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Scared about my future

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Helen_Davis

Scared about my future

Post by Helen_Davis » Wed November 7th, 2012, 5:20 pm

I grew up around some very fundamentalist Christians who have said things like that Obama is the AntiChrist and that the world will end now. Logically I know they are wrong, but the lack of sleep from the past week and refusing to eat anything has taken its toll on my mental health. Besides, you can't talk logic to feelings. I had a 'friend' tell me that there will be death camps in America soon. I know logically he's wrong, but I am very gullible and believe anything I hear. I would believe the sky was purple if the right person said it. :( I know it doesn't matter who's president and that my day to day life won't change, but these people have really scared me. I got away from them(I am at a more moderate church now). But they still scare me. I worry too much basically. Any suggestions on how I can calm down? Not to make this an argument, just that I could use suggestions on how to make myself feel better. I know writing stories that I write just for fun and don't intend to publish helps (craaaaazy sci fi! :D ). And I know aromatherapy helps me(I make my own potions and could probably start my own business.) Any other suggesitions?
Last edited by Helen_Davis on Wed November 7th, 2012, 5:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

annis
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Post by annis » Wed November 7th, 2012, 6:47 pm

This isn't the place to get into politics, but clearly a lot of people were equally worried that President Obama wouldn't get back in :) And you are right to be scared by your "friend" - fundamentalists of any sort are definitely something to concerned about, whether Christian, Muslim or other.

I think that all we can do is be tolerant and moderate in our own lives, and care about those around us and the world we live in - that's the best antidote to extremism of any sort.

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Lisa
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Post by Lisa » Wed November 7th, 2012, 7:55 pm

Hi, I'm sorry you're feeling so anxious. I don't need to tell you that it's silly, because you know that, but the underlying feeling of dread is clouding your thoughts and the logic just cannot get through. But if you feel there might be truth what your scary 'friend' told you (and remember that's just their opinion, no more) then there's no reason why you can't believe what I'm about to say.

I am 100% sure that it's simply an extremist opinion, with no basis in fact, and it is inconceivable to me (and I'm confident, the vast majority of people) that it could be true. Some reasoning: if Obama wanted to wreak such destruction, he would have done it in his first term, not waited until the second, hoping all the while he would get re-elected! And if he did plan it that way, he's rather inept at being evil, in which case there's no way he would manage to do anything bad without the rest of the world noticing and putting a stop to it. Without getting into the religious aspect too much, if being the 'anti-christ' gives him powers so that none of this matters, then Christ has the power to stop him. And someone, somewhere, has almost certainly said the same things about Romney in the past week.

I hope it helps to have someone else say that, sometimes reassurance from outside helps the message get through the clouds of anxiety.

Now, thinking about the aromatherapy - when I was feeling really down a few years ago, I sat and made a list of smells that would remind me of good times, then tried to track them down or recreate them. Examples being the incense they used to burn in my favourite shop, which had since closed down, or the smell of a juice that my grandparents used to give me when I was really little. Then I tracked down the incense, made a lot of juice until I got it right, and found other perfumes and smells that I'd come up with.

I recommend it - making the list in itself is a cheery thing to do (just concentrate on happy memories!) and it's good to know you can recreate a scent that you know will lift your mood and make you feel safe. :)

Helen_Davis

Post by Helen_Davis » Wed November 7th, 2012, 11:04 pm

thanks. I feel better. I remember being upset about things like this before and it all turned out fine.

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Madeleine
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Post by Madeleine » Thu November 8th, 2012, 10:17 am

Andromeda, the best thing is to ignore them. I once had a friend who became a born-again Christian but was one of the most bigoted people I met - thankfully she's changed now that she's married - but she once said that some family members were sent a hamper of gifts from a friend who was into alternative therapy, and it included some spiritual CDs, and her family thought they were scary and tantamount to witchcraft and wouldn't touch them! I wonder what death camps your friend was referring to...There will always be conspiracy theorists, and of course the internet is a gift to people with these ideas, so you've done the right thing in getting away from them.

