Pretty much super afraid right now.

I'm not sure if its just my emotions running high or what, but as of late I have been pretty much living in fear without knowing who to turn to.

After reviewing an excessive amount of videos/reading articles/reading threads/reading public opinions etc., I feel as though the United States is heading towards a depression in the near, very near, future; or so I have been told, countless times as of late.

With that said, I feel as if all the odds are stacked against me as far as survival goes.

Some information about myself.
I am a twenty-six year old female living in the eastern area of the United States. I currently reside with my mom and her live-in boyfriend of sorts, and we are what would be considered middle-class, struggling to make ends meet but by no means what I would consider poor. They are very much oblivious to everything that is occurring and no amount of informing them has been a success, thus far; as goes for pretty much my whole family 'living in one big bubble without a care of what might happen'. Ignorance is bliss I suppose. They live in what I would refer to as a 'bubble' thinking that 'everything will be okay', 'nothing will happen' etc. I am unemployed, living in the suburban Philadelphia area. [I do not mind disclosing these facts, as anyone with a little sense and skill in IP tracing can find this out for themselves, for the most part] I have little, well actually pretty much zero dollars. My mom is not buying up on food or items that can possibly be used for barter purposes[alcohol, bullets, guns, medicines, bottled water, etc], being as that she thinks that 'nothing is going to happen'. So I pretty much feel as though I am screwed. Really, really screwed.

If what has been continuously predicted comes true [the fall of the US dollar, our economic systems total collapse, recession, entering into a full-blown depression, etc] then what in the world can I as a person do to help save myself? And I am willing to bet that there are many many other people in my age group that are in the same predicament, as well as people older than I, and those that are younger as well.

Any information will be immensely appreciated. Thank you in advance.


[edit on 21/10/2008 by agent violet]

While 50 percent of ATS is un true the other 50 percent is. I think your best chance at survival is to gather as much information as you can about what to do until you come to a decision for yourself if it is real or not. Once you come to that conclusion start preparing.

Do not be afraid of what is going to happen you can not change it. Although you do control your decisions and how you will react. In the end that is what counts. Control what you can control.

I think what it all comes down to is the fear of hardship and of death, so you need to come to terms with those areas by yourself.

GET A JOB!!!!
Take all of your money and buy as much food and other necessary supplies as you can.
Everyone thinks I'm nuts too. That's ok. I am stocking up anyway.

I too cannot get through to those near me but I hope as things progress they will begin to listen. I have stumbled onto sites that are about people getting together in the countryside and doing the communal thing. I'm sorry I don't have a link but google survivalist communities or something similar .

You too huh? You are not alone. I constantly worry but i will tell you this;
We shouldnt worry everyday. There's no point to it.
This is the price we pay for knowing too much, or reading too many negative things.
You know those people who wont listen to any of the info you have? They're so much happier than we are!!!
I know the same kind of people, so i know.
I once read tthat if you worry constantly, you die a little each day. Try some meditation, Reiki, there are many websites with guided meditations. They really help.
Just google it and you will see so many places you can go to meditate. Its a wonderful experience.

At some point, you have to embrace the idea of death instead of pushing it to the furthest recesses of your mind.

You will DIE!!! and that is ok. It will be the most beautiful experience of your life and after it happens you will look back and think to yourself "Is that what all the fuss was about"?

Once you have embraced this, You will truely be free and NO ONE can hurt you. Fear will melt away because the worst that can happen, is you die which , like I said, will be the best experience of your life.

Yes, relaxing is important. But to give yourself peace of mind, I suggest you start learning survival skills.

Take up hiking. Long distance hiking to condition your body. Even jogging if you can. Weight training using whatever you have available that you can lift.

Go to the library and get books;
Snares and traps so you can catch your food.
Plants and herbs you can eat in the wild.
Knot making
SAS survival guides.
Animal husbandry

If your family isn't going to help, then you have to do your bit for preparation. No amount of saving food now is going to help in the future anyway. One can't save 10 years worth of food for 3 people. You have to learn to grow it or tend to it somehow.

At this point, education is your best weapon for survival.

And try to relax. Take up meditation if you have to, but spend most of your free time learning how to survive.

Just turned 26. Same situation here. Parents won't listen at all. I keep telling them bits and pieces. They listen to Fox news nonstop. It's extremely frustrating, but I'm just hoping the house of cards is falling faster than TPTB anticipated and soon enough it will come crashing fast enough so that my parents will be convinced to stock up, without it actually getting to out of hand (30+ times inflation).

