Anxiety Disorders Support Group

I think I will lay low of reading the news or watching TV shows like "Dancing with the Stars" because of their controversial cast this season.

Here are actual quotes from nbc.com from the general public directed at Chaz Bono:

Actual posts on abc.com

"Rob needs to grow up and I can't believe that Chasity is still there."

"CHASITY SHOULD NEVER BEEN ON DWTS IN THE FIRST PLACE."

I watched it yesterday and I swear there were death threats online but somehow, it must have gotten flagged or removed. So, I can't re-post the actual comment.

I am afraid and filled with anxious thoughts/worry about my future.

Here are some on the online comments that pushed and supported the recent teen suicide of Jamie Rodemeyer:

"JAMIE IS STUPID, GAY, FAT ANND UGLY. HE MUST DIE!" read one post.

Another read: "I wouldn't care if you died. No one would. So just do it It would make everyone WAY more happier!"

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2039801/Bullied-gay- teen-Jamey-Rodemeyer-commits-suicide-Thanks-Lady-Gaga- post.html#ixzz1YcH4ggcP

Here is my worry. What will happen if President Obama doesn't get re-elected? Here are possible scenarios:

1. Reinstatement of DADT

2. Reinstatement of Defense of Marriage Act

3. GLBT parents will be denied custody of their children or the right to adopt simple because.

4. Heaven forbid that a foreigner and a US citizen fall in love because they can't marry or apply for citizenship so one will be deported, and that's that. They can't argue their case.

5. People can just fire GLBt employees, just because.

6. Renters can kick GLBt out of their homes or deny them rental units, just because.

7. GLBT teen suicide will continue to rise because someone might decide to eliminate all GSAs (okay, maybe that won't happen) or continue to say that bullying is part of life and it is "normal safe passage into adulthood."

8. Members of the GLBT community can be physically, sexually, violently and psychologically harassed. Teachers will turn a blind eye and police officers will let it happen in front of them and not think anything illegal or wrong is going on. It doesn't matter if murder is involved. Apparently, it might no longer be illegal to murder someone so long as they are Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual or Transgendered. (It's already true in foreign countries, and isn't there rumors that these governments were supported by Republican politicians and ultro-conservative right leaders?)

I am worried. Scared. Some of these scenarios could happen to me and affect my family personally. Luckily, I don't live in the South, but the Mid-West is not always friendly either.

What to do? What to do? I have to stop catastrophy-zing and thinking someday, I will join the statistics because it isn't helping me at all. I am just petrified and fearful for my "possible future." But I guess, I can't let my worry and fears overwhelm me. I will have to really "worry about it" when the time comes, I guess. Besides activism and writing to political leaders, there's nothing do. Hopefully, my partner is right to not buy a home security system.

What a life, right?

I live in the mid-west, and yeah people can be close minded. The thing is, that the world is big and there are a lot of people in it, and no matter what, there will always be closeminded, judgmental, ignorant, hateful people out there who hate and fear. Especially on the internet, because people can hide behind a screen and have anonymity, and because they're just typing out hateful words and they never have to be responsible for their actions. I think that a lot of the people who are so ignorant and mean online are scared and in real life would never even say those things out loud to someone anyway. We just have to keep fighting for our rights and letting people know that we're here and that we deserve equality and will not tolerate this treatment. You can't change what people think, only they can. We can try to help them see the error of their ways, but ultimately can't force them. At the end of the day, each individual persons life is entirely their own free will. Each person is responsible solely for themselves. It would be nice to have people wake up to this fact and change, but who knows when that will happen. Watching TV or the media or the internet just shows you how judgmental, shallow, hateful, petty and unconscious we really are. There is so much negativity out there. People thrive off it, their egos love it. We just have to try and realize these things in ourselves and make the changes that we want to see with ourselves, and live the way we would like others to live. We have to be the examples.

Thanks! I've calmed down quite a bit. I think the realization that the world is really unsafe hit me hard when I read about the most recent teen suicide. I don't feel so unsafe until I hear news about and then I remember that I have to think about the safety of family and friends more than the average straight person.

I don't like to just sit with my fears without doing anything proactive about it. Don't know what I'll do but I'm sure I'll think of something. I can't live in fear all the time, being anxious is just not a good thing.

I've never been harmed physically or threatened, I've only sometimes just had people yell or say derogatory comments to me, mostly when I was younger. I don't put my sexuality on display, not saying there's anything wrong with doing so, or being open to the world about it, but I don't wear anything that signifies my sexuality or put stickers on my car or rainbows or shirts that say things, and if I'm in public with my partner I don't do any display of affection, but it's not really because I think it's wrong, I just have never found it appropriate or tasteful when anyone does it, period. I also don't put myself or my sexuality on display because that's my preference and no one needs to know my business anyway. I've never really had any big trouble with people due to who I am, apart from the comments at times. Seeing the news or anything on the media or internet definitely makes the world seem very cold, scary, unwelcome and fearful. But I try to put it into the context looking at my own life, and I think have any of these things ever happened to me, or anyone close to me, or anyone in my area? No, they really haven't. Not saying we should turn a blind eye or ignore these events, but the news and media have a way of constantly dumping bad and negative news upon society constantly. I mean, bad news sells. See how many positive stories they have. Barely any. It's constantly negative news. The economy, terrorism, murders, greed, corruption, it's everywhere you turn. They know this, that bad news sells. I think it's smart to try to limit your intake of news, if not altogether. I never watch the news or read it online, and I'm totally fine, I survive. We just have to live our own lives and help others when we can however we can.

Only advice I can give is stop watching and reading about the current events I do understand one should be active in there country well-being but your personal health is more important than anything you stated above we live once this earth,place,and usa will be here long after we are so stop worrying,reading,watching cause there is nothing you being unhealthy is helping

goldfrappe: Someone once told me to focus on the positive, the encouraging and the uplifting news around me. If something really horrible and awful happens in current time, I don't have to read about it or hear it on the news, I will know about it because people will be talking about it everywhere! And I do try to practice filtering what I watch.

Its just that sometimes, I test the waters and watch the current events that may or may not affect me. I want to know the climate I am in? But you are right! I guess I should perciferate on these things when they happen either to me personally or to my friends. I just feel that everyone who is part of the GLBT community and our allies are closer to being my brothers and sisters - we can refer to each other fondly as family. In my solidarity, I tend to catastrophe and personalize the stories like it's really happening to me, too much, I suppose. Part of me feels like I am

leandrat: I really do try to filter what I watch. I've even quit watching horror movies. I guess that reason teen suicide affects me so much is because that could have been me. I probably need to work through my own past experiences with bullying. I don't like to think about it cause it opens wounds. Teen suicide due to bullying also affects me because I have a 10 year old who might get bullied in school because his biological mom is now transitioning and the people currently raising him (my partner and I) are lesbians. So far, his school is good on their bullying policies and not tolerating any form of bullying but teachers can't watch kids 24/7. And my son has come home complaining he doesn't have any friends and he gets teased - a lot!

But thanks for your advice. I will try to be more positive and not worry when nothing negative has happened directly to me, yet. But I will be alert and keep my watch though. Can't help that. I love my family and want everybody to be safe!