Not Listening Anymore

[Mockingbird]

I get so worn out about hearing all the bad things that are going on in the world. Seriously it can be so depressing that I wonder how it is anyone even manages to make it out of the bed each day. If it isn't some disease it is some one getting killed or robbed. It is to the point where I will not even watch the news anymore, I will listen to the weather and the traffic report in the morning and that's it. Maybe it is hiding my head in the sand or putting on the rose colored glass but honestly I just don't want to listen to the terrible news anymore. Am I right to feel this way?

 

[Shimus]

Yes and no. You're entitled to feel how you feel, but you can't hide away. The world is constantly changing, whether we like it or not. Whether it's for the better or not. We don't get to choose that - we get to choose how we handle and process that information.

 

[MainerMikeBrown]

The thing about the news is that the media often reports just the bad news, and not as much good news, as good news usually doesn't sell.

So with that said, I don't think the world is as bad, in general, as the media makes it out to be.

 

[sidney]

If you are so sensitive about the bad news that you hear and you can't help but feel affected, then just avoid being exposed to them then. Like when you see some bad news coming up in the headlines, switch channels quickly so that you won't get to hear the whole story. You have to be numb to such things since they happen everyday, worldwide. That's just how it is, unfortunately.

 

[Gemma]

I often feel the same way. Unless knowing about it will let me change things, I don't want to know. For the most part, that's not the case. Me knowing can't help anyone, just like me sitting in the hospital waiting room can't make a surgery go well. Why stress myself out with that stuff if I can't change anything?

I understand what @sidney is saying about becoming numb to those things. I think I was on my way there for a while but I worry that seeing those things and becoming numb to them is worse than not seeing them. Is it better to see and feel nothing? OR to just not know the details? I couldn't keep seeing that kind of thing and hurting for them and being stressed out.

 

[missbishi]

The thing to remember is that the media doesn't always give you a balanced view of what is really happening. They tailor the headlines to attract readers. Just like Mainer says, good news does not sell.

Personally, I think it's important to keep abreast of the latest events. Understanding exactly what is happening makes things seem less frightening. Reading a couple of different takes on the same even t is usually enough to help you to distinguish what the real facts are and which bits are just sensationalist.

 

[sidney]

@Gemma, As for me I have become numb to most of the news that I see. I still do feel sorry for the people who have lost their homes to a fire, typhoon, etc. But I'm desensitized for the most part. The only time I get really affected by a news or by a crime is if it's really gruesome, like in the case of Junko Furuta. Just google her to see what I mean. Very disturbing murder, and very inhumane if you ask me. I was very affected and appalled at the murderers, who are all free now, unfortunately.

 

[galmal]

@Mockingbird, I have to agree with you. I came to this same conclusion about 5 years ago. I watched the news every night, because I wanted to be well informed, and know what was going on in the world. But every night, I would get so frustrated, angry, depressed. I got to the point where it was affecting me in a very bad way.

So I decided to stop watching. It was as simple as that. There was nothing I could do to change the things that were happening, and to be honest, 99% of what they reported had nothing to do with me anyway. I'm much better off for not watching.

 

[joshposh]

You have the right to do whatever you want. But instead of retreating you could actually try to turn those negative feelings into something positive. Some people that I know take up a pen and paper and write about their feelings. Some actually start to draw paintings or write a song. All negativity can be changed into a positive.

 

[RUBESH]

It is totally reasonable to feel exhausted and overwhelmed by the continual barrage of bad news. When all we hear about are catastrophes and calamities, it can be difficult to retain a cheerful attitude. It is critical to prioritize your mental health and self-care. That involves minimizing your exposure to unfavorable news or striking a balance between keeping informed and safeguarding your emotional health. Remember that you can still make a difference in the world by concentrating on what you can control and spreading compassion and optimism in your own neighborhood.