Are you afraid?

Yes, I'm afraid but, isn't that the point of the 'new' normal? I mean isn't that the goal of the powers that be and main stream media, to keep us in fear or worried enough to keep us in line (controlled)? My hope is that someday (soon) we will have had enough of this BS and let it be known it's not working anymore. Don...
Main stream media covers a pretty broad spectrum. Some are purposely deceitful while others attempt to deliver the facts. I have come to know which ones I trust, but there are some subjects avoided by many because of the corporate ownership. It's good to have places to share our knowledge, hopes and fears. And social media should be viewed cautiously.
 

Thoughts on fear.

“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me." - From Dune by Frank Herbert

"I strike a careless pose
And whistle a happy tune
And no-one ever knows I'm afraid.
The result of this deception
Is very strange to tell
For when I fool the people I fear,
I fool myself as well.
I whistle a happy tune." From The King and I by Rodgers and Hammerstein.

I have used distractions to control my fears since I was a child. I grew up in a house with a brick outhouse half way down the back yard. There was no light in it unless you took a kerosene lamp or a torch with you when you needed to relieve yourself during the night. It had spiders inside. Fear was not an option. An imaginary friend was handy at times like that.

I do remember being in bed and frightened of the dark. I quite consciously imagined that my eiderdown was actually a pet python that slept on my bed to protect me from scary things and then I could go to sleep feeling safe.

I also remember experiencing fear when I had a dream that my three year old daughter fell under a train the night before she was scheduled to take a train trip with my mother in law to visit a relative. On that occasion I used reason to quell my disquiet and I reminded myself that my dream was caused by anxiety. I let her go with Nana but told her very firmly that she must hold Nana's hand when getting on and off the train. I admit that I did feel rather anxious but I had decided not to let fear rule my head.

When I was 45 I woke up one morning with chest pain. It was not too bad but something about it caused me to think that I should probably get it checked out. There was a family history of cardiac disease. So I drove myself to hospital before going to work. Three days later I was allowed to go home. It turned out that despite having to stay in the coronary care ward for observation and tests, there was nothing to be concerned about. Before I was discharged I looked out a west facing window and saw small planes from the nearby air port. I remembered the times I had flown in a small plane, including a helicopter over and into the Grand Canyon and I felt happy. I also remembered the times that I had hiked and camped in the mountains west of Sydney where I tested my physical limits. Finally I thought of our one year old grand daughter and felt fulfilled. I gave thanks for the life I had been given and realised that if I had died of a heart attack that I was OK with that. Since then I have had no fear of death because I am still grateful for all that life has given me.

I am also grateful that I have discovered the power of the mind to dispel the mind-killer that is fear.
 

Warrigal

I am also grateful that I have discovered the power of the mind to dispel the mind-killer that is fear.
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Warrigal
It took some time for me to understand we really do have a choice over our emotions. because we can control our thoughts..Finally I realized our thoughts are the only thing we do have control over.
 
I do have nameless, faceless elevated anxiety which I feel in my body, but doesn't register in my mind as being attributed to anything specific. A lifetime with PTSD, it never goes away.
There is help for PTSD. Have you tried that?
 
I had started with a LCSW a few months back; she has since left my health care provider so I'll be shopping for another counselor.
It's good you're still looking for help. If nothing else, therapists can be nice to talk to.

Personally, I've given up ever trying to get over my issues. I went through years and years of therapy, and while there was some temporary progress and relief, in some ways, I'm worse now than I've ever been. What's changed is I've lost hope of ever being what's considered "normal." Instead, I'm misanthropic and avoidant.
 
It's good you're still looking for help. If nothing else, therapists can be nice to talk to.

Personally, I've given up ever trying to get over my issues. I went through years and years of therapy, and while there was some temporary progress and relief, in some ways, I'm worse now than I've ever been. What's changed is I've lost hope of ever being what's considered "normal." Instead, I'm misanthropic and avoidant.
That won't help you. Don't shut people out. They can be the solution to your problem. I've helped patients with PTSD back when I was working. It's a great trip to share in their recovery.
 
I have an irrational fear of the dentist and the power of the mind to dispel the mind-killer that is fear doesn't work for me. Wish it did. It's like when I first tried yoga and the instructor said 'think of something peaceful' - that didn't work either.
 
I'll speak for myself only here, but there is something to be said about being young and dumb. I think when you are young, mortality is not something you think about.

Speaking of food on the floor, a guy posted a video of his super cute kitty eating off his (I think it was a) burrito. People went nuts with negative comments. Seriously, I've had my cats eat off my food and I'm still here. I stuck myself several times with my diabetic kitties' insulin syringes because I would recap them. I just squeezed some blood out and never worried. Human needle stick, I'd freak.
 
I'll speak for myself only here, but there is something to be said about being young and dumb. I think when you are young, mortality is not something you think about.

Speaking of food on the floor, a guy posted a video of his super cute kitty eating off his (I think it was a) burrito. People went nuts with negative comments. Seriously, I've had my cats eat off my food and I'm still here. I stuck myself several times with my diabetic kitties' insulin syringes because I would recap them. I just squeezed some blood out and never worried. Human needle stick, I'd freak.
I guess COVID has produced a bunch of germophobes. When it comes to scary illnesses, yes, one should observe caution. But we definitely have gone way overboard with the hand sanitizer, disinfectants, etc. Soon our bodies won't know how to fight anything!
 


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