Losing Sleep

[Gordon_Freeman]

I have been losing sleep lately thinking about the attacks on the 2nd Amendment. Several people in my family actually voted for these anti-freedom zealots in the white house, and that is driving me crazy as well. The first thing I did this morning was make a donation to the NRA-ILA. I feel a little better now.

 

[JFtheGR8]

Try taking melatonin an hour before bed. Same as you, I had family vote for some of these idiots as well. They think I'm paranoid and that none of what I say could actually happen. I point out that they are selfish in that they only care about their future and not about the generations to come. Removing one freedom will inevitably lead to losing others. People just don't get it. They seem to think it's the governments job to protect them and make them safe.


Posted from Thehighroad.org App for Android

 

[Lex Luthier]

There is a definite philosophical divide between people and when it happens in our family and close friends, it's unsettling. I have had discussions with other men on how we must learn to accept the differences, even when we know our liberties and security are at risk. We love our friends and family, but they have to learn their lessons somehow.

The fact is that we all have free will, and there is nothing to do but accept those people's often irrational and immature choices, often to the point of letting them shoot themselves in the foot, even if they are our parent, sibling or child.

On a personal note, I have chosen to cut several people off from my previous inner circle for just these reasons. When the SHTF and they have not prepared, you know they will be running for help to us, who have kept our heads on straight through this bs. Children always run to daddy.

It's a hard thing to do, but adults get to make their own decisions, and sometimes they are very wrong and they get to pay the price. Perhaps it will take a dynamic learning experience to change some attitudes.

 

[Trent]

Write your letters, and be content afterwards that you've done all you can do.

I quit worrying about any pending gun laws last week. I made a conscious decision that, having contacted all of of my reps, and talking pro-gun on social media for a month and a half, that anyone I might be remotely capable of influencing, has been.

I went to bed at 9:30 PM last night and slept like a baby, was first up this morning.

 

[SleazyRider]

I hear you. I have given up on trying to influence friends and family by way of reason. Even my colleagues, far more educated than I, are extremely narrow-minded when it comes to matters concerning the Second Amendment, and I am growing tired of listening to their uninformed arguments. It seems that folks on both sides are so entrenched in their dogma that it it pointless to have a conversation on this issue. It's getting to be that THR is one of the few places left that I can have an informed discussion with reasonable people.

That being said, I believe the key to sanity---as well a good night's sleep---is to change what is in your power to change, and tolerate the rest. Works for me anyway. There have been darker periods in the American Experience; we have gone through those, and we will get through this.

 

[Skylerbone]

The Serenity Prayer for those who pray, CNN for those who don't. If that don't put you to sleep in 5 mark yourself down as a zombie. It's natural to worry over what other men do, we call it vigilance.

 

[Trent]

Yes, vigilance. But every man must rest, from time to time.

This is going to be a long struggle. Perhaps, life long.

Don't get too worn out in the opening round.

 

[Hokkmike]

I think the founding fathers experienced pretty much the same thing. How to be pitied and woefully ignorant are those that don't even know what is happening around them.

 

[Westfair]

I'm just stumped - people literally do not think the atrocities of the 20th century (or earlier) can happen again. Did mankind suddenly evolve into some new life form in the last 13 years? Was I the only one actually paying attention in school? I guess not, you guys seem to be on the ball.

How are all these "educated" people just shrugging this stuff off? (mostly a rhetorical question) Perhaps most have just become too comfortable and don't realize how quickly their standards of living can be taken away.

 

[floydster]

I bought a big jug of Jack Daniels Our country is going to Hell, and it doesn't have far to go.

Smokeyloads

 

[psyopspec]

Be careful with how you let stress dictate your personal life. Make a conscious decision at the end of the day to put it all down. Trust me, life is short and the good fight will still be there in the morning when you wake up. I quit reading politically charged posts after the early evening hours and wind down with some escapism by reading or watching Netflix.

Source: I suffered a stress-induced ulcer that I didn't know I had until it ruptured and almost killed me last year. Granted that had a lot to do with back-to-back tours in Afghanistan, but my level of concern about certain political issues elevated it too.

 

[Trent]

Stress is ugly.

I'm under a lot of stress at work, already, and the whole anti-gun thing has about topped off my load.

I went to an eye doctor last week after I noticed I had 4 blind spots in my right eye, 3 in my left eye. Get to go to a retina specialist next month to see if they can figure out what's going on.

Doc's best guess? Stress.

I didn't know stress could make you go blind.

Evidently it's possible.

A little frightening to think that stress might ruin my hobbies. The blind spots are near enough to the center of my vision to be annoying at all times. If they get any bigger, or more develop, my shooting hobby is going to suffer horribly.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Several people in my family actually voted for these anti-freedom zealots in the white house, and that is driving me crazy as well.

I think I'd be a little careful how I talked about being stressed out around anyone that's backing this Washington gang of thugs.

I suspect if they manage to pull it off, anyone that that has any history of "stress" will be considered as too unstable to own a gun.

