In times of trouble what do you do?

Don't worry, chrissy - if you're seen talking to yourself nowadays, people assume you are talking on your mobile through a bluetooth connection!

nanachrissy - I do that, as well! I can be heard muttering, "It'll be alright, it'll be alright"! Mainly in the house, though!

I do find that talking to myself irons out a lot of problems for me. Which is ok while I'm at home, but when I'm walking down the road it can be embarrassing!

jingle - A long time ago for you, but like yesterday, when you think of it. xx

It doesn't always work, prayer. I can remember as an eighteen year old, standing by a loved one's bedside while she slipped away, praying like mad for God to let her to live. She still died.

But I managed to get back on track, and I reckon I must have had some divine help with that.

Screaming wouldn't have helped. Though there was some panic. And a lot of crying.

I'm pretty sure it was only the prayer that helped.

I cry and then get on with it though sleep eludes me in such circumstances and I end up very tired. It also affects my innards and I live even more in the loo than I do normally. I told the doctor once about my reaction and he said I should try to avoid getting stressed! Ha flippin' ha! The funny thing is my blood pressure stays more or less the same. Weird. Things usually work out though luckily so it is a waste of time and effort worrying - but that doesn't stop me yet.

Yes, I can see how any sort of higher power in those circumstances would do, even without believe in any kind of god. Just using the words as a mantra might at least calm the fear.

I know what you're saying, Greatnan. I honestly don't know whom - or what - I have prayed to when I have prayed. I don't 'have' any religion. Desperation, fear and despair (such as that experienced in the trenches) perhaps make some turn to the only thing they know of -even if they don't know - for help.

I have been in just about the worst situation for a mother - standing by my daughter's bed in an NHS hospital on a Friday evening, knowing she was bleeding profusely internally and needed urgent surgery, being told no consultants were available and when one finally was found being told she was unlikely to survive. I didn't turn to prayer. The surgeon saved her life, not god. (Ironically, he was the same surgeon who had punctured her stomach in a botched lap-banding operation.) I get just a tad annoyed by the 'there are not atheists in the trenches' saying. Nothing could make me so irrational that I would pray.

kittylester, I'm just the same. I can bear being cross - that's usually either my fault or someone else's! As you say, you pray, though not sure to whom - so do I. Going out to do something does help, and sometimes put things into a different perspective,, but if I'm really so worried about something, I find I just tend to close up.

If it's urgent, I get very focused and deal with it...and shake later.

If it's less urgent, I worry, don't sleep, and get less able to make decisions - which is not helpful....
I don't pray. Sometimes I ask my older self what she would do.

I wake up at 4am. If it's really bad 1am! I do pray but I have no idea to whom so maybe it is just a sort of mantra. I also eat, especially stuff that is really bad like chocolate and chips! I tend to clean if I'm cross more than if I'm worried - being worried makes me unable to settle to anything. to any one who is especially worried today.

everything Gagagran said

I think.

Just that - I think quietly to myself until I can think of something to do - or not do. Sometimes I write the situation down, so that I can get another perspective on it. If it is a complex problem I write a chronography of how it developed.

Tend not to tell husband as he worries too much.

I'm used to constructive thinking: it was a necessary part of a job I had for many years.

OR - if I'm not feeling very worthy or responsible I just go out and dig the garden, plant something, or do a bit of radical pruning. It might not solve the problem but it makes me feel better.

Isn't it funny how worries/stress affect us all so differently? I find it plays havoc with my "innards" - get the trots, can't eat, churning stomach etc.

I do pray hard too at such times, even though I am not a member of a church. I once read a quote which said something like "There are no atheists in the trenches" and I can absolutely relate to that. It does seem to help me to cope when I ask for strength to get through a difficult time.

Do you know, I knew that's what you do Glass. The mad cleaning thing.

Not the eating bit though!

glass - that all sounds very familiar!
I also walk, sometimes shout at the sky, and write.

Oh yes, the lying awake thinking certainly chimes with me, Greatnan. Round and round the thoughts go, until they've lost enough of their nagging power to allow me to fall asleep....for a while!

I am like granjura - I walk in the mountains for hours (in fact I have just got back from a tough two hour walk). Certainly no praying, crying, screaming or panic. I talk to my daughter, sister and friends. Then I lie awake thinking useless thoughts for some weeks, until I reach acceptance that there is nothing I can do to put things right, and make a conscious effort not to think of my problem. Where there is something I can do, I do it as quickly as possible.

Me too, soop!

Phone sisters, phone sons, talk it over and then sleep on it.

I go into a shell where I have long conversations with myself [quietly.] I feel duty bound to analyse and communicate and attempt to come up with a solution to the problem. I am very saddened by any form of ongoing rift [especially with family and friends.] If all else fails, I will stand down and apologise [even when I'm not in fact at fault.] Happiness is a peaceful, untroubled spirit. Unhappiness is unresolved strife.

Go for a walk in beautiful countryside - flowers, birds, wildlife.