Anxiety Attacks From Watching News Media

[ronin47]

When I went to college the amount of time I spent watching TV decreased dramatically. Now, whenever I watch TV, for the most part, it makes me feel bad inside. Not necessarily anxious, just...not good.

Last I heard though the UN authorized military intervention, that was why Gaddafi declared a ceasefire, to try to "appease" everyone and stop them from invading.

But anyway, I totally know what you mean about the news stressing you out. I swear, a few years ago when the economy was at its worst you couldn't watch the news for more than a few minutes without wanting to cut your wrists :O_o:. I honestly think news stations delibrately tried to find the most miserable stories possible in an effort to make the economic downturn seem a little less depressing. Just get your news from reading, it's much more efficient and just as informative anyway. Television news stations have a way of talking about something for an hour that could be adequately discussed in ten minutes.

I am fretting about the earthquake in Japan though. Mostly because I have a lot of friends here at college who are from Japan. I'm also trying to find a boy who went to high school with me for a year as an exchange student. I panicked as soon as I thought of him because I know he was from Tokyo, one of the places that was hit the hardest. I've tried every possible avenue to find him and see if he's okay, no luck yet :(.

 

[jesse]

I hope you find your friend Ronin. It sounds like Tokyo withstood the earthquake with little damage because their technology is so amazing that the buildings were designed to withstand them. Probably the only good thing I saw on the news is how they were showing the buildings in Tokyo are built on steel plates so the building can move side to side without causing structural damage. Pretty amazing.

 

[Grama-Herc]

Guess that is what is pushng me over the edge too! But if the world is gonna blow up, I would like to know it is coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fine line between being informed and news overload.

 

[cherryblossom]

I pick and choose what I read and view. But at the same time, I like to be aware of what is going, both locally, nationally and worldwide, so my curiosity usually gets the better of me! I think world affairs and politics are very important. I don't want to live in ignorance regarding what goes on in the rest of the world. Equally, while I have sympathy, empathy and feelings for people involved in tragic natural disaster and acts of war, it doesn't affect me with anxiety on a personal level, that some of you describe. So I think if it affects you very negatively you are quite right to avoid that type of exposure. It's generally anger and disappointment that stops me reading or watching, rather than anxiety.

I don't think I'm uncaring for not allowing it to affect me negatively; maybe it's all my years of emergency medicine that has 'hardened' me somewhat to human suffering :unsure:

 

[Quarantine Queen]

Even NPR stresses me out. I will be listening in my car and just start crying.

 

[jesse]

NPR makes me sleep LOL! Those soft voices I just fall asleep at the wheel it's driving hazard,