Is the world getting sadder or am I getting more emotional.

I feel sad at the way nature is dying and I fear we will follow. Climate change is far more of an existential threat than any wars or diseases we've ever experienced. I'm sad for our children and their children as I fear the world is on the brink of catastrophy. I'm reasonably cheerful in the moment but do recognise the future may be very bleak indeed. Unsurprising so many people feel sad.

I am sure it is six of one and half a dozen of the other.

Most of us do tend to become more easily upset as we grow older. My mother said, she could permit herself to cry, after we, her children, were grown up because she no longer had to be brave in order not to scare us.

But the world is very worrying at the moment, and honestly the media make such a meal of the doom and gloom that we cannot get away from it.

I listen to the news oce a day, and have given it a miss this week as this week last year led up to my husband's death on November 1st. That looming anniversary is bad enough - I feel I cannot cope with other disasters right now. Selfish, I know, but thre is really only me to look after me, now.

I’m not taking as much interest in current affairs as I used to. I can’t deal with seeing what’s happening in Gaza and feel totally helpless about it. I can’t influence the American election. I now have the Labour government I wanted and am happy to go along with their plans although I will make it clear to them if I do disagree with their policies. I’m watching box sets and listening to podcasts. I can’t spend the rest of my life trying to influence things that I can’t influence .

kittylester

Oh yes, :*dragonfly*, definitely.

I avoid lots of news because I can't deal with it emotionally.

Oh yes I agree, sometimes I just want to go back to the past , when life seemed easier, more simple but in reality it probably wasn't!
At least now we have slightly better animal rights laws & children are mostly protected. The song "I want world to stop" by Belle & Sebastian pops into head a lot lately. Strange times. 🤔

May Bee, how honest you are. I hope I don't offend if I say say your mental health must be all the better for your insight into your own motives. I confess I feel the same as you.
Do you think certain terrible events that we can't intervene in, should not be spoken about, except perhaps in private prayer?

GrandeTante you are quite right; you would be no use to man or beast if you didn't look after yourself.

Jess20 ,we have let down our children and grandchildren.I really hope they forgive us ,and be cleverer than we have been

I've been crying at the least little/big thing for years now. I'm surprised I still have tears left!!

I can't watch the news, the vengeful way Israel is slaughtering a nation. The dreadful self serving politicians we have, I've had to make a decision to stop buying my newspaper and don’t put the news on as it seems life has become cheap. I was crying a lot and getting depressed but theres nothing I can alter.

Caleo

May Bee, how honest you are. I hope I don't offend if I say say your mental health must be all the better for your insight into your own motives. I confess I feel the same as you.
Do you think certain terrible events that we can't intervene in, should not be spoken about, except perhaps in private prayer?

I still watch Ch4 News, Sky News; listen to The Rest is Politics and discuss it all with my partner when he comes round. But in the evening I curl up on the sofa with the dog and watch tv. I think that the political years pre referendum up to today have just burned me out! I’ll still come out of hibernation if I feel I can make a difference!

Keep Going Maybee, you never know when you might be a little light in a dark situation.

Mt61

Caleo

It's sign of good health to be able to cry

Is it? I feel like I want to cry, but so emotionally blocked, they won’t come, to me it’s a luxury to be able to cry!

I wouldnt say it's "emotionally blocked" at all not to be able to cry.

Maybe you've had similar situations to me, for instance, ie where I encountered bullies at various schools I went to as a child (until they all left without fail at 16 thankfully - ie it was the 1970s then and I would imagine people like that probably did universally leave at that age back then - and the rest of us had some "peace and quiet" finally after they'd gone). Followed by bullies at work in a couple of the jobs I had.

The tears used to flow readily then - as to how could people be so nasty to me, when I hadn't done anything bad to them. It was the injustice of it all I think. The tears started to dry up when I encountered work bullies (very much so in my last job - which I had to have for years until retirement). Reason being I began to realise that it was a very deliberate thing by the bullies to try and make their victims cry - to the extent I wondered whether it was in their "supervisors manual for dealing with people on their groups". When I'd spotted a look of satisfaction on their faces if I started crying after their nasty comments = the game was up and I saw what they were doing.

