As some of you already know from my threads in the past, I’m an 20 year old anxiety-ridden worrier by nature. Now, I’m extremely thin, but with what I eat, I wouldn’t be surprised if I found out that I have high cholesterol.
Because of that, I really fear that if I keep thinking about our current political situation, I may end up having a heart attack. So I was wondering if there are any psychologists on this board who could give me tips about how to “not care” about something.
Whatever.
Who cares? Pass the Cheez Nips.
I think “Family Guy” is on.
Marijuana did the trick for me.
Not caring isn’t the issue, controlling anxiety is. Stress is normal, anxiety is when (simply put) you act as if there’s a stressor when their isn’t or when your reaction is out of proportion. You don’t want to “not care” you want to care in a sane way.
Perhaps you might think about seing a psychologist and/or psychiatrist to see if you have anxiety disorder of some kind. (Not medical advice, just musing out loud. I’m not a doctor. DR is for doug robert.)
You know, that might actually do the trick.
Too bad my roommate last year owned the dvds, now I’m going to have to buy it for myself. 
Extensive interest in pop culture that totally eclipses the other kind is a factor too. So is subscribing to an ideology or set of ideologies that is so far from the mainstream that you cannot help but to abandon all hope of its success. For example, define yourself as a nihilist vegan Marxist post-modernist neohippie. (I challenge someone to google that phrase.) Many younger people are apathetic about the political system because they do not appreciate the role they can play in changing the system by following its rules, or at least making an environment more suitable for change. Or because they’re high.
Of course I can’t advocate marijuana, but it definitely causes apathy. I suppose I could suggest you try alcohol as soon as you turn 21 but not sooner under any circumstances, though that can lead to dangerous non-apathy. Video games might help; distractions of all sorts can lead to apathy once they combine to push out caring about things.
As far as any real solutions, I’m not a psychologist, and of course you should see a doctor if you think there are any possible health issues. Wait a while, and analyze your concern. First, realize the situation is beyond your control, then consider how much it is likely to affect you. Don’t predict the future, and don’t let others predict the future as they often have a vested interest. Try to think of a few positive things about the situation. These are only suggestions and I doubt they’ll reduce your concern to apathy, but, as I said above, the ways I can think of to achieve apathy are unspeakable.
IANAPOPODOALTB…(Psychologist or psychiatrist or doctor or anything like that but…) I think the “apathy” that you desire is an ingrained personality trait that you really can’t change all that much. You may be able to see someone and learn techniques to deal with the stress that you feel, but you can’t really just become unfazed by things.
Having said that, there is one thing that I live my life by, and I am a generally unstressed person.
Here it is:
If something is worrying you, and you can do something to improve the situation, DO IT. If something is worrying you and you can’t do anything about it, DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT.
To take your example of the current political situation. Can you do something about it? Yes, you can vote (I assume you are American). Beyond that there is very little you can do and so there is not much point stressing about it. If things got really weird like Bush wins and then attacks England or something, then there would be other things you could do (civil war for example), but as it stands, whoever you’re don’t support probably isn’t going to do anything too drastic. Don’t worry, be happy, wait for your chance again in 4 years time.
I know it sounds kind of trite and I think it is probably still a personality issue, but it’s worth a try eh?
you’re - 're = you
Why bother? It’s just something else you’d have to keep up with.
Just joking, anxiety is hard to live with.
Eat when you’re hungry, have enough sex, and study history–the principle pattern of which is that it starts to look like the world will end, and then it doesn’t. States fall, though, and frankly, Golden Ages are short.
Other than that, I think you’re stuck with your personality traits.
That’s the thing though. I posted a pit thread about this awhile ago. I don’t think that I, personally, was affected at all by Bush’s first four years, and I likely won’t be affected for the next. I’m at Drexel, currently making a shitload of money on my internship with a great company, my mom is in the same job she was in back before Bush took office (she manages an office at the local Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia clinic and the place would be lost without her), and neither me nor my brother are in any real danger of having to go to Iraq (though he is considering entering the Navy after graduation in June).
But I worry. I worry about everyone else. The fact that there are people who have gone from high paying jobs to working at Walmart makes me feel sick to my stomach. I feel guilty that I might be making more than public school teachers right now, even though I only have a year of college under my belt. I really hate the fact that our soldiers are dying in a war that was poorly planned.
And yet…the American people don’t have a problem with it. So I’m left frustrated. I have so much compassion for the common people and the good of this country, and yet they don’t seem to mind their own lot in life. And it’s just left me in this really confused and worried state of mind.
There’s nothing terribly bad about not being in a country in its golden age – the British don’t generally feel like a defeated people, and few probably want to see a return to the days of empire.
Some historians claim that the predominant pattern of history is that it has no pattern. (If you want a cite, I can look it up.) End-of-the-world predictions, and there have been many, have a distinct pattern of not coming true, and the same is true of nearly all catastrophic scenarios. This is because present directions in history do not continue indefinitely at the same rate, and because humans are able to adapt to changing situations. Whatever your concerns ultimately lead to – nuclear war, climate change, depletion of oil reserves – it’s not likely that we will continue to head down that path without recognizing the danger until it’s too late. And the outcome of a single election is not enough to fix the world on a path of destruction.
Alarmists get a lot of attention, but they almost never get to say ‘I told you so’ and mean it.
Off to IMHO.
DrMatrix - GQ Moderator
I usually sort things out using this little prayer most often associated with Alcoholics Anonymous.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Try practicing yoga or meditation, or start playing a sport. This can help you get rid of some of the frustration. I don’t know if anyone can change from a type A personality to a type B, but you can learn to deal with what you have.
A lot of people do have a problem with it, but apparently they weighed the issues and chose what they felt was best. I feel bad for the people that got a raw deal, but worrying isn’t going to make things better for anyone, and only makes you sick. I’m assuming that you voted, but there’s other things that can be done. I know Drexel students don’t have loads of free time, but maybe you can find some place to volunteer, or donate a portion of your income to a cause that you feel strongly about, that way you don’t feel so helpless, and hopeless about the situation.
good luck.
Sex, drugs, and rock and roll----that’s what usually works for me. 
I volunteer in Circle K pretty heavily…at least I did last year. For fall and winter this year I’m working full time as part of my curriculum, so I don’t have the time to volunteer that I used to. But things should pick up again in spring and summer when I’m back in class.