Protecting one's mental health

I do watch the news etc with unpleasant information and footage but I don’t ever watch films with violence etc. I can choose to avoid that.

Thank you all for your condolences it means such a lot to me at this very sad time. I’m trying to take each day at a time as best I can.

MooMOO, My deepest sympathy

MooMoo I'm so sorry for your loss.

I suffer from mental illness but despite being on heavy duty psychotropic drugs, I have in the past become so distressed at learning the details of news that I have developed serious symptoms.

If it's selfish, it's a pity, but I have at my age learnt that when I become very ill it affects everyone else as much as me. To maximise my mental health I don't watch the news, I go to bed every night at the same time, I don't use my tablet for more than an hour a night, I don't have a mobile phone, I don't drink, and I avoid busy places.

If that's selfish, so be it!!!

lixy

Jeremy Vine's radio 2 programme this Friday will be devoted to good news stories sent in by listeners - should be cheering I hope.

Jeramy Vine is someone I avoid to protect my annoyance levels 😄

How sad MooMOO. Am so sorry and sending you lots of virtual hugs.

I stopped watching TV news years ago. I read the paper electronically every day but I scroll past the political stuff. One of my friends had BBC news 24 on constantly when the pandemic hit and was driving herself mad with it but it was the same story on endless repeat. I suggested she switch it off.

I too have long term MH issues but in better times I do follow the news as it puts my life in perspective with the greater world - I'm quite political by nature, brought up that way, and an activist when I can be.
I avoid horror and psychological twisting plots: I like a good tale where the hero or heroine winds for the greater good! Where the crime is solved....where the oppressed overcome their situation, and so on.

wins not winds.

Vine is a public health threat with his smugness, his lies about where he's been and what he's done, and his childish comments in often very serious discussions!! Avoid him like plague...

Not at all! You do what you need to/want to, you have yourself as the ultimate cause for concern if you can bring comfort and joy to-yourself! Then you've done a brilliant job I say,☃️ have a peaceful comfy time and suit-yourself!

I read paper headlines on tablet in morning sometimes news at 1pm on BBC and local news at 6.30 but not addicted we can skim over stuff we don't think relevant to us and miss altogether if a big item dominates all news progs! Like world cup!!! Wall to wall boredom!

Very sorry to hear that MooMOO.

I would say do what makes you feel comfortable and lets you sleep at night. There are lots of problems in the world that we as an individual can do nothing about. Help with those that you can and stop watching the news or reading papers if you don't want to.
We all select what we want to even down to the books we read. Just do what comes naturally.

Daftbag1

I suffer from mental illness but despite being on heavy duty psychotropic drugs, I have in the past become so distressed at learning the details of news that I have developed serious symptoms.

If it's selfish, it's a pity, but I have at my age learnt that when I become very ill it affects everyone else as much as me. To maximise my mental health I don't watch the news, I go to bed every night at the same time, I don't use my tablet for more than an hour a night, I don't have a mobile phone, I don't drink, and I avoid busy places.

If that's selfish, so be it!!!

Sounds like me. I feel that at my age I have sufficient life world experience to make my own decisions and stick by them. If people don't like, so be it. What I do try to do is if I can't make a difference for something that resonates with me, I will try to make a donation, however small, to a reputable charity/agent.

It’s the never ending news that I don’t like. I prefer to listen to it first thing, skim through headlines on my iPad around lunchtime and watch the local news in the evening. I don’t need to see endless Sunak, Sturgeon, Starmer et al -they’re bad for my blood pressure.

My mental health gets a layer of protection by not reading or watching anything to do with H &M either on screen or on GN.

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Reported

I think it depends on one's individual state of mind. I remember my mum told me when she first learnt about Hiroshima she couldn't get over it for ages and ages it really affected her. Although that brought the war in the Far East to an end, she personally felt that Japanese civilians had to pay too heavy a price for their government's aggression.

That's so sad MooMoo unfortunately I think that illustrates that some people just can't get past awful events even though they aren't directly affected it prays on their mental state in a very detrimental way.

Daftbag1, I think it's fine to do what suits you. my mother had firm beliefs, that it's vital to know what's happening in the world - by reading and watching the news (morning, noon and night) - oh, and by recycling, although she had difficulty, and trips, putting it out.

I said that, at the age of 89, she had permission to stop doing these things. It's only important that most of us do them - most of the time!

I’m selective in watching/listening to news. If I’m not in a position to help alleviate the suffering of someone or need to know in order to act (vote, change my personal habits, etc) then I don’t think it does anything but raise the ratings of whatever outlet is broadcasting it.

Hi, For your mental health care, do abstain from such awful, irritating, disturbing, and violent news and such things until you can cope with it. Thanks

Totally agree