Not sure how to Cope with The Israel/Palestinian War

[loonarider77]

Hi all,

Not sure this is the right place as I don't want to trigger anyone.

Just finding it hard to deal with the ongoing war currently between Israel and Palestine. It's bad enough so many people dying, it's a genocide and there's also the impending doom of a world war 3, nuclear destruction.

It's so scary. At work right now, radio on, and talk of possible nuclear war.

Not sure how to cope with something out of my control. This could be it. I keep hearing MAD/mutually assured destruction and thats why it won't happen, but I dunno about that.

I just need to calm down, not sure how and need to not show anxiety towards my step kids .

P.s. actively not watching anything to do with this on social media/news outlets, but somehow it creeps in. I also can't control the radio being off or on at work !

Help please x

[Lencoboy]

Well my dad is currently watching Sky News and the only thing mentioned in the scrolling ticker along the bottom was about something in the Red Sea, but no talk/mention of a full-on nuclear war nor a World War Three.

Also what radio station did they have on at work today?

Also remember some were expressing the very same concerns about Ukraine almost 2 years ago and yet still no signs of us here in Blighty being nuked/bombed to kingdom come.

ETA; I've just had a dekko at the BBC site and while there are a couple of articles about the assassination of one of Hamas' masterminds in Lebanon yesterday, they never mentioned anything about any potential risks of full-on nuclear/world wars.

Nor has there been any talk of any specific threats to the UK so far.

[Lencoboy]

I would also like to suggest that when you're at work tomorrow (and Friday) to try taking a toilet break just before the hourly news bulletins on the radio start.

That's a legitimate excuse for a 'time out' for a couple of minutes to escape the news on the radio.

And if any of your fellow colleagues attempt to stick their beaks in over it, remember it's personal to you and none of their business.

I think you're also doing the wisest thing by steering clear of social media, and the news in general in the meantime, especially outlets notorious for OTT drama porn; not just concerning the Middle East situation, but pretty much anything and everything else that's likely to depress/distress you and make you a nervous wreck.

[alpacagirl]

Just remember the news loves this kind of stuff. They thrive on drama and speculation to win their audience. There's been many times since I was little that conflicts have caused a worry about nuclear war. I remember being about 10 and thinking " this is it". Funnily it's not something I worry about anymore because it is so out of my control.

[Lencoboy]

Just remember the news loves this kind of stuff. They thrive on drama and speculation to win their audience. There's been many times since I was little that conflicts have caused a worry about nuclear war. I remember being about 10 and thinking " this is it". Funnily it's not something I worry about anymore because it is so out of my control.

Absolutely correct. A lot of it's 'drama porn', pure and simple.

While I know we can never say never to anything, especially with the Covid pandemic being a recent example, though hopefully that was more of an exception whose panic was justified at the time, but many other things spewed out by the media more often than not turn out to be a case of 'crying wolf', especially all the nuke threat stuff that's basically been done to death by the media on and off for donkeys years now and nothing actually happening in the end.

Another credible theory by sociologists since the 70s (a la 'Folk devils and moral panics') is that many of these 'panics' are hyped up by both the media and the authorities to distract us from many of the more pressing issues closer to home (e.g; the precarious state of the economy, political scandals, etc), which back in the 70s was a moral panic about mugging and ethnic minorities being scapegoated as the 'folk devils' of the time, whereas now it's events in both the Middle East and Ukraine, where Muslims, Jews and Russians are now seemingly being stereotyped as the 'folk devils' of our present time; real or imagined.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Another war, another end of world scenario. And nothing has changed since any of the previous threads about this whether its Ukraine, Russia, North Korea, China and even Trump.

But I would say to be careful because there is a lot of propaganda. Even the BBC have had to apologise for reporting without fact checking first.

Hamas have a very successful propaganda machine and many allies when it comes to how they present situations. For instance, the atrocities of 7/10 are background noise now Israel has fought back. The evil acts committed against innocent citizens of any nation just found in the areas attacked are long forgotten as Hamas become seen as victims.

It's a complicated situation. It will go on for many years to come until the people involved change their mindsets to peace.

However nuclear weapons and WW3? Less chance than in Ukraine to me. Israel will bend to international pressure on such a serious matter whereas Putin may not. And Hamas haven't the ability, they can't even conduct a war and use terror tactics.

I really think you have to be careful because there is strong support over here and a fair amount of it is rooted in anti west or anti semitism. I have no doubt there are many genuine people who want to see peace but there are many who are not. Let's face it, did the masses march to stop other slaughters? And why do the UN turn a blind eye to some atrocities and not others? We've even had MPs showing their anti semitism and trying to make out their use of a well known call for genocide wasn't what they meant.

