I hit a point this afternoon that I could not think, act or talk. I felt overwhelmed. Anyone else had this experience. I realized that I have been relating to y2k as an emergency/disaster for several months now(actually since Feb 99). Anyone know anything about disaster psychology? I laid down and took a one hour nap. I feel a little better but it was a weird experience. Maybe I need to unplug from it for a while. Everything I do is under pressure, I can hear the clock ticking in the background. Comments?

-- JoseMiami (caris@prodigy.net), November 17, 1999

Answers

Jose

Yes! I have been (still am really) there. I try to disconnect from the forum but I can't. So what I am doing is reducing the time on it and playing my favourite soothing music and I find it helps. Do your favourite things, read and tune out for a bit every day from this whole depressing thing. I often think what a shame it is that if this is our last normal few weeks, it has to be so ruined by the stress of preparing and worrying! Good luck.

-- citygirl (citygirl@idirect.com), November 17, 1999.

I must research Y2K for a publication. I am confronted with this "disaster reaction" all the time. When it overwhelms me, I take a nap. I try to keep a professional distance between the material and my feelings about it, but it is not always possible. I accept there is emotion attached to this, and even emotion as it pertains to the very real people I have gotten to know through this forum.

I am told it is good to remember to assign percentages to what you can do something about, what you cannot do anything about but have to accept, and what may come about but is not written in stone (a hypothetical future is not the same as a near-guarantee).

Also, it is good to focus on beyond the rollover, and spend some time every day envisioning building a better existence after the crisis. Making that a personal vision, beyond the imminent threat.

Then, because this can be an isolating phenomenon out there in "the world," get grounding from other GI's when you need it.

Don't forget the naps.

-- (normally@ease.notnow), November 17, 1999.

Take a time out... works wonders. And be gentle with yourself.

Been there. Done that. Got the T-shirt.

See also...

Y2K Five-Stage Grief Cycle

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 000tJE

At this point... "Que sera, sera."

Think Different. And... expect the unexpected.

;-D

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), November 17, 1999.

Talking to my wife helps. She has a degree in computer science and she works for MCI. Based on her training and the increasing number of problems they are having she knows it will be bad.

Laying down is the only other thing that works for me also. Hows it going down there?

-- Mr. Pinochle (pinochledd@aol.com), November 18, 1999.

My feelings can best be expressed in the following song ...

(to the tune of "My favorite things")

"Boxes of soybeans and barrels of water

Soap for the laundry and socks for my daughter

Cases of TP with more in the wings

These are a few of my Y2k things ....

"Katadyn filters, Aladdins with mantles

Oxy absorbers and long burning candles

Corn meal and hard wheat (both winter and spring)

These are my favorite Y2k things ...

If the bug bites - if the grid folds - if the future's dim

I simply remember my Y2k things - and then I don't feel so grim."

=====

But seriously, Jose, assuming you've been prepping (you *have*, haven't you?) - go look at what you've accomplished. It'll make you feel better.

-- 5R2k (fiver2000@yahoo.com), November 18, 1999.

Yea, I feel the same way. I think you can reach a point where you can't think about this subject anymore. I have decided to TRY not to post anymore because I feel like I don't have anything more to contribute. I have gotten my extended family to prepare, I contributed an idea to an emergency communications company which the president of the company liked ( he knew people in state government who he thought would go for it, had to do with emergency multiple path communications networks, yes, at least for one state, hit the jackpot with that one ). Also my contributions here, as small as they may be.

You should probably spend less time each day researching Y2K, I am still learning things but my nights of staying up to 3:00 am reading lengthy reports are over.

-- Stanley Lucas (StanleyLucas@WebTv.net), November 18, 1999.

The above advice is well worth taking IMHO. At times I have stressed myself so badly that I had to learn to take short breaks. I found I seem to stress more over having enough emergency information than anything else (ie; tricks and tips for survival). I am always looking for another small piece of information that could be important in various mental scenarios (got to stop that!).

Play some music, read a good book (I just read a really funny novel called 'Pest Control'). Breathe deep.......

-- Sammie (sammiex0@hotmail.com), November 18, 1999.

Alas, overwhelm is sometimes understating it....two weeks ago we ran into a disaster with our shelter situation....it was so disheartening, and I'm having great trouble firing up the engine to get back into backbreaking work, once again, and again....with 44 days it's not possible to nap/nod off, but I do take one exhaustion free day off a week....sometimes I think I will feel cheated if IT doesn't happen.

-- alice (alice@wonder.land), November 18, 1999.

