I worry endlessly about catastrophic events.

[Jahpeatone]

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[aml0017]

The irony of worrying about catastrophic events that have little probability of happening is that no amount of worrying could ever prevent it. Then again anxiety is irrational at it's core. It's hard to tell what is at the root of your fear, and why it is manifesting itself as some sort of doomsday, but everyone fears death. If we all stopped living because we feared dying, no one would ever do anything. I'm not sure from your post if you really believe that this is a rational fear or not. Well, it is not rational. Just because something COULD happen doesn't mean it WILL happen. You said you have been worrying about this for 5 yrs now, but you are still here, the world is still here, nothing has collapsed.

The first piece of advice I have for you is STOP!!! searching the internet for information, and STOP!!!!!! reading ideas from people who really are on the fringe. You say that "so many" people are claiming that the end is near but those people represent a very very small percentage of the population. They have a right to their own opinions, and they can "prep" for the Apocalypse if they so choose. Second, if this is truly preventing you from living your life normally, it is probably time to consider therapy again until you can get past these fears.

[gypsylee]

Hi and welcome :)

The internet is rife with conspiracy theorists who go on about the economy collapsing any day. You can pretty much find stuff online that supports ANY idea.. I mean there are people who deny the Holocaust :rolleyes: It's easy to fall down the rabbit hole if you spend too much time on there.

That said, I do think things are getting bad and the way we are living is completely unsustainable. It won't happen overnight but the environment is in big trouble. Ironically the conspiracy theorists deny climate change as well.. Apparently the government can control the weather lol. I saw Henry Rollins a few months ago and he spent time in Antarctica. He asked the scientists there what they would tell the general population and they replied that climate change is way worse than people realise.

So I think it's quite understandable that young people feel anxious and depressed about the future. But instead of worrying, which as you say is unproductive, you can try and help change things. I don't think there's going to be some big apocalypse where we all die overnight - more of a gradual decline.

You can still have a meaningful life, but the definition of "success" needs to change significantly. I was watching some stuff on YouTube the other night by Russ Harris who wrote The Happiness Trap which is about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and he was talking about the difference between goals and values. Basically we're taught to constantly strive for things and achieving them is the definition of success. But he proposed that we can live a fulfilling life based more on values eg integrity and authenticity in the here and now. I thought that was really interesting. The goal of ACT is not to be "happy" but to be "fulfilled". So instead of spending your life chasing happiness, which is always fleeting, you learn to deal with negative feelings and be "real". Then there are things like compassion which add to fulfilment in life.

Ok, I digressed a bit there but hopefully you get the gist of what I'm on about :)

Cheers,
Gypsy x

[Kudzu]

I had a spate of such worries in 2012, the year that was supposed to end with the Mayan apocalypse. Seems laughable now but I did feel a sense of relief when the day came and went and we were still here.

[JGF87]

Hi and welcome :)

The internet is rife with conspiracy theorists who go on about the economy collapsing any day. You can pretty much find stuff online that supports ANY idea.. I mean there are people who deny the Holocaust :rolleyes: It's easy to fall down the rabbit hole if you spend too much time on there.

That said, I do think things are getting bad and the way we are living is completely unsustainable. It won't happen overnight but the environment is in big trouble. Ironically the conspiracy theorists deny climate change as well.. Apparently the government can control the weather lol. I saw Henry Rollins a few months ago and he spent time in Antarctica. He asked the scientists there what they would tell the general population and they replied that climate change is way worse than people realise.

So I think it's quite understandable that young people feel anxious and depressed about the future. But instead of worrying, which as you say is unproductive, you can try and help change things. I don't think there's going to be some big apocalypse where we all die overnight - more of a gradual decline.

Then why even keep living? I've had suicidal depression about civilization since 9/11, and daily anxiety for three months because of Trump. If the world's going to keep declining, why not just kill myself?

[magicmarcus]

the key for me on a question like this is to take advice from two things.

one being a recovering alcoholic you get kinda used to the serenity prayer which has deep roots in stoic philosophy.

"god grant me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change (any world events outside your scope) courage to change the things i can (your beliefs, life philosohies, ect) and the wisdom to know the difference"

worrying about something you cannot change is one of the big anxiety issues... but it is to no avail.

ever since the beginning of time people have worried about catastrophic events. the end has been near ever since people started talking.

also... money and finance is a man made idea... these are not things we need to survive... people just think we need them because they like to believe in made up things.

even if the world finance system were to crash... we still have sunshine, food, a bunch of houses, ect... and we also have a bunch of people sitting around acting like that stuff doesn't exist because they thing money makes the world turn.

it doesn't... those pepper sites market to the fear of others... i always hear them talking at marketing conventions about how they rake in profits... and they themselves don't prep for anything because they know its a load of BS.

focus on what you can control and live each day as if it were your last... because we don't know what is around the corner... but i do know today i can live and love and enjoyment.

remember anxiety about the future robs us of today.

to get rid of this anxiety - choose what you read online and start building a new model of the world in your mind :-) focus on the good.

[magicmarcus]

had to put this quote from men in black: "There's always an Arquillian Battle Cruiser, or a Corillian Death Ray, or an intergalactic plague that is about to wipe out all life on this miserable little planet, and the only way these people can get on with their happy lives is that they DO NOT KNOW ABOUT IT!"

moral of the story... no matter what - the world keeps turning weather you are anxious or not.

[JGF87]

the key for me on a question like this is to take advice from two things.

one being a recovering alcoholic you get kinda used to the serenity prayer which has deep roots in stoic philosophy.