But as far as anxiety goes there are many general rules & tactics that will help regardless of the context. Spot when you want to reach for your triggers and have an adaptive strategy that kicks in. If you feel strong enough to read & watch, as a non anxious person would, then that's fine if you are ready. But beware the vested interests and propaganda.

As already said, the media love stuff like this and can whip up more fear. But if you are Jewish I can appreciate there are potentially real threats to safety that have to be considered. It seems less so for Palestinian citizens over here, as far as I can tell, and muslims in general.

[Lencoboy]

Another war, another end of world scenario. And nothing has changed since any of the previous threads about this whether its Ukraine, Russia, North Korea, China and even Trump.

But I would say to be careful because there is a lot of propaganda. Even the BBC have had to apologise for reporting without fact checking first.

Hamas have a very successful propaganda machine and many allies when it comes to how they present situations. For instance, the atrocities of 7/10 are background noise now Israel has fought back. The evil acts committed against innocent citizens of any nation just found in the areas attacked are long forgotten as Hamas become seen as victims.

It's a complicated situation. It will go on for many years to come until the people involved change their mindsets to peace.

However nuclear weapons and WW3? Less chance than in Ukraine to me. Israel will bend to international pressure on such a serious matter whereas Putin may not. And Hamas haven't the ability, they can't even conduct a war and use terror tactics.

I really think you have to be careful because there is strong support over here and a fair amount of it is rooted in anti west or anti semitism. I have no doubt there are many genuine people who want to see peace but there are many who are not. Let's face it, did the masses march to stop other slaughters? And why do the UN turn a blind eye to some atrocities and not others? We've even had MPs showing their anti semitism and trying to make out their use of a well known call for genocide wasn't what they meant.

But as far as anxiety goes there are many general rules & tactics that will help regardless of the context. Spot when you want to reach for your triggers and have an adaptive strategy that kicks in. If you feel strong enough to read & watch, as a non anxious person would, then that's fine if you are ready. But beware the vested interests and propaganda.

As already said, the media love stuff like this and can whip up more fear. But if you are Jewish I can appreciate there are potentially real threats to safety that have to be considered. It seems less so for Palestinian citizens over here, as far as I can tell, and muslims in general.

You're correct Terry, the media often love to hype stuff up and scare us witless.

My dad was saying last night that countries like Israel and Russia have actually been 'flashpoints' basically ever since he can remember, but now with 24/7 rolling news, Internet, social media, etc, many world events often seem far more acute now on the face of it, unlike pre-2000s where many issues in general were still there but often less reported and seemingly hidden at times, even some of those in this country alone.

I think another factor is the conventional printed press are now basically on borrowed time and over the past few years in particular it seems they have felt increasingly obliged to up the ante with their sensationalism and shock value in order to remain relevant and keep appealing to the masses in order to survive in their existing form but at the same time flogging a dead horse as readers are still continuing to turn their backs on them no matter what.

[loonarider77]

Hu Lencoboy,

I am so grateful for your posts and they calmed me somewhat for a good week until...

Today I walked into work and our older colleague ha been banging on about an imminent war with Russia for best part of an hour. I forgot my ear buds so couldn't block it out.

He said Sweden or Finland have joine NATO. Anyway, in the end, I walked out of the lab.

I feel sick to my stomach. I know his is the end for all of us.

I just don't know to cope with it. Trying to manage my fear and anxiety. This is very difficult.

Feel like leaving my job and driving home today because what's the point.

I don't know how to calm my nerves right now trying hard. Sitting in the toilets waiting til I can put on a brave face.

[loonarider77]

Hu Lencoboy,

I am so grateful for your posts and they calmed me somewhat for a good week until...

Today I walked into work and our older colleague ha been banging on about an imminent war with Russia for best part of an hour. I forgot my ear buds so couldn't block it out.

He said Sweden or Finland have joine NATO. Anyway, in the end, I walked out of the lab.

I feel sick to my stomach. I know his is the end for all of us.

I just don't know to cope with it. Trying to manage my fear and anxiety. This is very difficult.

Feel like leaving my job and driving home today because what's the point.

I don't know how to calm my nerves right now trying hard. Sitting in the toilets waiting til I can put on a brave face.

[loonarider77]

I guess I can't always avoid talk about the threat of war, but I just wanna get on with my job I can't .

He's older the guy at work and just rants on and on and on.

Quite a few of us here suffer with anxiety and it's not fair.

Not sure how to tell him as he's a bit of a ballsy Scottish guy (not to say all Scots are like that ) , but anyway. I despair.