Brexit/politics anxiety

[phil06]

I have had increased anxiety lately but I believe it’s down to Brexit and politics I find myself ranting on social media and glued to news channels so I’m unable to think of more positive news? Anybody else the same? One of my physical symptoms has been a sore head

[MyNameIsTerry]

It's a big issue and a big change coming so for those more worried about social/financial stuff or having more general worries it can obviously be a concern. But what is upsetting you about it?

Ranting on social media, a great big cesspit of ranting people, is a very negative thing. Surrounding yourself with negative people, many prone to scaremongering and nonsensical stories being put out, is hardly helpful to mental health.

The news revolves around negative news simply because it sells. There is plenty of good news out there if you go looking for it yourself and don't allow the media to feed you what they want to sell. There are always stories of something fun with animals, good charity work or just good turns done by people for no reason other than it being the right thing to do. The media don't want these as they sell little compared to scaring the life out of people with their endless speculations.

I hope you are not being drawn into all the CT BS nonsense being put out. There are a lot of very skewed stories around Brexit on both sides because of the entrenched nature of the hardcore elements in it. Most people are sick of hearing about it and busy doing their shopping and taking the bins out as life always goes on...

[pulisa]

Isn't Brexit a good distraction from all your OCD issues though? Have you forgotten about solipsism?

[phil06]

It’s no fun with trolls giving abuse about Brexit. And no I’ve not forgotten about Solipsism.

And yes you are right it’s never good news and if it is it’s the last story. I remember a tv channel doing a show with only good news. Social media is full of it too even if I avoid a click on the Mail or sun the posts come via newsfeeds on Twitter it Facebook. Then the temptation to comment then the abuse comes.

I am unaure what’s troubling me perhaps a new prime minister. Perhaps another Scottish independence referendum the one in 2014 caused lots of arguments fall outs with people and uncertainty. It was awful I hope we don’t end up with another

[MyNameIsTerry]

Isn't Brexit a good distraction from all your OCD issues though? Have you forgotten about solipsism?

Well it's working for the government in avoiding every other problem in society. Just roll out a Brexit "issue" of the day.

[MyNameIsTerry]

It’s no fun with trolls giving abuse about Brexit. And no I’ve not forgotten about Solipsism.

And yes you are right it’s never good news and if it is it’s the last story. I remember a tv channel doing a show with only good news. Social media is full of it too even if I avoid a click on the Mail or sun the posts come via newsfeeds on Twitter it Facebook. Then the temptation to comment then the abuse comes.

I am unaure what’s troubling me perhaps a new prime minister. Perhaps another Scottish independence referendum the one in 2014 caused lots of arguments fall outs with people and uncertainty. It was awful I hope we don’t end up with another

Yes, social media is very bad for links. You follow someone and end up with links via them and some things might be upsetting e.g. abuse.

It's a matter of where you go to discuss and what they are like. I follow the odd forum to see what issues are current as it gives me a hint into the daily news without reading across them all first. It didn't take me long to realise what echo chambers they can be with people loving the negativity and hurling abuse everywhere. These are very sad people and if it's not this it will only be something else as it's their personality.

Your indy in 2014 was always going to dredge up some toxic stuff between Scottish nats and English nats. I think if you do get another I would concern yourself with the facts and avoid the many opinions. The last indy has been myth busted in terms of the gibberish the likes of Salmond were spouting, even by the SNP themselves. A future indy should be a bit clearer now those issues have been discussed at length and the real facts put out there without the bias of nationalism. Just like how we know much more about Brexit now than we did in 2016 so any new referendum (God help us! ) would find us more educated without the BS being spouted on both sides who only wanted their win.

If you want to chat about politics we have a few threads on Misc and they are all respectful.

[FrankT]

Oh... we'll get by, somehow. All of us.

[WiredIncorrectly]

I've had many panic attacks as a result of brexit. I follow politics closely, and when things went south I started having panic attacks whenever I read a brexit article. It's not so much brexit that caused it, it's the MP's and the feeling of lost trust. The feeling of helplessness in a country you thought had you protected. Not only that, the country is divided with people arguing over leave vs. remain. The moment you share your opinions on brexit you're jumped on by the opposing side, and it usually ends up in being verbally attacked as a result.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I've had many panic attacks as a result of brexit. I follow politics closely, and when things went south I started having panic attacks whenever I read a brexit article. It's not so much brexit that caused it, it's the MP's and the feeling of lost trust. The feeling of helplessness in a country you thought had you protected. Not only that, the country is divided with people arguing over leave vs. remain. The moment you share your opinions on brexit you're jumped on by the opposing side, and it usually ends up in being verbally attacked as a result.

When I was really struggling any social unrest would increase my anxiety greatly. GE's would too, a strange sort of massive change outside of your control yet in reality it wouldn't mean much difference to me either way. It was just the nature of triggers and struggling with change.

Getting out that I found myself reading some of each newspaper whenever I was in the supermarket and it helped as an exposure. These days I'm back to my pre-anxiety levels of not giving much a shite as whoever gets in they just seem to bugger it up further anyway

[FrankT]

Alright, I admit it, I'm still worried. Why, they're running a whole ad campaign around it now! That's like tantamount to running Protect and Survive! Didn't we pass a bill preventing a no-deal? What'll happen then, we get a default or something?