After frequent bullying at work and having to deliberately prevent myself from letting them get to me - so they couldnt see those tears they were deliberately trying to provoke = I think I've pretty much had to become incapable of crying (ie even when it's safe to do so - because no-one nasty is nearby).

Quickest way going imo of probably never crying again = to have to be near "people" like that for long.

I don’t cry, but I feel sad occasionally . I dwell on the past - things said, things not said. Dull wet days like today, bring it on.

kittylester

Oh yes, :*dragonfly*, definitely.

I avoid lots of news because I can't deal with it emotionally.

Kittylester, me too. Can't watch the news at the moment 😕

I feel sad about a lot of things, particularly children suffering, especially those in Gaza. I watch/listen to the news but I don’t cry about it although I feel sad about things.

I cry often about my own daughter, that’s what I cry about. I get upset when I think about what he did to her, and I can’t make it better.

Maybe 💖

I’m sad that my good friend is being harassed by neighbours about her trees losing leaves .. it’s Autumn - why R people so insane?

CarS

I think its wrapped up in a complete loss of sense of humour lately. No-one seems to laugh at anything either afraid of offending or not just seeing the funny side of anything. It's infecting me too. I'm fighting it, but I'm afraid I'm usually met with stoney looks if I try to lighten the mood on so many occasions.

I always make a point of starting my speeches at Probus with a joke. However, it is taking a while to find jokes that are not likely to offend anyone and yet will give us all a laugh. It seems many are perpetually looking to be offended these days. The days of the belly laugh are over. Between close friends it is fine because you know what is acceptable and what not . In the 1970 s and 80 s we used hear some really, really funny jokes - often very vulgar but I would never tell them now , we are all precious little poppets.

I don't watch the News any more! I turn it over if it comes on. It's all far too miserable and scary and I'm much happier without it. Occasionally I miss something important but not often as the internet is there and less in your living room - if you know what I mean.

I think this time of year can feel like that too.

Thank you all for sharing it has helped me to . I think because I am on my own I take it all so deeply . Every day the tv tells us awful happenings and I fear this world now . I also find neighbours distant and uninterested in who lives next door . We were once a lovely small community in this cul de sac , now neighbours don't even turn their heads .
Everywhere is so fast and instant and my mind can't keep up and I get muddled and anxious . Yes , I cry often for our world and my granchildren and future generations.
Thankyou for sharing

Yes.
I cried every day in the months before my daughter's wedding 2 years ago. She had such a fight to enter this life 34 years ago plus her daddy died young and wasn't here to give her away. On the day I was so proud of her and I managed to smile not cry.
A few months ago I cried during Moulin Rouge, just as the lights came up for the interval, my daughter laughed as an middle aged man the other side of her was also in tears.
I am more emotionally now, maybe we had less money years ago but I worry I'll be alone in my old age

I'm glad I'm not the only one. Bad treatment of children and animals always makes me cry and at the moment I'm feeling very sad about a large tree in our garden which has got to be reduced in branch width as the trunk which is becoming more and more hollow and won't withstand it if it there are even more branches and bad weather. The tree people are here already but I notice that they're doing their best to keep it's shape whilst reducing the height. We have some enormous trees behind our garden fence too which I just love. Fortunately they're quite a way from our house so fairly safe. Trees were here before we were!!!

Once my mother had passed away and dad felt he could be himself, he used to cry a lot to me about the old days, especially his memories of the soldiers returning from the First World War and having to beg for a penny. He felt he had a safe space. It would bring me to tears too.

I find all emotions heightened. As if the temporary nature of everything is telling me about my own mortality.
Every favourite song more poignant. Everything heightened.
So bitter sweet and not a thing I or anyone can do about it.

I’ve just taken my car to the local Toyota garage for its MOT. They’ve completely refurbished the showroom and removed the tv people used to be able to sit and watch whilst waiting for their car to be serviced as they say the constant bad news was depressing people (ie no point buying a new car if the worlds going to end soon etc).I’d assume they must have done market research to reach that conclusion. I think that having 24 hours rolling news is one of the problems because it’s only bad news that seems to be newsworthy.