// you’re reading...

filed in Daily Life

Staying On Top of the Angst

Even in the best of times, I’m a political junkie. These days, I turn to Twitter way too much, and it’s not good for my mental health. I alternate between rage and dread. I’m not sure how to look away. Any tips?

New Yorker cartoon

Discussion

22 comments for “Staying On Top of the Angst”

  1. Grace says:

    The only way to do it is, well, to do it. I blocked Twitter from my computer and hid the Safari icon on my phone so I can’t hop online whenever the urge strikes. The good thing is blocking the news leaves me more energy for doing proactive things like calling my reps, knitting hats, engaging with my community, etc.

  2. Petra says:

    I have the “dread” part, Wendy, so I’ve been avoiding most political news (slowly coming around, just in moderation). I have an online sub to the NYTimes and immediately go to the Health section (alas, also politicized).

  3. Claire says:

    I suffer the same affliction. I scroll twitter way too much because it’s easy.

  4. Jules says:

    I stay off of Twitter. My Facebook newsfeed is plenty and packed with current events. I can’t even keep up with it. Actually, work is often a welcome relief. I’m intently focused on my clients during sessions. However, many are deeply impacted already, mostly due to immigration status. There’s no escaping this reality. I turn to books, TV, and cultural experiences. Wendy, I admire your taking on the New Yorker piece. I haven’t been able to cope with it yet.

    • wendy says:

      I’ve spoken to a number of therapists who’ve described what it’s like to have so many of their clients talk about the current state of politics. It’s like a double whammy.

  5. Paulette says:

    Yoga and lots of recreational reading! Having said that, I just renewed my subscription to the New York Times–only want my news from print media now, TV and cable are not so reliable and there are too many opinion pieces out there being passed off as news items. Can’t trust it! I do see a lot of stuff on Facebook but I am trying to limit that too.

  6. Jayme says:

    My weakness has been YouTube, then straight to the comment section of any controversial piece (which is mostly everything these days). Used to get me extremely heated, but I’ve come to the conclusion people can’t possibly be this cruel or stupid, they must just be trolls trying to create drama. Well, I guess that still makes them cruel and stupid people, just for different reasons. LOL

    • wendy says:

      Only rarely have I dipped into the Youtube comment section. It’s so intense. It makes me feel bad for humanity.

  7. Alissa says:

    I now only consume social media via instagam (which is mostly people’s personal pictures and inspirational quotes). The political landscape was/is harming my mental health. And so, I am replacing facebook/twitter/news websites with soul-feeding reading material (like this blog!) and also humor (SNL and various TV shows). I got a subscription to Sun magazine and I have a goal of reading 52 books this year.

  8. Gigi says:

    Not sure if I should admit this but I talk to myself and sometimes just verbalizing my feelings of dread/doom/gloom and anger makes it all more tolerable.

Leave a Reply