fear of nuclear war

[gocat]

sorry i didn't know what forum to place this in. Its a mental health problem so ive placed it the health forum. My brother has become consumed with fear that theres going to be a nuclear war. He can't sleep, he's not able to go to work because the fear consumes him 24/7. He is starting to having problems with his marriage. The fear/anxiety is starting to drive paranoia. I don't believe he's mentally ill the fear is based on some rational rather than irrational but i worry the he might become mentally ill and suffer from a mania or psychosis under the stress. I have tried to reassure him that nato aren't putting boots on the ground or a no fly zone in Ukraine but other than that i don't know how to reassure him that there isnt going to be a nuclear war. I was wondering if anyone could give me any advice on what's the best thing to say to reassure him and what medication he probably needs. He is trying to get pills for his anxiety but i didn't know if maybe he needs a low dose of an anti psychotic to prevent a mental health episode developing. Some of his thinking driven by paranoia has no rational but i don't believe at this stage he is showing any signs of a mental illness Ie he doesnt seem manic or to be suffering from psychosis. Any advice on what to say or suggestions of possible medication would be greatly appreciated.

 

[gocat]

Sorry just to make clear it's an all consuming fear that he's going to die and it's ruining his life. I have given it some thought i don't believe its a fear of nuclear war thats just the pivot i believe its a deep rooted fear of dying. For example i believe he might act the same way if he was waiting for the results of a cancer test or something similar. so my question might be more how do you help someone who has a deep rooted fear of dying?

 

[spirilis]

It's a hideous thought but tbh, I have had thoughts of thermonuclear war as of late too. I am curious, do you know your brother's type? If he's a feeler, especially NF type, I wonder if this is just the normal "emotional antenna" effect they all seem to have. I agree he needs help & we all need to help each other right now. I'm also inclined to mention for your sake, leave the recommendations for pills et al to the professionals. Be sure he's *going to a mental health professional* and not just a primary care doctor prescribing anxiety pills on a hunch. That last point is probably the most important right now - acting to recommend and follow up that *he is getting help* - what we are living through now is a demonic tornado. (I happen to suspect Putin's type really is ISTP, and using John Beebe's 8-function model, Putin's demon archetype is Fi, and that is on display in gut-wrenching horror right now, as military actions all flow from the supreme leader or "commander in chief" as we call it in the US. Nuclear war is a compensatory archetypal response to demonic Fi, imo.)

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

DOES HE READ A LOT?

 

[Pionart]

Anti-psychotics are horrible and really only work by deadening the mind.

They result in amotivation, cognitive and emotional troubles, sexual problems etc.

A psychologist is better than a psychiatrist.

 

[gocat]

It's a hideous thought but tbh, I have had thoughts of thermonuclear war as of late too. I am curious, do you know your brother's type? If he's a feeler, especially NF type, I wonder if this is just the normal "emotional antenna" effect they all seem to have. I agree he needs help & we all need to help each other right now. I'm also inclined to mention for your sake, leave the recommendations for pills et al to the professionals. Be sure he's *going to a mental health professional* and not just a primary care doctor prescribing anxiety pills on a hunch. That last point is probably the most important right now - acting to recommend and follow up that *he is getting help* - what we are living through now is a demonic tornado. (I happen to suspect Putin's type really is ISTP, and using John Beebe's 8-function model, Putin's demon archetype is Fi, and that is on display in gut-wrenching horror right now, as military actions all flow from the supreme leader or "commander in chief" as we call it in the US. Nuclear war is a compensatory archetypal response to demonic Fi, imo.)

Anti-psychotics are horrible and really only work by deadening the mind.

They result in amotivation, cognitive and emotional troubles, sexual problems etc.

A psychologist is better than a psychiatrist.