The anti gun left isn't pushing just to keep guns out of the hands of real nuts but they see this as a way to take the guns from anyone with a history of "mental problems".

 

[RichardU]

You can't reason with people who are not rational. Government is the new religion and Uncle Sam is their god. They have faith.

 

[InkEd]

It is very unsettling times right now.

 

[Kingcreek]

Sometimes you gotta saw a couple limbs off the family tree...

 

[Queen_of_Thunder]

Easiest way to deal with the stress is more range time. You can also send letters and talk with your Reps about the issue. Personally I have a rountine that takes me to the local shops daily. I even stop by Academy to buy my one box of .223 ammo. Kinda gives you the idea that with time your ammo stash grows. A box of 223 ammo a day ends up being 600 rounds after 1 month. Yes its slow but as long as its in stock I'll stop in every day and buy my authorized allotment.

 

[psyopspec]

I take the opposite approach. Yoga, a trip to the gym, a long drive, a walk, or a glass of wine (but be careful not to turn drinking into medicating). If you can reduce your stress about the status quo of the gun/ammo market and politics by buying ammo, more power to you! But for some of the people some of the time, the thing to do will be to just put it down.

Note that I'm not say get uninvolved. This is after you've contacted your legislators and done what needs to be done and are asking yourself "What next?"

 

[akv3g4n]

Like my grampy always used to say "hard work won't kill you, stress will". Dedicate some time each day for advocacy and realize that you've done your part. Worrying about it the rest of the day won't help and may just take you out of the game from being an effective voice for the RKBA.
Besides shooting, reloading is another great stress reducer....

 

[Skylerbone]

Mr. Bean or Benny Hill. If they can't relieve the stress nothing can.

One thing that's helped lately is picking up bits of gear I've often wanted but just couldn't justify. I'd come close, spot a deal on bullets or brass and convince myself I could do without. Got a $200 order from MidWay arriving today with that padded sling I always did without and detachable swivels to boot, new MSH for one of the 1911s and more pistol cases just because.

Sometimes a secondary hobby can compliment your first as witnessed by members building holsters and paracord items. Good skills training that yields items of use. Like others, I agree there are plenty of diversions available to keep your wits about you.

 

[2ifbyC]

When I first read the title of this thread, my brain had interpreted the words as “Losing Sheep”.

I thought it may be referencing the members of THR who may be apathetic and are following the voice of the “anointed one” to join his crusade on gun control; alas, yet another thread on compromise. My mind was tricked by a subliminal message that was not there; another sign of stress.

Yes, it does wear on you. When the deck is stacked by the left and you have so many fronts to engage, battle fatigue sets in. But passion and freedom trumps fatigue and you suit up for battle once more.

Earning what you own is far more lasting than what has been given to you for free. Losing sleep is part of that cost.

 

[Ryanxia]

Write your congress critters often telling them you do not support further gun control. You can state specifically each anti-gun Bill, I wrote several 'I oppose Bill HRXX because it infringes on our Second Amendment Rights.' Congress.org lets you send it to all your politicians at once, pretty easy.

And of course keep up those NRA-ILA donations.

 

[psyopspec]

...passion and freedom trumps fatigue and you suit up for battle once more.

Earning what you own is far more lasting than what has been given to you for free. Losing sleep is part of that cost.

Even if it puts you in the hospital, huh? I'm sorry you feel that way. The 2A fight is a passion in my life, but it's not my only one. My friends, my health, good food, and my car may get knocked further down the list in times like these, but they don't fall off completely.

Consider mine a cautionary tale. Go ahead and grind your teeth, sweat out your palms, and wail to the internet in your stressful state. Wear your exhaustion as a badge of honor until it impacts your health. Then when that happens, we'll see how good you are to the political fight. Seriously, I can't stress this enough (see what I did there?). Take care of yourself, so that you can properly dedicate yourself both to the people that matter in your life, and your passions, for the duration.

 

[gossamer]

There is a plaque that hangs in a restaurant I frequent. It is a story about how God (or for atheists: genetics, or __insert your maker of choice here__) made families. One point the
story makes is this:

"He put diversity of opinions in our hearts not to drive us apart but to give us balance."

There's more to it than that, but that's the gist. Generally I think the thing that insures our survival is our diversity and differences. If we all thought and acted the same, drank from the same well, ate the exact same things, did the exact same things, lived the same lives, yeah, it might drive some of us less crazy, but it would be easier to do us harm and more harm would befall a greater number of us.

And life would be boring as all get out.

If it weren't for my wife, my daughters wouldn't be the brilliant, sensitive, academic achieving, scholarship-earning people they are. If it weren't for me they wouldn't be as hard-working, independent, self-taught, and one of them may not be one of the few women in the field of professional automotive restoration and mechanics, play the drums, be interested in shooting, and be stubborn.

Between that and the first line of my sig. I sleep a lot better.

 

[2ifbyC]

"He put diversity of opinions in our hearts not to drive us apart but to give us balance."

+1. What works for me may not work for you. And as Dirty Harry said, “A man’s got to know his limitations”.