I just don''t want to watch the news anymore ...

[vespergirl]

Is it just me, or is the news these days so overwhelmingly depressing that you just want to tune out and pretend that none of this is happening? My immediate family is (for now) financially stable, and my husband thankfully works in a (hopefully) recession-proof business (government contracting) but everything is just making me feel terrified these days.

The mortgage crisis, unemployment, terror attacks in India, I am actually becoming depressed, and totally avoiding the NYTimes, CNN, etc. I watch Noggin all day with my son and read escapist novels because I just don''t want to hear any more about any of this. The exhiliration of the presidential election is over (along with the endless news coverage), and now I just don''t even want to know what''s going on out there. I have been a SAHM for the past 2 years, and used to read my daily newspapers as a way to stay connected to the world, but I''m feeling pretty happily insulated in my house without having to face or acknowledge all of the horrible things that are going on out there.

I literally feel sick to my stomach at the thought of the financial crisis hitting us, as it has so many other Americans. My parents, who retired early to become real estate investors, have watched their retirement funds evaporate before their eyes, but they are so deeply in denial of what''s happening that they''re not listening to financial advice from my brothers & I, and I''m so afraid for what they may be facing in the next few months as well.

I guess that I am just feeling helpless and depressed - I don''t know why I''m starting this thread, I guess that I just needed to get my feelings and thoughts out there. I''m so so worried about everyone, and wish there was more that we could do to help, or change the situation.

I keep trying to avoid thinking about all of this, but it''s hard not to notice when it''s all you see on the news these days ...

 

[movie zombie]

i reached that point a year ago....and then in march of this year someone stole the very nice stereo system out of my car. i have yet to replace it. i find that not listening all the time really has helped me a lot.

movie zombie

 

[Loves Vintage]

I've been pretty much tuned out for years, so I know exactly how you feel. The news can make me terribly sad and anxious as well. I am a very senstitive girl. I do feel some level of emotional loss, personally, when I hear terrible news involving loss of life. My life is just so much easier if I limit my exposure to the media.

 

[zhuzhu]

Me too. Though I still do watch the news and listen to the radio, I know I am feeling depressed because of it. It is not possible to not get affected by this terrible time we are in.

 

[Linda W]

We don''t watch it either. I will read the newspaper, but can''t take the TV news anymore.

 

[Kaleigh]

You''re not alone. I hate TV news. Too damn depressing.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Everything is depressing these days. I listen to talk radio when I'm alone in the car and also read the paper because I like to keep up on a few things going on (there is so much in the news, I have to pick and choose) but cannot watch the news in the evening because IF my kids hear what is said, it's tramatic to them. Killing, rape, pillage. . . there isn't ANY safe news for them and I don't want them to hear about 100s being killed around the world. Dead people are actually shown on the TV screen. How is that healthy for any person to see?

 

[Allisonfaye]

I feel the same way but it is like a train wreck and I can''t stop watching. I can''t believe that in a period of 3 months, we have watched our net worth decline by close to 50 % and probably more like 60% over the last two years. I am having a serious case of the Coulda, Woulda, Shoudas and it is hard because my husband doesn''t have an emotional bone in his body so while he agrees that it sucks, that''s about all the support he can give. And then I feel bad for all the people who are in a worse situation than we are. Constantly hearing about people losing their jobs is seriously depressing.

I wish I had confidence that someone or something could turn this racing locomotive in the other direction but I just don''t know what it is. I try to look on the bright side. Gas is dirt cheap. I can''t think of much bright other than that, other than we are healthy and have each other.

 

[vintagecushion]

I''ve read newspapers and journals and always have and can''t imagine giving that up as depressing as it can get sometimes. Television is another story! I ignore it just like I ignored the spend spend spend message and refi ads of the past. Not watching TV just keeps me so much happier in general.

