Extreme anxiety/depression over Trump and world events

[aml0017]

Well, I don't really understand this thread...it is all just speculation at this point isn't it? Seems like everyone has their own opinions that follow their own party lines and political affiliations. But I digress...while it is normal to be concerned about current world events the point is the OP is being consumed by these fears, by anxiety over what could possibly happen. These are not necessarily irrational fears but it is still important to distinguish between reality and the catastrophic thinking.

[peteski37]

I feel for you and the way your feeling and I'm sure there are loads of ways to try and deal with these feelings. For me, I just dont bother myself with any news media that's the worst you dont know whats right or wrong I also look at it in away where I'm like there is nothing I can do about it unless I start a revolution.

[Kudzu2]

Sorry to rain on your parade but there are no checks and balances when it comes to nukes. The president is the commander in chief of the armed forces and can launch a strike within minutes against anywhere in the world for any reason. He does not need congressional approval.

[kalamata]

I did have cancer. Trump wants to revoke health care and exclude pre existing conditions. the end of days is the least of my worries. cancer is not an abstract.

[kalamata]

sorry I did not read whole thread. I did not mean to make anything harder for you. I did survive and am well 10 years later. but protesting as well as I can.

[kalamata]

awesome.I am so glad I joined to help my anxiety

[jenkyleg]

Hey guys, sorry, I didn't mean for this to become a political discussion. I'm just nervous about the world right now -- given all the uncertainty among its largest countries, I think that's a bipartisan concern.

I don't think President Trump would get us into nuclear war unnecessarily and I don't worry about him pressing the "big red button" at random. But I do worry about his ability to lead in times of crisis, and it looks as though we will have plenty of that in short order. Disputes with North Korea, China, Iran, and even possibly Russia lead me to think he will have much to fret over soon.

To give you an example of the kind of possible scenario that keeps me up at night:

Trump has enraged China by suggesting One China is renegotiable. Though I suspect Trump ultimately will not recognize Taiwanese independence (does he even care about human rights issues?), the diplomatic damage here may have already been done. China, a country fueled by political nationalism, will look for revenge where it can find it. Fast forward some months to a clash in the South China Sea. Maybe Trump's SoS nominee Rex Tillerson gets serious about those disputed islands as he said he would. Maybe it leads to a standoff or even a blockade as he suggested. Normally, both sides might seek to defuse a situation that could lead to armed conflict. But China, having been long prodded by Trump, could try to force him to back down with a show of strength. Will Trump, who fears being perceived as weak, ultimately concede in such a conflict? Or will he push it further toward the brink?

My point is this: No matter who you voted for, the risk of war with a major nuclear power seems higher now than it has been for decades. Now, do I think nuclear war is likely? No. These are all worst case scenarios. But imagine you're walking on a rickety bridge suspended between two cliffs. If you fall, you will certainly die. How much of a risk are you willing to take? Would you cross the bridge if there was a 50 percent chance you'd fall? 10 percent? 5 percent? 1 percent?

We're about to cross the bridge. That's where my anxiety comes from.