The thought of the possibilities of Y2K does get overwhelming- maybe moreso for those of us who are single, without as many distractions of a family. Knowing I am pretty well prepped is a sense of security, tho. And an occasional burst of humor gives me a good belly laugh.....like Ry2K's poem- that's priceless!

-- Jo Ann (MaJo@Michiana.com), November 18, 1999.

Hey,

Yes I've definitely experienced a lot of Y2K Fatigue lately. A lot of it is due to some (only semi-successful) last ditch efforts to get friends to prepare. My family is fairly well set up, but about 50% of the other people in my life are blowing it off. (My brother, who is prepped to the gills, is a COBOL programmer by the way...HA!)

I've also gotten that burnt-out feeling after spending literally HOURS on various sites looking for some positive news that does not smell of whitewash. Hard to do! The thing that made me a "doomer" was the fact that all of the hardcore data I've seen is much more catastrophic in it's implications that the happy face song and dance rubbish put out by most of the major media sources...it can really get you down!

So in short, I know EXACTLY how you feel pal. At least one can say that in about 4 or 5 months we might have a good idea what the short and long term implications are, and that THAT pressure is now over: the dread and anticipation of possible disaster.

John Ludi

-- Ludi (ludi@rollin.com), November 18, 1999.

JoseMiami I live in central florida moved from maryland in may been paparing for 2 years i found a house in a rural area its been hard but our family is doing okay . Two days ago something very weird happen my wife got this phone call this man called who we dont know he dont know us he said he had to call us to tell us we must leave florida and that the area is very cursed and that y2k in florida will be worst here than up north . My wife didnt beleve him he went on to tell her things about our family were we cane from the address were we live now presonal things know one knows he know we were can down because of y2k i told no one that we were paparing quitely . We have never had this happen i belive people could have powers like this but i dont know if god is using him to warn me to get out . He also told us that one of my family members will need me later that night my sister called me and told me her husban was just killed in a car crash this is very werid do we leave he kelp saying leave now dont be here in january or you will never be able to leave we will have trouble what do we do ?

-- gene (gene0763@yahoo.com), November 18, 1999.

Throw out any old scripts running in ones head. i.e. if you have anything like old parental remarks in your memory that come out and restrict your movement. Give yourself permission to do what you need or want to do for your own feelings of comfort or security.

Beware of those old scripts. Criticisms or goofy nonsense one read now in control of oneself. It reminds me of one persons obversation upon reading articles of "Internet addiction" that one is supposedly "righteous" if instead one is sitting and watching hours of t.v. instead of participating where communication, thought, skills and literacy are required.

You can be connected to this forum or any other for the sole purpose of enjoyment. It does not have to serve a valid purpose. People have altered their lives and now are in a wait mode, so what if you're reading what Joe saw at K-Mart if it's suiting your fancy?

You do need to at least brush with other Y2Kers over the Internet, the reason being that one is in a tiny pool of the larger populace, and obviously the thought process and choices are dfferent from that larger populace, because you're going to bump into these people again down the road. These are your societal peers. These are the people making up your flock. You're a part of 1-3% of a massive and gigantic national and international population. We don't know what is going to happen. We do know Y2K nation to nation aggression could trigger wars on a heavily nuclear armed globe. These would be those "carrying on civilization." You would turn to your left and turn to your right and these people would be your literal neighbors and government. We could find ourselves all sitting on the same bench waiting for our turn to testify in trials. A lot of variables are out there in the future.

One thing I have noticed since 1998 is that "Y2Kers" are a literal civilization. Have you noticed that? Some are in law enforcement, some are politicians, some in emergency work, the medical field, the legal field, one is a judge, some can can foods, some are bakers, some are soldiers, some are teachers, some are experts in the stock market and economies, some are animal rescuers, some older and some younger, some are writers, some farmers and some are in the media, etc. It's surreal. Pull off the layers and America is only 1-3% of the population, nations like Canada, Australia, and the UK have the same reality. We will brush aross periodically and know each other all the rest of our lives.

It isn't about "disaster psychology" or "grieving steps." Stop looking at those dependent sheep walking towards their fate, and instead look at those on your same path walking towards a different future. It isn't going to work to wake up one morning finding yourself a part of a small and potent civilization, grab a few cases of ravioli, and figure you're just preparing for this little ole "disaster."

You're seeing death ahead or you would not have purchased those cans of ravioli's. You're seeing that you're going to try and survive against all odds. You're finding yourself not alone in that perception, 1-3% also have caught that scent of the future, and we may be correct in that perception. These programmers, stock market experts, retired nurses, producers, housewives, ministers, soldiers, judges, fast food worker, etc aren't calling you "crazy" but are instead nodding their head going, "Ahuh, yeah, something is going to happen."