 

[crown1]

i agree with the news being depressing and i also think it influences what happens. i do think there is something we can do. the actions we take and how we respond to others actions make our future. i feel i can help by continuing what i have always practiced. living on what we make and acting both morally and fiscally responsible. no blaming others for what goes wrong or expecting someone to save me. we are where we are and we can get past this we just have to rely on ourselves and have realistic expectations. as long as we have food and shelter we can survive. finding happiness in the little things will help. this country grew strong because it''s people were independent and willing to work to get ahead. we can do it again, one person at a time. i know many will find this sappy and ridiculous but it beats giving up. i am old enough that i remember many of the old sayings and one that applies is "when it gets tough the tough get going". we have been living in a "false" economy it is time to get real.

 

[vespergirl]

Date: 12/5/2008 6:34:17 PM
Author: crown1
i agree with the news being depressing and i also think it influences what happens. i do think there is something we can do. the actions we take and how we respond to others actions make our future. i feel i can help by continuing what i have always practiced. living on what we make and acting both morally and fiscally responsible. no blaming others for what goes wrong or expecting someone to save me. we are where we are and we can get past this we just have to rely on ourselves and have realistic expectations. as long as we have food and shelter we can survive. finding happiness in the little things will help. this country grew strong because it''s people were independent and willing to work to get ahead. we can do it again, one person at a time. i know many will find this sappy and ridiculous but it beats giving up. i am old enough that i remember many of the old sayings and one that applies is ''when it gets tough the tough get going''. we have been living in a ''false'' economy it is time to get real.

You know, reading this makes me feel better - we are probably the only people who I know who put 20% down on our mortgage and still pay it on time every month ... We have definitely cut back on frivolous spending, but we have never been in "bad debt" to begin with - we pay off our credit cards, and have savings. Still, it''s just been easy to think these days that if awful things are happening to others, it can happen to us.

I keep thinking, though, that as long as we keep living responsibly, we will be fine, and the economy always ends up pulling out of these recessions.

 

[Elmorton]

I read my news, which I think makes it seem better - it''s easier to skip/skim the sections I don''t want to see than be bombarded with images, background music/noise, reporter''s tones...

But honestly, I''ve been feeling OK about our bleak circumstances, lately. I think that seeing/reading about so many Americans who are hitting rock bottom has made people more cognizant and more aware about how we can live less extravagantly and less selfishly, and also made people want to help our neighbors even more. Yay for that.

 

[Harriet]

vespergirl, I''m with you.

 

[Beacon]

Indeed the papers are somewhat depressing. But it''s not so bad and not so unusual.

If you go back and have a look at the papers from 1974 or 1990 or 1982, they look just as bad. If you go way back into WWII they look much worse. If you read from 1968, 1963 you cannot believe are still alive!

It just seems bad now b/c we have lived through an astonishing period of prosperity and consumerism. This gave rise to all kinds of excess, even websites about diamonds (Ok I am kidding!).

We''ll be ok.

 

[iheartscience]

I stopped watching the news after 9/11. There''s just too much fear-mongering, in my opinion. I read the Washington Post online (as well as many other websites) every day for my news.

 

[bee*]

It''s the exact same over in Ireland-depressing! Everyday there are more and more lay offs (including D''s job

) and there is just no light at the end of the tunnel. What bugs me is that they know it''s been coming for ages over here, but nothing was done about it until the recession hit.

 

[HollyS]

Isn''t that really why people will gravitate to whatever news media outlet, or group of people, will share their viewpoint? Listening to the ''other guys'' get it wrong (in our opinion) only serves up more stress and axiety. People have been known to throw things at their TV when the anchor/pundit/sound bite of the day is particularly rage inducing.

Personally, I prefer to take my ''news'' in small doses. Frankly, I think that if the talking heads would stop playing Chicken Little ("The sky is falling; the sky is falling!!"), we might see some economic growth. Maybe a little rebound in the stock market. Maybe a little more Christmas shopping. Just a thought.