In the days when the shadow of recent events weighs heavily on people's hearts, life appears suspended and filled with anxiety. In Tehran, particularly amongst families, friends and colleagues, concerns about the outbreak of war and renewed crises have become a constant topic of conversation.

These anxieties form not only due to the complex state of the internet and communications, but also for many reasons that could become reality at any moment. In such circumstances, people are not only grappling with their personal issues, but collective anxiety has engulfed them everywhere. This anxiety, especially for those living in turbulent and tense environments, represents an endless cycle of worries and pressures.

In this situation, life seems somehow suspended, where one cannot be certain of even a moment of it. Therefore, the psychological and social effects of such conditions are felt everywhere and become a new problem and challenge every day.

This anxiety and concern not only affects individual life, but also has a widespread impact on social and family relationships. In this situation, people unconsciously become involved in collective emotions and stress that leads to distrust of the future and feelings of insecurity. This type of anxiety even casts a shadow over daily decision-making processes and long-term planning.

In many cases, friendly and family conversations also end up focusing on such issues, which itself increases concerns. In such circumstances, the need to maintain calm and manage stress is felt more than ever. Alongside these issues, one of the biggest challenges these days is the effort to maintain a sense of solidarity and hope amongst people, because any neglect of these matters can lead to the collapse of social and psychological peace.

We sought out user comments for this piece – storytellers who have written about their surroundings and experiences.

Narges wrote: "I'm constantly afraid too. Dying doesn't seem very frightening right now. There are things more terrifying than death. Like the fear of constant fear, displacement, poverty, illness and more."

Nami believes: "This situation we're experiencing has no middle ground. For us ordinary people with ordinary lives and ordinary concerns, this situation is stressful."

Soheil wrote somewhat differently: "Sir, we still remember the war nights when we'd go up to the roof and sing. Our security was in being together like this."

Marziyeh, who is a mother: "Until morning I pace between my room and my daughter's room. All night, whenever I hear any sound, I think they're attacking and I go towards my child's room. Severe mental disturbance and worsening of autoimmune disease, migraine headaches and guilt about having children and a thousand other torments, and worse than all of this, we're sitting right in the middle of it all."

Hanieh wrote about amusing incidents that occurred during the war days: "When my cousins and I went to the village to our grandmother's house, remembering our childhood, we brought all those memories back to life. It wasn't like we were 27-28 years old. Even now, if the opportunity arises, we'll repeat it again."

Jahan, who is worried: "I'm also tired of this suspension. Constant stress and being in a suspended state that seems like a dead end and has disrupted one's mind for activity and life."

Hamed behaved similarly to Hanieh: "I still can't properly and calmly listen to a film or even music with concentration. But after the war, I got used to repeating teenage pastimes. I go to the park sometimes. I exercise. I see high school kids. That's life!"

Houri is also worried about her child: "Every day I wait for news of explosions and fires, I'm afraid insecurity will increase. But well, on the other hand, I comfort myself. If I didn't have a child, maybe I wouldn't be so afraid, but having a child has sometimes made me feel paralysed. I'm worried about my only son's future."

And Peyman: "I don't have anything particular to say about these days. Friends have explained well that we're all suffering from uncertainty and anxiety. That's it. But in the 12 days we were involved in war, many things happened. For example, our neighbour's daughter, who was supposed to give birth a month later, was forced to give birth prematurely."