Thank you it is good advice that i should leave the what kind of medicine etc to the experts. I was worried about his mental state and didn't want it developing into a mental illness. he has now been prescribed anxiety pills which he really wanted and needed so that's good news. I mentioned the anti-psychotic ( as a low dose ) because i was concerned about him developing a mania or having a bout of psychosis and i thought it might prevent that but your right leave it to the experts. My concern is because both my mother and myself are schizoid effective ( mine was caused by stress ) so i worried that my brothers stress might develop into a full blown mental illness. I know what you are saying about anti-psychotics being horrible but i personally need a low dose 3mg risperidone daily to avoid mania and psychosis. I'm sorry i dont really know about types ( all i know is he is extroverted ).
I too have had a few thoughts about nuclear war but i can't tell him that because he would go into a panic attack i have to stick to lines of never going to happen etc to reassure him.
Thank you for the advice about a psychologist being better than a psychiatrist i will tell him.

DOES HE READ A LOT?

He reads a newspaper but not at the moment and he is avoiding the news because it scares him and he reads different meanings into what they are saying because of paranoia. I think its also best he avoids the news he's worried 24/7 about nuclear war and the news is just all bad.

I didn't know if there were ways of reassuring him ( techniques ) but probably all i can do is tell him its not going to happen.

I don't think its a fear of nuclear war per say i believe any situation for example waiting the results of a cancer test might cause this fear. anxiety and stress and just wondered if there were ways of helping someone who has a complete overwhelming fear of death.

 

[gocat]

I am curious, do you know your brother's type? If he's a feeler, especially NF type, I wonder if this is just the normal "emotional antenna" effect they all seem to have.

im sorry i don't know how to type but i could tell you a little about him and maybe you would know if he is NF type etc. He is extroverted and intelligent but i wouldn't say he is deep. sorry i dont know anything about types so it's hard to explain ( he exists externally rather than internally ). He is very good at maths, computer programming ( works for an I.T company ). He is very affectionate psychically and verbally with his wife and kids. He likes to be the centre of attention. He shows signs of symptoms from stress very easily. I would say he has good logic. sorry dont know if that helps type him. I would say maths, computer programming is stronger than his emotional intelligence but im just guessing. Makes friends very easily ( is like able ). sorry i struggle with the deep thing because you can say something deep to him and get a thoughtful answer but he is very extroverted.
I dont know if this helps type someone but he has low empathy. He is more empathic now cause of his crisis but has little empathy when well.

 

[spirilis]

Kind've thinking an Ni type, maybe INTJ or INFJ but hard to say of course.

 

[JAVO]

It could happen, and it's more likely now than it was in 2022. He would benefit by learning realistic strategies to survive nuclear war. Understanding something tends to reduce fear of it.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

It could happen, and it's more likely now than it was in 2022. He would benefit by learning realistic strategies to survive nuclear war. Understanding something tends to reduce fear of it.

How might one survive nuclear war? And would they want to?

 

[JAVO]

How does one survive nuclear war? And would they want to?

Assuming they're in a location where they will survive the blast and radiation exposure, it's mostly the same as any other long-term survival challenge. If it were a full-scale nuclear exchange, that makes nuclear winter likely though. That's not going to be easy. It would require significant long-term (2 or more years) of food, or the ability to hunt/forage and preserve the food over the first few months and long-term. Most likely, that involves smoking the meat. The cold makes preservation easier, but I know I'd grow tired of smoked venison every day. Defending the food, or from becoming the food, is one of the possible challenges too.

I left out the ability to purify water and obtain shelter (warmth) because although those are critical, they are easy compared to the long-term food scarcity in a nuclear winter scenario.

 

[The Cat]

Not to mention the boars.

 

[JAVO]

Not to mention the boars.

lunch.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

lunch.

I wonder what they taste like. I've heard it described as being like pork, but more gamey. I don't know what gamey means, and I've had venison.

 

[The Cat]

a FULL SERIES​

 

[SD45T-2]

DOES HE READ A LOT?

Maybe he listens to a lot of Megadeth.

 

[JAVO]

a FULL SERIES​

If they are teleporting, they are alien.

And this leads to the next logical conclusion: Now we know why the aliens are here. They are here to feed humanity.

 

[Auroras]

He can see what we all need to see.