Anyone else given up reading the news

Ring round your neighbours Annie and get them to make a brew. Get Mr. Tesco to organise the cakes.

I don't WATCH the news, its too depressing.

I only read newspapers when out for coffee and I can choose how much I want to know.

Cant take the grandstanding and subliminal bias that goes with tv.

Have ignored it for several years as a coping mechanism for my increased anxiety levels mainly caused by the usual life events. I've read up on reducing anxiety and even had some counselling but once you are in that over sensitive state its difficult to stop the worry cycle. Disregarding all the nasty stuff in the papers and on TV helps. I just concentrate on helping and supporting my close family and doing my bit for friends and neighbours. The world seems a pretty unforgiving place at the moment and the only way I feel I can stay sane is to block it out and yet try and be a decent human being to those I can actually help.
Its strange to me that for all my life I've been a 'middle of the road' sort of person. Played by most of the rules (nicked a few sweets as a kid - but little else) and I've worked and paid my taxes etc and then gone on to do a fair bit voluntarily for several charities. Never had extreme political views or felt I needed to campaign for anything in particular. I've always felt that my life choices have been generally supported by those in charge......until now. I'm Middle class, reasonably comfortably off and in decent health but I now feel quite under represented almost beleaguered by those in power. I really feel I am on a juggernaut that's out of control and driven by some very suspect people who have no idea what us ordinary folk want. Having basically played by the rules all my life I now feel that I've been betrayed.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

I scan the headlines online but do read a newspaper from cover to cover every morning. There's more in it than just latest news!
I've recently subscribed to 'The Oldie' and find it a really good read. Lots of interesting articles by good writers as well as reviews and excellent cartoons.

I'm trying to concentrate on 'fluffy' things as the news upsets me so much. However, I recently had to do jury service which didn't help

Lessismore ? my Tesco delivery man calls me gorgeous

Couldn't manage without my two newspapers every day, one from each side of the political spctrum to keep balance, plus BBC news online.

Happy stories are there if you look for them and interesting articles and sidelights about life, good and bad all round the world, columnists write about every aspect of life, then there is the life styles sections, personal finance sections, medical sections and all the rest.

Oh, I forgot about the weekly local paper, telling us how a local canoe club that was going to close because it had lost its HQ, has just been given a long lease on a new site and they will be up and running in temporary buildings in a few weeks.

M0nica I agree about the local paper. Their news is less politically biased and covers a wider world area.
As I've sometimes quoted on here, I read our old french local, La Depeche every day.
And I often buy the Newcastle Chronicle.
But I confess to reading the dreaded DM online every day. As you say there are some good stories in the broadsheets amongst the rubbish about celebs, and nasty gossip.

I feel I owe it to myself to keep up with the world. My permanent grumble is that newspapers devote far too many pages to sport, so I suppose that must generate sales. And yes, there are positive stories. In fact I don't really buy the argument about bad news selling papers.

Very rarely read the newspapers, keep up with news by radio mainly.
Have given up reading and commenting on the news and politics threads ( the politics part anyway) on GN because it’s become ever decreasing circles.When something different happens in Autumn ( either we leave the EU or stay in!) that will be ample time to read and comment again.
News affect older people more, which is why things rarely bothered us years ago, so a good reason to limit what you read, hear and talk about ( and think and worry about.)
Plenty of good things in life still ?

I’m not in a good place at the moment and although I enjoy(ed) reading the paper I found it made me more and more worried and low. The sadness of others gets to me and I’ve decided to give up the paper until I’m in a better frame of mind.

sorry to read that Doodle.

My last job before I retired one of my daily tasks was to read through each paper every morning (even the dreadful Star) and pullout any information or adverts concerning competitors. Monday was a long day reading as I had the weekend papers as well.

Loved doing it but the trouble is I still have to read a paper or two everyday. Read the Guardian for news and The Mail for a good old rant.

I enjoy reading the news, both in newspapers and online.
I just skip over the celebrity rubbish, bores me to tears.

Thank you lessismore
I can manage the politics, the celebrity blurb and the general stuff but find myself getting caught up in the children suffering, knifing, machete wielding, drugs crimes and just the plain tragedy of some people’s lives. The last few days seem to have been nothing else.

I have stopped having Sky News on throughout the day and only tend to watch Ch4 News as I no longer trust the BBC. I have several friends that are also doing to same as we're finding the current situation in this country so upsetting. I do feel like a coward by doing so, and I do try to keep up to speed by glancing at my partners daily newspaper/facebook etc.

Doodle, I'm with you. It serves no useful purpose really.

Doodle I gave that up decades ago... and listening to radio and I have never had TV.

I've been criticised for it over the years but my own mental health has improved tremendously since I no longer have this regular negative pollution in my mind.

It's something I would recommend very strongly to anyone with anxiety issues, stress, depression and the need to constantly criticise.

It is so much better to be contented and happy and help where you can in your own community.

Have always read a national newspaper. Probably habit, I can get habitual about things. As I am nosey and want to know what is happening I read the news. There’s no way I can influence what news is contained in the paper and I cannot understand those wanting to read only good news. Seems a bit precious to me. I don’t read any “celebrity” gossip as I don’t know or care who they are. Never buy a local paper, look online to see if there’s anything concerning our locale.

Unfortunately all of the National newspapers are strangers to the truth with the times and telegraph as bad as the mail,express and mirror while the Guardian has become more bigoted than in the past. The only decent reliable newspaper, the independent, moved exclusively on line what seems a long time ago.

Now it's online for all my news these days.

Ohh I do miss good quality newspaper reporting that was corrupted and killed off by that evil man who escaped his native Australia.

absthame you might like the i newspaper, in place of the Independent. Double issue on Saturdays with great puzzles too.

The puzzles in the i newspaper are good fun but still depressing news. Husband buys every day. Added to news at 1pm and 6pm both an hour long.. Just too much.
Bradfordlass I cant imagine living with no television or radio. Do you use internet?