I think all we can do is keep spreading the word. I've talked to many ordinary people, who a few years ago would of thought of me as a nut for speaking so openly, but now agree quite a bit about what is going on. Everything is accelerating, including the truth being heard and seen. Just keep saying it like you see it. We will overcome, and be heard. It's just a matter of unfoldment.

Fear is a necessary survival instinct, however despair has no value. Learn from every event & fact, but don't let it overtake you. I've finally got some hope in humanity after interacting with people lately, a lot are still asleep, but many are seeing the light.

Just don't give up. We are MUCH stronger than we think. The next few months & years will show that to be true.

I think there is a great deal of fear mongering going on. Not just by gov't and news, but by conspiracy theorists as well. Either way, each side will tell you the other is "extreme". Finding the middle ground is so hard, when your bombarded by both sides.
My suggestion would be, to fill your time with anything that isn't worrying. Turn your T.V. off, take a break from bombarding yourself with this. The end is not here. And if it is, living in fear is wasting what living should be, when the ending hasn't hit quite yet..or something.

Basically, take advantage NOW. I have 3 kids etc...I wouldn't enjoy a moment if I spent all my time worrying.

Sorry if that seems a tad messy, I'm winding down and my brain is a bit fuzzy.

If all else fails, move to Canada. We are boring.

hey there,

Sorry to tell you this, but you are eating right off their plate.

honestly, there is nothing to fear. why? why worry? what good could that possibly do for you?

being prepared for anything is always a good idea. but to sit here and dwell what other people (who in reality have no better idea than you or I) think may happen, well, is quite pointless.

i think the best advice anyone can give you is simply take a break from all of it.

the internet and ats especially. as much as I love this website and the information it can provide, it can bring someone down who may not be used to all the alternative info and opinions in a heart beat.

just give it a break and go out with a frined and have a beer...

cheers to being able to think for ourselves

The world has always had its doom and gloom, generations of it have come and pass, and we still go on.

I am concerned enough to create a rotation of food supplies in the event of a major crisis, but in such a way that it's rotated and not wasted and not horded.

Also going back to growing my own food, which in my opinion, is a wonderful experience to have a garden billowing with delicious ripe food, vs the garbage and swill we get at some grocery stores. I forgot how good a fresh, raw carrot tasted. The kind I eat in the store taste bland and bitter.

Personally if I could, I'd simply grow all my food because it just tastes better.

Be aware, but don't live in fear. Having some preparation and survival planning is good imo, even if it helps in the event of a natural disaster.

Be prepared.

But don't worry.

Carry on as normal and do the best you can.

As for the world economy, I've come to the conclusion that an uber-massive Great Depression style event is definitely not going to happen despite what various people are saying.

I keep a relatively well-packed bug out bag personally and add stuff every-so-often in case of any general emergency.

They're a good thing to have or start off with.

As for end of days via the economy, it's not, to my knowledge, going to happen.

When people talk of recession, people lose jobs and can't buy big plasma TVs, but people should still at least able to source enough food.

China will actually keep the world economy pumped and primed - their growth is cooling off to around 8%, but the US and other countries' growth meanwhile is flirting with 0%.

In short, China will be making enough stuff for people to buy to help keep the economy afloat and money flowing.

You'll see this now with various countries flooding their economies with cash through stimulus packages, as Australia announced it would do recently.

The financial crisis is entering the stage where politicians are beginning to politic at a great pace and profit their popularity by gabbing on about how important they were in controlling it.

If the thing cools off now, they'll just start talking it up again - keep that in mind.

If your stocked up and ready for the events that will come there isnt much to fear..

Look at it this way once the proverbial poo hits the fan, youll be set while all the others will be frantically driving from store to store to find food they can afford or worse standing in bread lines for it.

Every time i go through the stockpile and over the bug out plans i get a calm feeling that comes over me, even if i realize im missing somthing that should be there.. becuase i know i have had lots of time to think this through and come up with a plan while the ones who refuse to even consider reality will be in panic mode. Ill be sitting in a nice warm comfortable surroundings with more food and supplies for me and my family..

The only think i worry about is if its worse than even i can imagine.. however I'm pretty well set for that too. I alwasy consider all possible scenarios and prioritize them based on probability and current events and adjust accordingly..

Really once you have a decent stockpile of stuff ready and the knowledge to go along with it you cover 90% of the situations that may arrive, and then if you see something coming down the pike that your not totally ready for its simple to update to the needed items to prepare for that situation.

