@Rain567 thank you for sharing and posting this. Lots of great quotes and advice I keep coming back here to re-read
@FunCartel the problem with the news is people tend to only watch it from 1 source/point of view. So yes, I agree with @WinterSoldierzz , either turn it off, or watch it all from everywhere (which no one will say they have time or patience for). Everyone I know that has stepped away from it for a week or two, has dramatically improved self. Sure it can seem selfish not caring about things that don't directly affect you, but, the way I see it, how can you help others if aren't helping yourself first. Just like on a crashing plane, you need to mask yourself before you try to mask others, otherwise you'll be masking nobody.
@entwine Is your opinion that everyone gets their news from one source anecdotal? I get mine from all media—tv, print and radio—and form my own opinions. Blaming the media is a lame way of blaming something external for not thinking critically.
The playbook of any dictator or oppressive regime is to control the message and as a result, all media. History has played this out over and over again. As far as critical thinking, another of the initial steps is to control academia and the scientific community. No dictator or power hungry regime desires a free press or critical thinking. They prefer a public that is uninformed, ignorant of events around the world, in lock step with a general consensus that doesn’t think too hard about what they do hear or see.
Now the news as provided by a free press, regardless of where you get it, is negative and can impact mental health. We do not live in a friendly, loving world.
Extra, extra! Thread derailed, everyone on board met a fiery end at the bottom of Evil News Canyon, just a few miles away from Abuseofpowersville.
In an interview, the husband of victim Mrs. Eloise Howdidthishappun (née Originaleargumento di Sacrosenta), George, said, "I just loathe people talking about the news—truly, it puts me in a conniption!"
Several dozen fine people died in this tragic accident. Everyone at the Cuddle Comfort Observer expresses their heartfelt condolences!
Pick and choose where you put your energy. I'm 45 and I didn't learn this lesson until my late 30s. You have full control over your domain and who you spend your time, money, and energy with. On social media, unfriend or block any and everyone that causes toxicity to your daily feed. Or take breaks from social media, even. When you're going through shit and can't be there for anyone, you will learn who your true friends are. The people that check in on you. Those are the ones you treasure, and spend your time and energy with. Feel free to message me if I can help out, or offer any other advice. I tell my daughter this stuff constantly though. She tend to attract people that emotionally exhaust her, and I have done the same throughout my life. There are plenty of people out that that will pick you up as much as you pick them up.
@HogboblinZwei Nice try. I said in my posts that news should be put on hold for the sake of mental health. The OP’s mental well-being is the topic.
Extra, extra! An update from Evil News Canyon!
A poll was conducted among the survivors, asking those present:
"What makes a good dictator?"
A recent quadruple amputee, Whipple Stumpson, groaned "Please...help" before collapsing into the dirt. Elucidating commentary from Mr. Stumpson!
In between gut-wrenching sobs, Ms. Tilly Mortemer, responded "Why? Why?"
A very good question! What makes a good dictator?
A survivor of the wreck, a professional cook named Gordon Slamsy, chimed in with "I think we need to consider the question from a variety of perspectives. Would anyone like some hamburger?"
An opportunistic fellow, that Mr. Slamsy!
Results of the poll will be published in the evening edition of the Cuddle Comfort Observer!
I'm gonna stop now. Just a bit bored at present, and I saw an opportunity for some absurdity.
@Rain567 If you are an exhausted single parent without the support you need, that's really tough. I suspect you don't need the whole world to change so much as your immediate world. Find kind, good people to be friends, even if they can't help as much as you would like. Take an inventory of your own unmet needs. Create a "bubble" of safety and goodness.
When we feel afraid, unsafe, anxious, worried, it's not that there aren't good reasons. However, bad things that we are afraid might happen are not any more "real" than good things that might happen. Due to trauma and life experiences, the nervous system/brain/body can generate an overabundance of fear. Then the mind generates thoughts to go with the feeling. It's better to shift one's attention away from the world and towards one's own body. Notice when negative feelings come up, and try not to react. Then around that, there's your living situation, and your closest relationships. Which are supportive and which are toxic? Who or what brings you peace? In what aspects of your own life do you feel powerless? Where can you take action and demonstrate that you are not powerless?
@frankparker9 Great post! As a single parent with full time custody and some support you do need to block out the what ifs and trust that you taught them well enough. But it is not that easy. I read a quote once that nailed being a parent. “Being a parent is watching your heart dancing outside of you in an uncaring world.” It is always there even when we think it isn’t. This is why I haven’t added much advice to @Rain567 ’s concerns—I really don’t know how you take away those innate fears. You can only pretend to.
@FunCartel Thanks.
I don’t fear for my kids, though I do think a lot about how I can do more for them so they can have a better experience of life, feel supported, have friends, have outlets, etc. I won’t go into my own situation, but I feel limited by my own health issues at the moment.
I’m 38, but I’m still very in touch with certain childhood versions of me. My parents were worriers and had certain very large fears, and to be on the other end of that doesn’t feel like love, it feels like control, plain and simple. Or enmeshment. Every human is a sovereign being, and as parents we just get to be caretakers and stewards for a period of time. We’re all children of God. Somehow that helps me not obsess too much. That doesn’t mean I don’t have a potentially big role to play in their well-being.
If the fear is that the world is not a safe or kind place… I hope my kids grow up feeling otherwise. Even if I taught or showed them that the world is a terrible and inhospitable place, would that really stick? They’d probably go off and make friends and realize I was wrong. If I make my household a good place to be, they will know that that kind of environment is possible and seek it out.
I'm strong but... If I could lean on someone who can help calm my fears and cradle my anxiety. ~ @Rain567
...same...
Not sure how I got bounced back to so early in the thread, but the 'why' must have been so I could reread the struggles of others and see I'm not as alone as alone I feel.
Somethings are just so incredibly tough to continually shoulder on one's own. I know this feeling will pass, that it's temporary, but it's been an underlying 'temporary' for so fricken long and this afternoon it crept up and smacked me across the face! Reality can be such an A-hole!!
I’m on my way to personally respond to every blessed loving individual who has responded ti contributed to learned from and have gotten something they may have needed or didn’t know they needed from this thread and so on . Still a bit busy with mom stuff . But I feel like I only want to message every individual who came here while I was at a weak point With advice love encouragement acceptance and kindness . Each individual who took part in this thread is a blessing to me . I want to express my gratitude . I want everyone here to know I love you and I cherish you . I appreciate you and I’m grateful you exist . I’m grateful this site and you all exist at a time when someone like me really needed you all to exist . Thank you for being you and for showing a stranger love . I come back to this thread and reread everything everyone has typed it’s hard for me not to want to cry happy tears . I love you beautiful blessed individuals. ( you don’t have to practice any sort of religion to be a blessing to me or anyone else . It’s just a word I use personally that helps me express how I’m feeling the best way I can seem to express it at the moment . I don’t want anyone to feel offended in any way .) . Look out for your inbox cuz I’m comin. (That probably came across a bit creepy I’m sorry . ) but Im coming to give my thanks and show love as best I can through typed words .
@Rain567 You have a beautiful heart!
@JoyfulHeart You are beautiful overall lol