Non-political thread: Did you mental health take a nosedive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it absolutely did. I had bronchitis and went to the doctor about 6 days after the conflict started. My blood pressure was way up, my heart rate was abnormally high, and the doctor asked "Are you under any stress?" and I was like "Well, I've been jewish all week, so ... yes?" And I immediately stopped reading social media posts about it, stopped reading news articles about it, etc.

I'm sorry for your stress, but this made me laugh. At least you are able to keep your sense of humor--I think that gets people through a lot of hard times.

[Anonymous]

The start of the Ukraine war affected me more than this. There are always issues in the Middle East. Obviously it’s completely horrible, but it wasn’t as much of a shock.
I also follow international news stations from all around the world and there are always horrible things going on everywhere that most people in America don’t ever hear about. I guess it’s made me numb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it absolutely did. I had bronchitis and went to the doctor about 6 days after the conflict started. My blood pressure was way up, my heart rate was abnormally high, and the doctor asked "Are you under any stress?" and I was like "Well, I've been jewish all week, so ... yes?" And I immediately stopped reading social media posts about it, stopped reading news articles about it, etc.

I'm sorry for your stress, but this made me laugh. At least you are able to keep your sense of humor--I think that gets people through a lot of hard times.

Same. I work in news, so can’t avoid it. But thank you, PP, for the laugh. Wishing you well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not on any side in the mid east conflict, but I am staying away from the news because it's just so horrible. On both sides.

I’m with you. I feel weird alone in the middle. It seems everyone around me is firmly on one side or the other. I used to be a news junkie but I just can’t anymore.

[Anonymous]

I’m with you OP I’ve lost faith in humanity at this moment. I personally feel with the creation of social media, which was meant to connect family and friends has divided a human race. Morals, respect, and kindness are out the window and 5sec clips of nonsense, hate, and chasing for likes has taken center stage. To view the constant steam of 5sec clips of ugliness on repeat has taken its toll.

[Anonymous]

I am always surprised people don't step back and see that there are forces outside our country trying to stoke the divisiveness. We have proof of bots and other countries setting up twitters and IGs pretending to be Americans stoking the fires of presidential elections, BLM protests, etc.

It's like that crazy family member or middle school girl group member who already knows there is dysfunction, so she/he stokes the fires with partial untruths and tells one person another one is saying terrible things and the dramatics go up and soon nobody trusts anyone else and things explode on social media. Also, there can be that nut in a family or friend group who knows just the right buttons to push so that all reasoning skills go out the window and suddenly one person despises another without even attempting to discuss things. I know that's simplistic, but it is surprisingly easy to divide a nation as we have seen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It has been giving me anxiety. I am worried about global war. I am worried about the divisiveness in this country. I am afraid. I think people can no longer talk and hear out other opinions. I worry about the decline of this country. I am a teacher and see every day how kids can't cope with even the smallest setback. They are weak.

+1
I’m also a teacher (HS). While I have glimmers of hope that some of them will become nuanced thinkers, so many of them have no motivation and no critical thinking skills. Then I look around at the adults … 😳😭

Internet+social media+AI+lack of critical thinking … I’m afraid we are actively watching the downfall of society.

+2

Truth. That, and people are more angry and depressed than ever before, and that is their acceptable baseline, sadly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's the type of divisiveness. We've seen the country go from moderate on both sides, to moderate and left battling crazy fiction and conspiracy, as if anyone can battle that. Then we have this middle east debacle where everyone has found another group to battle, including those who were once like minded, yet now against each other.
Political parties are meaningless now, we're all just in changing tribes on single issues.
It's almost as if Russian is looking for a last chance tactic for the 2024 election and it is working.
One thing is for certain- social media is not helping.

Please stop blaming outside countries for what the American political system and media are doing to themselves. Step one is realizing you have a problem.

[Anonymous]

The world has always been thus. We ride the waves and hope we catch the crest and not the trough.

If the news is giving you anxiety, stop reading it.

[Anonymous]

I know a lot of people are going to come at this with “just turn off the news/the internet/get off social media!” And I don’t disagree but the whole “ignorance is bliss” approach doesn’t sit well with me. Does burying your head in the sand really work

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a lot of people are going to come at this with “just turn off the news/the internet/get off social media!” And I don’t disagree but the whole “ignorance is bliss” approach doesn’t sit well with me. Does burying your head in the sand really work

I think there is a balance. We cannot be ignorant, but we cannot promote tolerance/keep an open mind/donate to charities/advocate/get involved in whatever way we can if we fall apart completely. Also we have all seen haunting images on both sides and turning off the news does not erase that, but I do think we need to see those images now and then. However, with AI, reporting bias, photoshop, manipulations and other things, we will never completely know the truth from now on. So I guess we all find our balance and keep an inquisitive and open mind and ...hope the world doesn't explode into war.

[Anonymous]

The world has been a mess since forever. It’s important to know what is going on but don’t let yourself get emotionally manipulated. Unplug if you have to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I don't need to know which side of the middle east conflict you are on, but I felt like I was finally getting my head above water and treading water a bit post COVID/pandemic, Russia/Ukraine war breaking out, family illnesses and deaths, parenting stressors, sandwich generation stress and then *bam* the world explodes. I know it was heating up before this, but didn't expect things to erupt like this.

I know to take breaks from the news, do things I enjoy, immerse myself in work, appreciate the family I have (b/c FOO is a disaster), exercise, eat healthy...I will survive, but it's all so surreal. The world was already a mess and now it's just like a wildfire spreading to our town. You can't get away from it sometimes. There are reminders everywhere.

**Again, no need to know what side you are on or how you think we got here since that can be discussed on the politics board, just wondering how others are doing. How are you??

No, but I never had mental health issues before. Plus we always knew as soon as Biden was elected that the war (at least in Ukraine) was inevitable (don't take me wrong, I fully support this administration). And we all knew that Iran and China would not hesitate to take advantage of Biden's administration. My question to you is why only now, three years later, you are feeling the impact?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it absolutely did. I had bronchitis and went to the doctor about 6 days after the conflict started. My blood pressure was way up, my heart rate was abnormally high, and the doctor asked "Are you under any stress?" and I was like "Well, I've been jewish all week, so ... yes?" And I immediately stopped reading social media posts about it, stopped reading news articles about it, etc.

Why would you stop reading the news? I grew up in the Soviet Union and still remember my old Jewish neighbor used to say: "When they say they want to kill Jews, you better believe them". Now you have protesters in ALL major US cities calling to gas up Jewish people, and you tunning off? Do you really wait until they will knock on your door?

[Anonymous]

I think we all like to think that we live in some special time. We don't. This time isn't special and we're not special.

Do good and balance your life. You only get one. If you want to be an anxiety monster, go for it. If you want to turn the noise down, go for that. Be thankful every single moment that you don't live in the current hot spots because that could change and then you'll look back on this time and realize that you were a fool.