions.
I totally agree Nathan, any world leader knows a nuclear war would mean mutually assured destruction. Even if there was a 'winner', they would inherit a nuclear wasteland that would be useless for potentially 1000s of years.
The demonisation of Russia by the west is another good point. Our media paints us as the good guys but we supplied Iraq with weapons in the 1980-88 Iraq/Iran war because we wanted Iran's ambitions reigned in. Then two years later we go to war with Iraq?? The US also supported Pol Pot (a genocidal psychopath) simply because he opposed Vietnam. Us 'good guys' in the west will feather our own nests the same as any other nation.
PWO_Nathan
03-12-17, 15:37
I am super proud to be British and having served in the armed forces for my country (I never fought in any conflict so please don't have that perception - those that do are the true heros of the Country)
That being said, it saddens me greatly that our elite and that of the US put such emphasis on having an "enemy" to justify spending and keep the populace buying out of fear.
Its widely documented that anxiety or mental health has been massively increasing over the last decades, maybe they should look towards to media and their propaganda campaigns as a possible cause.
Excellent posts Nathan :yesyes:
I am super proud to be British and having served in the armed forces for my country (I never fought in any conflict so please don't have that perception - those that do are the true heros of the Country)
That being said, it saddens me greatly that our elite and that of the US put such emphasis on having an "enemy" to justify spending and keep the populace buying out of fear.
Its widely documented that anxiety or mental health has been massively increasing over the last decades, maybe they should look towards to media and their propaganda campaigns as a possible cause.Bang on the money Nathan. Can you imagine if all the money that nations spend on weapons were spent on medicine and medical research?
PWO_Nathan
03-12-17, 18:18
Excellent posts Nathan :yesyes:
Thank you :D I just hope the OP takes some form of reassurance by way of counter argument as that's all anxiety is, counter arguing what you "feel" with what is fact. Unfortunately, I am not very good at practicing what I preach :(
Without sounding clinically insane, I honestly feel that if we ever made contact with Aliens (bare with me am not nuts haha) it would be the best thing for this family. Our problems as a race are we are too inward thinking and feel completely alone. Imagine if we pooled our resources and looked outwards what we could accomplish. No famine, no border friction, medical research and cures available to all not just those lucky enough to be in a World Power Country.
---------- Post added at 18:18 ---------- Previous post was at 18:16 ----------
LOL Family. Can you tell I am tired. Earth. Where the f did family come from. Go to sleep Nathan.
TheTempestuous
03-12-17, 18:25
Bang on the money Nathan. Can you imagine if all the money that nations spend on weapons were spent on medicine and medical research?
Makes you think. Maybe some of us wouldn't need this forum in the first place...
Thank you all. You've really helped.
PWO_Nathan
04-12-17, 17:55
You're most welcome, sorry for my essay previous I just tried to fit it all in :)
Anymore reassurance or specific questions regarding conflict please drop me a line :)
Again I am not an analyst and don't presume to be right, however I can certainly challenge your thoughts for you
I feel this just the same about the news.
I've been just going through my internet settings and filtering things out. I feel bombarded with bad!
Thanks to those comforting words in the thread, it's nice to see another side.
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