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It's not Me, It's You
Collapse-awareness: an incurable case of existential dread
I'm incurable.
I've been to psychologists and while the venting seems to help, nothing really cures me from my constant dread. I'm not a mental health expert, but I believe psychologists are simply not equipped to deal with existential anxiety.
Worried about nothing in general? Cognitive behavioural therapy can help.
Suffer from stage fright? There's a pill for that.
Crippled by depression? It could be caused by an chemical imbalance in your brain.
Under normal circumstances, psychologists have methods for dealing with these issues. They are temporary or internal - caused by one's own brain. I.e. a "me" problem.
But what if the source of my dread is permanent and external. In other words, my brain is not the problem. My brain is simply observing facts. How do you cure reality?
Whether you're toiling in a concentration camp, trapped in the sunken Kursk submarine, or simply observing the burning world, there is no cure for reality. Most mainstream psychologists aren't equipped or experienced enough to deal with these things. Also, many collapse-aware don't know how to broach the subject.
The best most professionals can do is listen and prescribe a mind-numbing agent. (I still can't decide whether anti-anxiety meds are a good or bad thing to use in this situation.)
However, there is a branch of psychology dedicated to those in hospice. This is the closest the profession comes to being capable of dealing with collapse-awareness. If you're experiencing existential dread, I believe a professional must attack the anxiety from this angle.
The collapse-aware have unique needs from psychologists. They don't need someone to tell them "it's going to be alright". So what do we need?
For some, that's what religion is for. Religion makes death and the unknown palatable. It also gives the illusion that something is in control and that this chaos is by design. I understand the appeal.
Realistically, most collapse-aware are evidence based thinkers and won't accept religion. At least not in the traditional sense.
Side note: I have tailored my views on religion beyond belief vs disbelief. First of all, I don't follow any organized religion. Rather, I view the concept of god as a metaphor for the beauty and mystery of the world. My 'religion' is about doing, not talking, symbolizing or worshipping. In fact, if there were a god entity, I believe that entity would judge people by what they do with their lives, not by whether they believe in him or visit a designated building weekly. I once created a set of rules for my own 'religion'. One day I'll share more. Anyway, back to the program...
If you happen to find the right collapse-aware psychologist, here's what they should provide:
Validate and normalize your feelings
Encourage you to talk and explore fears
Create relaxation techniques
Help you create meaning from your life, however long it may be
Find acceptance and peace with the inevitable
Identify areas of personal control
Good luck finding one though. It takes extra effort, and sometimes you must cycle through a few to find the someone suitable. As many of you know, there are many psychologists (and people in general) who still believe this doomsday shit is overblown.
Moreover, not everyone has the funds, ability or inclination to find and work with with a psychologist. So below I've provided a few resources to help manage through the fear of collapse.
Read the full article and have a look at the video's mentioned here:
@Otis_Scops hallucinogens are also quite useful.
@deepmud
I have access to plenty of São Pedro cacti, but I've never tried it 
@deepmud @Otis_Scops they are a treasure, but i'd say that's also definitely hospice related. still. half a century ago, the catastrophy was just about turning 40. now both crises mix together. the world and me are about the same level of fucked. sounds awfully convenient tbh.
@lritter what does hospice have to do with hallucinogens? I don't understand.
@deepmud coming to terms with the finiteness of existence. letting go of the struggle. that's usually something people end up facing in hospice. we don't call it ego *death* without reason.
the problem is that life is struggle. you can learn to understand how nothing really ever ends, and yet that can translate poorly to coming down and having to actually live it.
@lritter ok, I understand, but there are many, many struggles on the way to the last struggle. People get depressed and often frozen by all these struggles. Caregivers live hard lives, often, with lots of these kind of things happening.
Hallucinogens are useful all along the way.
@deepmud "there is no end to getting well" -- Cary Grant
@Darkphoenix
Thank Sarah, she's on here although I haven't seen much activity so far...
( @collapse2050 )
@Otis_Scops @collapse2050
I followed her, thanks again.
Well said, Otis; and a great reference link too.
I've had decades to deal with my collapse awareness, and have become comfortable with it, as comfortable as one can be anyway.
I'm also older, have lived more than half my expected lifetime and generally in a place of contentment with few regrets for my life's decisions.
I also don't have children; and while I mourn for young ppl today, I don't have direct flesh and blood that I have to watch suffer - so that may make my acceptance easier to handle.
Being in the US tho, a new angst has risen; that of spending our last days under the grip of cruel and psychopathic leadership.
As if the collapse itself won't be hard enough; it will be much worse now.
One of my closest friends is a psychologist and we talk often about the coming collapses. They are no where near the acceptance stage; still holding a hope that a saving moment is in our future.
They have mentioned they do have a client that is collapse aware, and shared a little on how they deal with that person.
But you are correct. The majority of counselors, psychologists and psychiatrists are in new territory when dealing with clients on this topic.
The issue of collapse has now been overshadowed with learning about, and adapting to, living under a dictatorship.
They have said this now dominates most all of their client's sessions, especially for the most vulnerable in this current political climate.
Thank you for speaking out on this.
@504DR Thanks for your extensive reply. I guess I'm in a similar life stage: already a bit older, no kids to worry about, but feeling sorrow about the unknowing or knowing younger generation.
I am subsribed to @collapse2050 (Sarah Conner's ) posts and I appreciate her writings.
There are other similar blogs, but some still try to keep up the hopium and are begging for money that they consequently use to fly all over the world looking for 'solutions'...
(I won't mention names here)
Yup, I hear that.
There are really only a few who embrace collapse fully and honestly.
There was a good size collapse community on twitter, and I do miss them.
I was tuned in on collapse acceptance by Jordan Perry, and then Eliott Jacobson.
I learned of Collapse 2050 thru you, and I thank you greatly for that. 
@Otis_Scops you could curse this fucking universe and the horse it rode in on