I learned a lesson fairly early on in life, during the Cold War when, after reading Neville Shute's book 'On The Beach' at too early an age, followed by the Cuba Crisis, my thoughts kept turning to the possibility of nuclear war.

I had many sleepless night s with those fears. when I thought about it I knew there was little I could do at the time and that I was just making myself ill with the thoughts. From then on, every time the thought came into my head I would consciously make myself think of something else - something funny one of my kids had said or done, a song I had heard, a beautiful place that I had visited or wanted to go to, anything to drive the thought away.

It takes some effort to get there, but it does work. When you start thinking that way find some good threads on the 'Cat, that maybe make you laugh, phone someone to have a chat, not about what is happening, but maybe to talk about something that they are doing or to catch up on good news. Whenever the thoughts intrude just tell them that, since you can't do anything about this right now, you do not want to hear what they say.

If you find that the above is not working than talk to your doctor and tell them that these thoughts are making you ill. Sometimes temporary medication may help to ease things.

You have my phone number - if you think it might help call me.