UK 'on alert'. How do you cope with this?

[celestial]

For me, anything to do with terrorism is the quickest thing to set off panic, and so I'm now freaking out pretty badly. Even though I know it's unlikely to happen to me, and that the media blow it out of proportion to sell papers, I can't think of anything more frightening than being told that 'anything could happen at any time'.

I also live (and work) in London. This is a major problem.

I should point out that moving is not an option, as the job I'm in now is the only job I've felt happy in for the 10 years since leaving university. Losing it would be the end of the world for me, as would losing my boyfriend, who (although he is wonderfully understanding) understandably gets frustrated and tired of my weirdness, particularly that there is no way I can use the tube. Before all this kicked off, I had started to go with him and try and use it again. Now, there's no way I can get on one.

So what I really want to know, is how do those of you for whom it's important to lead a normal life re. jobs, relationships etc cope with this level of fear going on all around and stop it from ruining your lives?

[Jaco45er]

Hiya

It would be highly unlikely for you to encounter any terrorist threat. Shocking though it is, these incidents are very rare.

I worked in London alot during the IRA's reign of terror, and even though I was only a few hundred metres away from the 1993 bomb, I still see it as a rare event.

If you look at it statistically, you would see the risk is very minimal compared to crossing the road.

I don't like the tube either (for different reasons) and when I go into London, I tend to drive as the thought of parking up at Stanmore and tubing in doesn't exactly fill me with joy.

Try and not dwell on the news and media stories, sensationalism (is that even a word? ) is their line of work.

TC

Jaco

[celestial]

You sound like a good rationalist, Jaco ;)

Unfortunately, for me and hundreds of others, the part of the brain that connects 'rationality' with 'feelings' is, not to put too fine a point on it, 'a bit buggered', and making these connections is easier said than done. I do accept that it does no harm to try, though.

Yes, sensationalism is indeed a word. Believe it or not, I'm a journalist myself (though not in the news sector) so am well aware of the need to sell a story.

[Jaco45er]

And there's me thinking I made up a new word.

I kinda don't worry about events or things happening to me in that way, I get irrational in other ways, like a quick mild chest pain = pending heart attack.

But its all anxiety right ;)

[Lindalou64]

I know its scary celestial,
but by moving there is no need, unfourtunatly this whole world will always have threats all over dont matter where we live,you just cant let them win there just sick minded @@@@@@@@ you still live like you have been yes its scary but it will all return back to itself again as much as possible like here in NY City....which was horrifying ..but we move on......and I hope you feel better aslo,dont let them win....take care....Linda xx

[Charlottie]

I'm going to fly to Spain on Tuesday this was a really bad time for this to happen!!

[celestial]

Charlottie> I'm going to Spain too. Why is this bad?