I'm in trouble. Can anyone help?

[LiberalVoice]

I am 21 years old. I was too young to vote in 2000 but since I was one of the speakers at the National Youth convention in Philadelphia I have immersed myself in the politics of this country and the rest of the world.

What troubles me is I think I have burned out. All the fights, all the protests, all the yelling, all the anger that is in me had an outlet. Now I can't walk by a pile of pro-Bush books at Barnes & Noble without starting to rant about why he is such a dispicable human being. I get so mad and people look at me like I'm an idiot.

I used to spend hours on here everyday posting. Now I can barely sit through reading the Top Ten Conservative Idiot's without getting angry and leaving.

I get so mad so easily now I can't control myself. But, I think it's very important for me to continue in my persuit. Especially with the elections coming up so soon. I feel it is my duty to educate people on what our administration has done to the world and to the people of this country.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can help myself and help others? This is really important to me and ANY suggestions would be wonderful.

Thank you all very much,

Your friend Zak

[NightTrain]

1. Do what I do on occasion.

Take some time away from politics. You have to do that from time to time, or risk burning yourself out for life! Trust me, I've been there.

[Lisa0825]

2. Take a break from the political forums, and just relax in the lounge

I think we all need a break from it now and then. It's just too much to bear. Hang out here or any other less-political forum. Decompress.

[toddzilla]

3. just remember this word..

Observance.

i read a great hokey self-help book years ago, and one of the most useful things i got from it was observance.


sit back and observe what goes on in the world. 99.9999% of it you can't control, or affect in any way whatsoever. so you observe it.


when you drop a plate, observe that it dropped and shattered into a million pieces, you can't do shit about it, so don't bother to get upset, get a fucking broom and sweep it up.


Politics are the same way. Anyone who isn't deluded knows that an individual vote doesnt' mean shit, 100 votes generally don't mean shit. so don't get all upset about something that you know won't add up to anything. do your work, educate people as best you can, and let the chips fall where they may.

i guess it's harder than it sounds, but it really works well (especially in traffic!)

observance.

[mr_hat]

4. Activism is a high-burnout calling >

and it's not for everyone. Your health and happiness come WAY first.

Doesn't mean you're a bad citizen or Democrat. Here's the limit that only maturity and dedication will find:

Do what you can at the limit of how it regenerates you. Find that edge, and over time, you'll be a far more effective advocate.

[AlCzervik]

5. Take a break, it'll all still be here when you come back.

My hats off to you though for actually giving a damn about the future of this country at your age, i wish i could say the same about myself when i was 21.

[1monster]

6. Take some time off, Zak.

Read a book or ten that are totally unconnected to anything that is happening in the world today... Fantasy is a good genre to take you away and yet infuse you with the will and the enthusiasm to fight the good fight.

Listen to some soothing and uplifting music. Vangelis Reprise 1990-1999 is really good for that.

When you are ready, start reading DU and other sites again, but limit yourself to less than you can bear.

Play an online game or some other video game when you start to feel stressed by what you read. This is the one I use: http://www.popcap.com/gamepopup.php?theGame=bigmoney
It helps. :)

Leven your outrage with humor; black humor and gallows humor are acceptable.

Give yourself the occasional break from all the bad news and despair. You'll be a better, more effective fighter if you do.

[NMDemDist2]

13. drat that popcap game company

more addictive then DU!

[1monster]

15. yup!

:D

[NMDemDist2]

16. i have bejeweled loaded on my PDAphone

and ended up playing for 2 hours today during a slow spell, had to switch to backup batt rofl

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

20. bejeweled is evil

I switched to topsy-turvy from kewlbox.com. Just as evil. :D

[NMDemDist2]

23. collapse is good too

[TiredTexan]

19. Boy, I wish

you hadn't posted that. I just spent 45 minutes on there in the blink of an eye. Cool.

[demnan]

7. Zak, you are such a wonderful young person

go out and meet other young people your age and talk about things other than politics. Perhaps you will meet someone who will walk with you through life, politics and the greater meaning of life.

I would also recommend that you read philosphy. Emerson is good for a start.

[illini]

8. I prescribe at least two days no news or posting.

That was an AT LEAST. A week would be better.

[cally]

9. Take a break

and do things you enjoy that are non-political. Sports, reading fiction, games, or spending time with friends. Just ignore some stories or some books at times. You don't need to read them all or follow stories closely. When I'm burned out, I'll look at the headlines and just know that I can't handle that at this time. I'll try to get the information later when I have more perspective and not caught up in the day to day intensity. For instance, I'm still trying to get through the Wellstone memorial chapter in the Franken book. I just got too angry about what was done to honest folks mourning.

[Speck Tater]

10. Learn to meditate. n/t

[TiredTexan]

11. I'm 47 and had the same problem.

The anger is truly is a function of the danger we are facing in this country today. I've never felt such impotent fury, such hatred as I have in the last 2 years. I remain shocked that I can feel this way, having been mostly intellectually, but not emotionally, engaged in the political process before Bush II. I finally decided that it was an instinctive survival reaction because I really believe that the survival of our nation, of our children, of our freedom is threatened by these fascists. You, being much younger, are looking at your entire life swirling down the drain. No wonder we're all obsessed.

Nonetheless, I finally realized (like you are now) that I was doing myself mental and physical harm while not hurting Bush at all with my obsession and fury. I finally forced myself to time myself online (I'm usually a lurker, reading everything on this site and many others, and rarely posting), and to limit my time to 2 hours daily. I also made a list of activities I enjoyed pre-Bush, and set an alarm when I got online. When the alarm rings, I walk away and do one or more of the things on my list.

