Living in a dystopian and disastrous world

Living in a dystopian and disastrous world

QUESTION:

your avatar   Sara, 15 years old

Normally, when I have a question like this, I just Google it and I find out what it is and/or other people who think the same way. But this time, I've been looking for a while and have not found anything like what I am thinking, but I found this site. So I figured, why not? With how popular books and movies like Divergent are, disastrous and dystopian futures are a fairly popular topic recently.

I'm 15, and for the last few years I've been very interested in dystopian-type stories, and I read fanfic on Wattpad about My Chemical Romance's Danger Days album story, about a dystopian future and the Killjoys, the rebels trying to bring freedom back. Recently I've realized that I don't just like reading about this, I constantly imagine myself in situations like it. I don't know why and I don't know how to explain it, but I want some sort of a huge disaster to happen. I want some sort of awful thing that I can rebel against. I know it sounds horrible, who would wish for a world where thousands of people die and their life is much harder? I don't know, but for some reason I do. I try to dissect my thoughts and find the reason behind them. For this, I've thought that maybe it's because I feel like my life is pointless, like I'm not really making a difference, and maybe I want to have a cause so bad that I wish for horrible things to give me a cause. I don't know. I guess I'm just here because I couldn't find anyone else thinking like this and it kind of makes me feel a bit crazy.

ANSWER:

    Bob Rich, Ph.D.

Dear Sara,

You are not crazy. What you have done is to develop a habit of thought that now you don't want. Habits can be changed. Check out http://bobswriting.com/psych/habit.html .

Attention is a searchlight. Whatever you shine it on is bright, and everything else seems to disappear. Attention is a fertilizer. Whatever you put it on grows and what you don't attend to withers away. It seems to me that for the last few years, a great deal of your attention has been focused on these stories (I've never heard of any of them), and probably far too little attention on things like school work, family, friends, hobbies, sport. So, in a way, you have moved into the artificial reality of these stories. They are only stories made up by someone, but gradually they have become more real to you than real life. This is how your habit has been established. Now, what to do about it?

I think you can predict my answer. Stop reading that trash! There are many exciting books, movies, shows, and games that are not dystopian. Switch to them for your entertainment time. Also, reduce your onscreen watching, and get involved in other things. Take up sports and hobbies. Do something creative like learning to play music. Surprise your family by starting a home project that will make their lives better. Go to real-life events with friends. You can do it. Millions of people have succeeded in such habit changes.

It's a pity you didn't leave an email address. If you read this, email me. You can, through Queendom.

Good luck, and have fun.

Bob

This question was answered by Dr. Bob Rich. Dr. Rich has 30+ years of experience as a psychotherapist. Dr. Rich is also a writer and a "mudsmith". Bob is now retired from psychological practice, but still works with people as a counselor.For more information visit: http://anxietyanddepression-help.com

Practice mindfulness. Your point of power will always be the present.
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