A part of being "overwhelmed" is probably that right now many do not want to activate The Day Before The Storm People. Even Y2Kers are double speaking right now. People don't want the larger populace to know who or where oneself is, they don't want to position themselves for ridicule, and don't quite know what to do in this waiting time frame. They know "things" must be happening out there being blocked from the news. At some point it'll be too big for any news block.

It's not an emergency/disaster. It's a chronic and miserable altering of reality which contains a lot of emergencies and disasters and many variables. The attitude of Emergency and Disaster preparations is a rigid one that will break. Your roots have to be firm enough that you can sway and bend in the wind. Your mind is going to have to pry itself to be even more open. The larger population will be experiencing emergency/disaster as rigid and stupid trees breaking in the wind, but you will see (I'm making these up as examples) a new currency looking at the same scenario and grab it fast, a new food and grab for it fast, if it comes down to home canning you will when that day comes, you'll move if you have to move, run if you have to run, accept what you have to accept, and be in a fluid state of constant and rapid adjustment. There is no possible way even if you're tossed into a worst case scenario you'd share the same fate as the 99-97%. You know to leave the water in the direct sun with the color black, some have learned to spot edible plants, you know to wrap trash about your body under your clothing and so on.

Those emergency/disasters aren't your reality. You already rose above them. You're not the one is going to go hungry, be thirsty, die in the winter cold, sit in the dark for night after night, etc., Try being in your own shoes instead of constantly walking in the shoes of the rigid and stupid.

One reason why we're all "waiting" is because we've positioned ourselves not to be impacted. People are being impacted. You need to accept the fact that by positioning yourself so carefully you did pull yourself out of the thrill seeker ride. Your day may actually be this mundane through all the events and changes. Once again, I repeat, stop walking in other peoples shoes. Stop trying to be that rigid and stupidly unprepared person being impacted.

You've read articles that food banks are seeing an increase in the amount of the hungry. People are reporting though maybe not on this forum an increase in the amount of homelessness they're noticing driving along. You have heard with your own ears that the powers that be will say ANYTHING to avoid an outright massive societal panic.

Don't you find the personal eye witness accounts of an increase in hunger and homeless that does not agree with "statistics" a little odd? How about the sudden decrease in traffic some are noticing in SoCA? I watched a dairy go down, a house parking lot go up, it's been a few months and all the ones that had sold now have For Sale By Owner signs in the windows. Pic N Save so packed one couldn't turn around long before Thanksgiving even arrived and most people considers themselves leagues above having to shop at Pic N Save. Trailers piling up in retail parking lots in towns of less than one hundred thousand people? I went into Staters yesterday and it was like a sudden day that stood still. It was surreal and abnormal. An abrupt change. It was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. There were about five people in the whole store with its large and spectacular sprawl of holiday choices. And you're waiting for emergency/disaster as if it arrives with a boom? Waiting for a huge impact on self when self removed oneself from impact?

Quite obviously a lot is happening and with the news blackouts the people are each believing themselves to be a unique situation, nothing to do with broken code plus variables, their lives are increasingly being impacted, and they are looking at the now and living in a mode of It's All About Me.

If you wanted the adrenalin rush of being heavily impacted than why did you prepare to not be so impacted? Long and dull days are ahead of you seemingly with nothing happening out there. You're BORED. You're grieving for an adrenalin rush impact the unprepared will experience. You thought you'd have both, be removed from it all, and be in the excitement and thrill of it all at the same time. It doesn't work that way. You can't live in both those shoes it is one or the other, no differently than the super rich who have never experienced the agnonizing impact of a recession.

One is only human and "waiting" for the situation to become much bigger is certainly tempting and also fascinating, but at the same time one should take ones life off hold and start living life within the growing alterations. Why not go forth and be xmas help to pay down the costs of those preparations if it was on credit? Why not do holiday baking? Why not paint the shed that has paint peeling or rusting? Life goes on and one has to go on with ones life. You wished not to be horribly impacted and as the saying goes, "Be careful what you wish for you just may get it."

-- Paula (chowbabe@pacbell.net), November 18, 1999.

Peace, Jose. I'm all alone in my preps, here; my spouse, family, friends, neighbors, are all DGIs. So when the stress gets a bit heavy, I just throw on my coat and take the dogs and cats for a walk in the woods. They all enjoy it immensely, and amuse me greatly. An hour or two of that really takes the edge off of the frustration, self-doubt, and financial concerns.

-- Norm Harrold (nharrold@tymewyse.com), November 18, 1999.

Paula,thanks for your good post.

-- Maggie (aaa@aaa.com), November 19, 1999.