Just try to surround yourself with sensible people, and remember that the majority don't think that way, and that Bush was also called the anti-Christ, and I expect pretty much every President (and rulers of other nations too) has been called it at some point too. Unfortunately there will always be crackpots, just take a deep breath and tell yourself what you already know. Good luck and hope you feel easier soon.
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Mythica
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Post by Mythica » Thu November 8th, 2012, 10:42 am

[quote=""Andromeda_Organa""]I grew up around some very fundamentalist Christians who have said things like that Obama is the AntiChrist and that the world will end now. Logically I know they are wrong, but the lack of sleep from the past week and refusing to eat anything has taken its toll on my mental health. Besides, you can't talk logic to feelings. I had a 'friend' tell me that there will be death camps in America soon. I know logically he's wrong, but I am very gullible and believe anything I hear. I would believe the sky was purple if the right person said it. :( I know it doesn't matter who's president and that my day to day life won't change, but these people have really scared me. I got away from them(I am at a more moderate church now). But they still scare me. I worry too much basically. Any suggestions on how I can calm down? Not to make this an argument, just that I could use suggestions on how to make myself feel better. I know writing stories that I write just for fun and don't intend to publish helps (craaaaazy sci fi! :D ). And I know aromatherapy helps me(I make my own potions and could probably start my own business.) Any other suggesitions?[/quote]

Since you say you are at a more moderate church now, I assume you are still spiritual. How about prayer? I do not pray myself but supposedly those who do find much peace and guidance in it - like meditation, which is another, similar option.

What makes me feel better is just doing things I enjoy, things that will take my mind off whatever it bothering me. I read or watch tv with a hot drink or glass of wine. I work on my genealogy. I spend time with people I love. Sometimes, I clean. Not that I enjoy cleaning but I find cleaning is very therapeutic for purging negative energy. Working out does this too so sometimes I go to the gym - they say exercise releases endorphins (a chemical in the brain that makes you feel happy).

Helen_Davis

Post by Helen_Davis » Thu November 8th, 2012, 5:26 pm

[quote=""Madeleine""]Andromeda, the best thing is to ignore them. I once had a friend who became a born-again Christian but was one of the most bigoted people I met - thankfully she's changed now that she's married - but she once said that some family members were sent a hamper of gifts from a friend who was into alternative therapy, and it included some spiritual CDs, and her family thought they were scary and tantamount to witchcraft and wouldn't touch them! I wonder what death camps your friend was referring to...There will always be conspiracy theorists, and of course the internet is a gift to people with these ideas, so you've done the right thing in getting away from them.

Just try to surround yourself with sensible people, and remember that the majority don't think that way, and that Bush was also called the anti-Christ, and I expect pretty much every President (and rulers of other nations too) has been called it at some point too. Unfortunately there will always be crackpots, just take a deep breath and tell yourself what you already know. Good luck and hope you feel easier soon.[/quote]

Yes. I finally got some rest last night and I feel better. This guy WAS a loon-- he said he got kicked out of Israel for being Christian, but I found out he was actually prosteletyzing and lying about what happened. I think he did it to make himself look like a martyr. You're not a martyr if you break the law and expect to get away with it. :mad: That's acting like a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar. I am thinking of visiting Israel and actually teaching English there for awhile-- my goal is by 2014 and I am learning Hebrew now. Most of my friends are much saner than this guy-- and I never considered him a friend anyway-- I was just seduced by his good looks and supposed spirituality. (We dated for awhile-- i got tired of his lies.)

You are right. I remember similar things being said about Bush. (I do not care for either man myself.) Nothing happened. I'll get through this. If bulimia didn't kill me, this won't either.

I feel better, but I have diurnal mood variations and am worst right after the sun goes down. My dad has said he will visit me during those hours and we will discuss my writing during that time until I recover from this. And I do a lot of exercise-- I walk, swim, do krav maga twice a week(I LOVE Israeli culture and Israeli things :D ) and belly dance once a week.

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