Just keep your eyes on the ball and adjust accordingly and you'll be set.

yes try to stay calm and realize that times have been tough before and those people made it. you are as tough as anyone from any generation it's just that most of use have never been tested but i'm sure you will pass.

if you want, you could educate yourself on some basic survival skills. maybe go to the local library and study books on survival like edible plants, etc. learn basic cpr and condition yourself, as previously stated, to be strong enough to potentially have to walk a good distance.


don't lose a smile over it though


most importantly, don't give into that fear. things may work themselves out so being prepared won't ever hurt you and if nothing happens then you'll have those skills with you for the rest of your life. just think of the positives and don't focus on the negatives until it's necessary.

***edited as per my usual lack of finishing what i'm thinking before i click the button

[edit on 21-10-2008 by Barathrum]

Whatever it is that scares you in this world, oyu should always have whatever it is that makes you more comfortable. If you are afraid of dogs, you get mace, or a bat. If you are afraid of starvation, you get food etc etc.

If money is the problem, find some ways to bring in a little cash, even if it's very mundane work that no one else wants to do. Gather some cash and spend it on what will make you feel "better armed" to fight the fear that nags you.

Eventually cash could be useless, but trade / barter 7 community efforts will be there to rebuild. Develop some leadership skills in organization & communication as well as some basic farming & hunting skills plus feed one of your creative talents, whatever they may be. That will be enough to arm you for survival in a post situation x scenario.

The items you feel you need, gather. none of it really has to be new and you can save a lot of money cleaning out the garages of yuppies!

It seems cash is the problem for you right now, so do what it is that will bring in enough cash for you to acquire the items that you feel will make you more comfortable. A "go bag" prepacked in the house and vehicle can award you with untold piece of mind.

Bottom line is that you can only do what you can and you only will do what you will.

I'm 26...pretty freakin intelligent, yet overly irreverent as well. I understand how important it is to learn to fend for yourself...but maybe you should look in to finding someone who knows how to "survive"...if you're hot, you can move to the great state of Oklahoma and I'll take care of you. We'll work on an exchange rate later...hehehehehe

Everyone here has given great advice. Staying busy works for me when I'm stressed. There are many things you could be doing that could help considerably. Just organizing what you do have. Storing containers of water you will find info on the web about water storage. Learning skills and gathering knowledge is always a good thing.

All too often we hear so much bad news we forget all the good people out there good people that would not let you starve.

Look to the people in your area. Show up at neighborhood garage sales whether you can afford to buy or not at least you might meet your neighbors. Who knows if you hit it off and mention your plight they might let you have some things left from the sale just to get rid of them. They might be just as worried as you and maybe you could help each other.

I really don’t think the government wants the panicked starving masses beating down the doors. If the economy really takes a dive imo food distribution centers will be set up it would be just a matter of waiting in long lines. Just take it one day at a time.

26, no job, living at home. Gotta be rough.

First things first, if you really are scared, part of the reason has got to be the fact you are rather helpless. Rely on others for food, shelter, safety, etc... Find a job, no matter what it is, even flipping burgers puts a little cash into your pocket.

Next, get out of Philly. Large masses of people are ripe for the picking should something bad go down. Alot of nice, small towns in PA that would be much better to be in should the economy collapse.

Also, dont be afraid. Fear is like crying. Neither one really does anything. Ive never seen a problem go away because someone cried about it or was afraid. Be bold, move forward, better your world one piece at a time. If the potential doom of society weighs on you, find a way to do well should it happen. Read, study, go out and practice simple "survival" ideas. Such as firestarting, collecting water, learn the best way to get as far from Philly as you can.

Is the world coming to an end? Who knows, the markets say one thing, the politicians say another, bloggers here say something else. The point is that you need to take care of you and your needs, not just in case the world falls apart, but here and now. If you are happy and capable now, should disaster hit, you will be much better prepared.

Originally posted by salchanra
26, no job, living at home. Gotta be rough.

Bollocks, what a negative attitude, He/ she is young, no ties, no mortgage, nothing to stop them from travelling and exploring, work on cruise ships, work in an Israeli Kibutz, work picking grapes in france, work in summer camps for kids. jeez all the dude needs is a mountain bike with panniers, a dice and some camping gear.. No one is nailing the dude or dudette to the living room floor there no reason why they can get up and go see what the world will offer. I only just read about two lads from some weird American place called Poughkeepsie, they spent four years touring the US, Mexico and Canada and slept on busees and in box cars, they worked for cash in fast food joints to fund their next move. Theres an effing great big wrld out there and that chap or chappese is wasting time, time he or she wont get again.