"god grant me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change (any world events outside your scope) courage to change the things i can (your beliefs, life philosohies, ect) and the wisdom to know the difference"

worrying about something you cannot change is one of the big anxiety issues... but it is to no avail.

ever since the beginning of time people have worried about catastrophic events. the end has been near ever since people started talking.

also... money and finance is a man made idea... these are not things we need to survive... people just think we need them because they like to believe in made up things.

even if the world finance system were to crash... we still have sunshine, food, a bunch of houses, ect... and we also have a bunch of people sitting around acting like that stuff doesn't exist because they thing money makes the world turn.

it doesn't... those pepper sites market to the fear of others... i always hear them talking at marketing conventions about how they rake in profits... and they themselves don't prep for anything because they know its a load of BS.

focus on what you can control and live each day as if it were your last... because we don't know what is around the corner... but i do know today i can live and love and enjoyment.

remember anxiety about the future robs us of today.

to get rid of this anxiety - choose what you read online and start building a new model of the world in your mind :-) focus on the good.

Uh, money IS necessary to survive and thrive. Do you think the millions of homeless and poor would agree with you?

It's hard to not focus on what I cannot change when I'm being reminded multiple times every day how horrible things are and how miserable everyone is. Those with power will just keep destroying the order and morale of the mostly good majority.

At least there's always suicide.

[gypsylee]

Then why even keep living? I've had suicidal depression about civilization since 9/11, and daily anxiety for three months because of Trump. If the world's going to keep declining, why not just kill myself?

Well yeah I don't have that option because I have a 15yo daughter and my brother ODed on heroin (accidentally) in 2014. But trust me, I've thought about it.

I do also have certain "spiritual" beliefs which have gotten stronger since my brother died but I've had these beliefs for over 20 years. I was raised by atheists and came to these ideas by myself, reading the likes of Carl Jung and Terence McKenna. I hate the word spiritual because it conjures images of new age charlatans so maybe "evolutionary" or "shamanic" are better. It sounds corny but I believe I'm here for a reason. What that is I have nfi and I've wanted to trade places with my brother many a time but I'm stuck here for a while I think :(

[JGF87]

I have no commitments like that to keep myself alive, and religion and spirituality stopped meaning anything to me after 9/11 opened my eyes to the bleakness of everything. I really should just go through with the suicide plan I've had for years.

[Anne1221]

Absolutely you're here for a reason, Gypsy. You have a daughter and to her you are her whole world. You are helping people on this forum. Your mother needs you. You have friends and people you may help and not even know it.

[gypsylee]

Absolutely you're here for a reason, Gypsy. You have a daughter and to her you are her whole world. You are helping people on this forum. Your mother needs you. You have friends and people you may help and not even know it.

Thanks Anne x

[aml0017]

Well, I can't say I'm too thrilled with the current direction in Western politics and America, and climate change etc, but it is really just a bump in history. I mean for gosh sakes we are all sitting around posting on this forum from our nice air conditioned homes with indoor plumbing and store bought food. I still get up every morning and go to work and walk my dog and cook supper like always. Sure it could be gone tomorrow but I doubt it. Human suffering always exists somewhere but having some sort of existential crisis is not suffering. Sounds like first world problems to me.

Why live when we're all gonna die anyway? Everyone has a purpose and a will to survive. I'm not religious at all, and my life is not that great right at the moment, but I have people who love me and my pets and lots of moments of happiness. I could despair and end my life but like others have said, the world will keep on turning like always.

[magicmarcus]

"Uh, money IS necessary to survive and thrive. Do you think the millions of homeless and poor would agree with you?"

when you were talking about catastrophic events... i had mentioned that money is a man made idea... meaning that it is made up by man and only necessary because men agree that it is... and women (politically correct there). the problem of homelessness and hunger is that this is not nor has ever been a "money problem" its a society selfishness problem.

a homeless person would have a hard time making a house out of actual dollar bills and he cannot fill his hunger by eating dollar bills either.

point is... money is only important because everyone agrees it is... and since people confuse money with actual wealth very few people will know how to make it in times of trouble or if the bank shuts down for more than a day lol

money is not necessary for survival in the sense that it is one of our human needs. we just think it is ;-)

there are always things to live for... i had a hard time coming to grips with spirituality, politics, and many things like that.

at a turning point in life it is good to look for things outside your realm and stretch your mind a little.

right now it seems you are looking at many things one sided... bad things bad things, bad people doing bad things, life bad.

when there is actually a lot of good out there... BE the change you want to see in the world.

the problem is - the good does not get news time... because the bad sells commercials.

is it possible that life is both good and bad at the same time... is it possible that your lens is just focused on the bad.

the best medicine is this... go help those less fortunate than you... and take a 1 week "computer fast" or vow not to look at end of the world stuff online.

here are some predictions that failed:

2012 Maya Apocalypse
y2k
May 21, 2011

there are tons of others... and according to my church i went to growing up... jesus already came like 40 times lol

there will be more with trump in office... people freak out over everything ;)

to calm this down... read 1 hour of good stuff before bed every night... like stuff about people helping each other or philosophy... philosophy took my anxiety and stress from a level 100 to like 2 :-)

you will be ok... its all in your mind... and you have the rest of your life to worry... so today you don't have too.

my guess... you are probably a really intelligent person and you just need something to focus it on.

[Kirk]

Money is necessary for certain situations such as providing for food and shelter. Money does not buy happiness or health, but can
make your life more enjoyable.

[Jahpeatone]

Hi, just wanted to confirm that I am the OP and was not the one who made this post:

"Uh, money IS necessary to survive and thrive. Do you think the millions of homeless and poor would agree with you?"

I think you got confused and thought he/she was me. However, I do thank you for your words. I'm trying to do better.