Starting to panic about the future

iguana2005

Its really hitting me now - all this bad news aboout recession(now depression apparently)...no money in banks....no more work contracts...every second shop closing(in Cork City)...shopping last Sunday was dead/eerily quiet...future looking bleak...very bleak...

Am finding myself constantly thinking about the recession now. Loosing sleep, no motivation in work(am working TG) but worry about how long work will be busy...what will happen if I get let go. Cant afford to go on holiday/buy a car(am starting anew again in Ireland after working abroad for a few years)....renting at the mo..what happens if I cant afford my rent.

Anyone else feeling the same? A business man today at work told me its only a matter of time before social welfare payments dry up...what will happen then?? I wouldnt mind if we had nice sunny weather with great beaches to deal with our woes- its better to deal with depressing life when the sun is shining.Feels a little like hell especially with dull overcast days.

Someone make me SMILE and help put some POSITIVE life back in Cork please!!!!!

Dudess

It's not easy to do, but stop worrying - it won't solve anything. Take each day as it comes and if bad stuff happens you will find the strength to get through it - you'll have to. You won't keel over and die - nobody does. You just find a way of dealing with it. It doesn't even take a very strong person to do that - most people can adapt. It's not easy but it's doable. It's not like you even make a conscious decision to anyway, you normally just automatically do it.

You also may not have anything to panic about - it's highly likely many of us will lose our jobs this year (me included) but until we get that announcement at work, nothing is in stone.

iguana2005 wrote: »

no motivation in work(am working TG)

See the irony of that? Not getting on with your work could get you into trouble and perhaps put your job on the line - don't let job loss fear be a self-fulfilling prophecy. By the way, what's "TG"?

but worry about how long work will be busy...what will happen if I get let go.

Sign on, break your ass looking for another job and take whatever you get - even if you feel it's way beneath you. Move away if needs be.

Cant afford to go on holiday/buy a car

Neither essential.

(am starting anew again in Ireland after working abroad for a few years)....renting at the mo..what happens if I cant afford my rent.

This is far more serious - can't believe you're so bothered about a holiday/car. They're nice to have but in a recession they're certainly not that huge a concern. Start saving now (if you haven't done so already) in order to put a rent nest egg away. Maybe you won't lose your job but do this anyway - I'm doing it and the money is piling up and causing the pressure to drop slightly (very, very likely I'll be out of work).
Focus right now though on the fact you HAVE a job, and make the best of it (i.e. work your ass off and save).

Anyone else feeling the same?

Of course they do!

Your situation isn't the worst - you don't have children, a huge mortgage... in a way you're one of the lucky ones. Remember that.

omerin

you are from cork for christ sake ... it could be worse, you could be from dublin

2 things that spring to mind - the phrase that there is always someone worse off then you. Jade Goody springs to mind, you have your health (i presume) and thats the main thing
and secondly, these things are cyclical, give it a year, two at most and things will turn around. Start saving now and cheer up

iguana2005

thanks for replies - it can get on top of you sometimes. Been through a fair bit these past few years and am finally starting to get my feet on the ground! Bloody recession - never a good time I presume!(TG- Thank God)

kippy

Great replies guys.
OP, take some of the advice mentioned by the two replies.
Its tough sometimes but they way I look at it, theres feck all I can do personally about any of the current situation apart from what I can impact for myself. I am in good health thankfully, I have some great friends and I am getting married in July. I can still enjoy lifes "free" things, surfing, football, etc

Keep the chin up, things could be a hell of a lot worse and theres always a way to get through things.
Kippy

Dudess

Good point kippy - there really is no point in getting really upset/stressed over something which you have absolutely no control over. And yes, focus on the good things in life and the fact you could be worse off. My heart goes out to couples with young children and massive mortgages where both incomes are gone - it's just terrifying stuff. And they can't even sell their houses in order to take the edge of the debts...

Now I'm not a fan of those with Taswoty Syndrome ("There's always someone worse off than you") - it's sometimes no help. I'm sure some poor guy in a cell in Zimbabwe isn't comforted by the fact he "has his health"... but in this situation, perspective is worth taking into consideration.

A major consolation also is the fact that you are not alone.

And stop thinking about the fact you might get let go - "might" doesn't mean "definitely will". You HAVE a job - don't think beyond that for the moment.

tbh

I remember as a kid I was on a bike, using my two hands to hold onto a bottle of water, the bike started wobbling and I knew what was coming but couldn't do anything to stop it. That's what this is like, I imagine, for a lot of people. They know there is pain coming but they don't know how bad, or how soon.

I agree with others who say there's little consolation in the "it could be worse" philosophy. It could be worse, but it also could be better. How could it be better? start taking steps.

This is a big ball of worry in your head and you need to start taking bite-sized chunks. Focus on what could happen - what if you lose your job? what if. what if. what if. Start thinking about them now - thinking, as in focused thinking, which is different to worrying. If the worst happens, you're going to be in shock wondering what the hell you are going to do next. "If only I'd saved a little more, or followed up on that job, or taken that training course" - so do it now, while you are calm and you have a chance to soften the blow should the worse happen.


look, the worse happening, it's just you losing your job. You won't starve and you won't die, realistically. I know that sounds like me saying "it could be worse" but I'm really saying - no matter how bad it is, it's manageable.

sardineta

Can I make a couple of suggestions to help with your mindset that have helped me?

Strip out caffeine completely as I find it magnifies anxiety and minimise your alcohol as that will depress you, making you less productive, self-fulfilling prophecy etc...plus the extra quids will be useful.

taram

Hey OP, I'm from Cork too and see what you mean about certain times of the day being dead, try being in Mahon Point in the morning! Was the complete opposite only 2-3 months ago. But this is only a small part of our lives in total, hopefully in a few years we'll go 'oh, yeah, the recession, jesus that sucked yeah?'. Just focus on work for the moment, do the best you can, so that if anything DOES happen, you'll know you did your best, and will get a good reference. Put a little bit of money to the side, and if you can cut out any unnecessary spending, try to do so. Ignore people scare mongering, social welfare vanishing? Yeah, right, reduced probably, but vanished? Total nonsense!

I'd love a car, but unless you live/work very far outside the city you'll be okay without one, Cork's not that big I reccomend exercising to give you a free hobby, there's plenty of lovely walks around the city, when it's sunny (hehe when being the key word) going along the river is beautiful.

Kevster

I wrote a letter into the Sunday Independent about this two weeks ago but got slated for it from my family. Are we not allowed to feel depressed and pessimistic about the futuer? I certainly am.