[eeyorestail]

Usually I spend a lot of time online reading news sites and blogs. I've found lately, however, that it makes me angry and depressed. I feel like there is so much injustice and pain in the world, and that for the most part human beings are cruel and selfish.

My husband says I should just avoid the news. He is probably right, but this is hard for me because I have always been interested in politics, etc. I feel like if I don't know what is going on in the world, how can I help change it for the better?

My T says I should become involved in my community regarding issues I feel strongly about--if I'm helping out, that will make me feel better. I do volunteer at the local food pantry and I enjoy that. But I don't feel like I'm doing very much. I don't feel like I am really helping people.

I kind of feel guilty about feeling depressed about things that aren't even "my problems." I mean, how selfish is it of me to make tragic national/world events all about how *I* feel about them?

Because news is a lot like a Casino!

It's set up for the house to win and the player to lose.

Come to think of it, news should be classified as an addictive disorder too IMHO!

But what do I know? ... I'm just a Pfrog!

Ribbit!

Hi Krm. Along the lines of what pfrog said, I've read reports on studies that say that negative news draws a greater number of viewers/readers, so that affects what the media gives us.

It sounds like you're already doing one thing that I do - avoid video and TV news. I find that much more distressing than reading.

Sometimes I have to curb my news consumption because of the effect it has on my depression. Part of me feels like I'm wimping out when I do this, but I can definitely tell that it makes a difference.

I have friends and relatives who don't have any diagnosed mood disorders who have told me over the last year that they have cut back on their news viewing/reading because it was distressing them.

I personally think that maybe the news has been more distressing than usual for the last year or so.

Sometimes I just read headlines and not the whole article. I'm not really informed when I do that, but at least I know something has happened.

I also try to add some light-hearted content. I like Apartment Therapy's e-mail newsletters and I read/look at amusing animal pics/stories for a mood lift.

It seems sort of like ducking out of being a responsible adult when I do this, but I don't like what happens to my mood when I consume as much news as I really want to.

What can ya do?

[doggiedo]

I completely agree with how u feel. I have to limit the news and even some movies and books. It sucks but I just don't like how it makes me feel in the long run.

Have you tried mentoring a teenager or something in education? I volunteered as a big sister in the big brother/but sister organization and I mentored a girl for 4 years. I found it really valuable.

Hang in there and try to find u can do to throw yourself into. Hugs

[lost_inthecrowd]

I know I felt my heart drop when my father said that the show I was watching called "Alaskan Bush People" was staged. I mean, I really wanted to believe that there were people out there surviving in the middle of a cold Alaskan forest. I think it feeds my desire for "family togetherness"

I've taken to listening to about 30 minutes of morning news, then classical music for the rest of the day... There's only so much a person can handle.

[eeyorestail]

Thanks everyone for the support. I've been trying to mix light-hearted stuff with the news I read. Here's a funny one I found:

44 Facts To Help You Make It Through Today

[i dont matter]

I think what you are feeling is kinda normal and kinda *intentional* by the media. I think they like to create drama, conflict, injustice - to sell papers. And personally - I think what they are reporting on is total crap.

But that is just my opinion.

[eidothea1]

I stopped reading/watching the news a long time ago. All it did was get me upset over things I had no control over & couldn't do anything about. I don't need to know about some sick monster keeping women chained up for years or what's going on in the Middle East. As someone with MDD & GAD, I have to guard my peace of mind & making myself worse by reading about those kinds of things benefits no one. That is just me, however.

[Rycoon]

I know the feeling. I can't watch the news or read newspapers or anything like that anymore because everything just seems so negative and it makes me have very little faith in humanity as a whole. Sometimes I go into an existential crisis because I am questioning the fate of humanity if things continue the way they are now.

I can't watch the news without going into a rage or crying and swearing at the television or at whoever is nearby. Now I try to limit how much I watch the news...enough to have a vague sense of what is going on but not enough to make my anxiety and depression even worse. I think it may be helpful to figure out if you can set a limit on how much you watch the news, etc... or to figure out if one specific thing in the news triggers you.

[regretful]

News fast is something that Andrew Weil recommended in his 8 Weeks to Optimum Health. I think that's a pretty good idea, and I go on those news fasts regularly. Good luck.