It was like withdrawal, and I was miserable for a week or so, and then got used to it.

I also enlisted the help of my family to help me enforce my limits. That really helped. If you have friends or family, get them to help you break your obsession.

Finally, I tried to do things that made me feel less impotent. I volunteered for the Kerry campaign, and this gets me out doing something, anything to help. I purchased CDs of the many anti-Bush books on the market, and lure people at work into listening to them while driving to work. I've converted 4 Bush supporters with this methodology. My sister is doing the same thing in Los Angeles, and it's amazingly effective.

I'm still angry, but it seems much more bearable somehow. And I don't feel so impotent. I'm not happy, but I don't feel so damned unbalanced. It's enough for now.

In any event, good luck. Your instincts are good, and you are right to know your survival is on the line. So try to find ways not to let the bastards invade your brain too. If my methods don't work for you, try others until you find something that works for you.

But you are on the right track. When Kerry's elected, we'll all be sane again. Really.

[silverlib]

12. I understand...

and agree with stepping back and taking some time to chill. Otherwise, you will burn out.

In looking at my own rants, I get really angry with myself. I've been working very hard at being "embraceable." It's the only way I can reason with the unreasonable. Every once in a while, I still revert to the old "high strung and passionate" mode, which one of my friends assures me is only "righteous anger."

I am not very crafty. I love to read, but I'm rather compulsive about that and can't get anything else done when I'm into a book. I'm not athletic, and so I can't work out my passion in that area. I actually started volunteering for a nonprofit two days a week to get away from my political passion and to settle down the anger and disgust.

Good luck to you. Please don't burn out. Your passion is needed, but you spirit needs rest and rejuvenation.

[LiberalVoice]

14. Thank you all very much.

Without this site and the knowledge that their are people out there with the same or similar problems I would feel so very lost. Thank you all again, for caring about eachother and the people of this world.

Zak

[Bossy Monkey]

17. I'd recommend focusing on political humor for a while

Daily Show, Letterman, The Onion, Doonesbury, Boondocks.

The world is an insane place, and getting moreso daily. If you don't learn to laugh about it, you'll drive yourself crazy, too. Moreover, you'll probably persuade people more easily if you make them laugh rather than raving at them. (I speak from experience.)

[LiberalVoice]

21. Don;t get me wrong...

I do watch/read/listen to alot of political humor it's when I start talking to conservatives and give them actual evidence showing what they are saying is false they just lock up and refuse to change their opnions. It makes me want to strangle someone. I mean Jesus Christ!

[TheWizardOfMudd]

18. I share your frustration, pain and anger

Just stay cool.

[Mz Pip]

22. You can't help anyone

if you are stressed out or burned out. You have to figure out a way to offload some of your anger.

When what you're doing isn't working, stop doing it. Best advice I ever had.

Take a break. I know it's hard but really give it a try.

Read a trash novel. Go to the beach. Volunteer in an elementary school. Volunteer at an Veterinary hospital.

There is life outside of politics. Take a break. Most people aren't even paying attention, yet.

MzPip
:dem:

[k in IA]

24. This has been an extremely depressing time. I heard Jim Leher

say this is the first time in his career of many decades that he doesn't look forward to breaking news. It has all been so sad and tragic with such long term consequence.

Give it time. Take a break.

[jpgray]

25. Definitely take a break

And good on you for not flouncing about dramatically before taking such a break... some of us are not so tactful. ;-)

[Rhiannon12866]

26. I sympathize and admire you

I have always voted but never got caught up in this process and only really began paying attention until after 9/11. That woke me up and I realized that I had better become aware and involved, though I realize now that I had always been a liberal and had mostly voted Democrat. But what you have to realize is that, even now, most people are still too caught up in their own concerns to pay much attention. Choose your battles. Choose your issues. Make a difference only where you truly can. Chill. Most people don't care about these issues and you can involve and inspire them, but only if you don't scare them to death. I wish you luck and a life free of Prozac. You are right, most people are clueless, but you can't change the world on your own. Work on changing one heart and mind at a time. My heart is with you.
:loveya:

[Barad Simith]

27. Read something non-political...

...like Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist.

Make a CD or tape of songs you like but haven't heard in a long time.

[LiberalVoice]

28. I truly wish I could thank you all enough for your sympathy and kind words

n/t

[Rhiannon12866]

29. You must know that you are always welcome on DU. Thanks aren't

necessary. Really. Most of us out here have been exactly where you are now so can sympathize and understand. It's really tough, sometimes. Just know that you have found the right place to get the support you need. The sympathy and support on DU is beyond description. You can come here for anything. A few weeks ago I came here asking for advice in trying to humanely trap a mouse I discovered in my kitchen. People really came through for me with all kinds of suggestions. This is really the best site on the internet, IMHO. I am so glad that you are among us.:-)

[hunter]

30. There are all sorts of positive things to do...

... that are not so rough-and-tumble political.

Myself, I can always go volunteer to do some practical thing for my kids' schools or my church. Sometimes I'll volunteer to work at "outdoor school" which is basically supervising a bunch of kids 24-7 for a few days in a camp setting. I've been doing that since I was seventeen.

When I was your age I also volunteered for a few archaeology or paleontology digs. It gets you out of the house, and you meet a lot of interesting people.

You need to do something where you see results right away. Hammering away at the foundations of the BFEE is dirty frustrating work. Eventually their fortress will collapse, but meanwhile there are a lot of other good things you might be doing.

The dark hasn't infiltrated everything. Find a sunny place and make something that is good even better.