Coronavirus Chronicles 4

A disclaimer is in order here:

I don’t watch the news normally. It’s a personal decision I made a few months ago. Maybe one day I’ll write about it more, but ultimately it was and does still effect my mental health in an awful way. So I made the decision of just not watching anymore. And let me tell you, just like Facebook, the absence of it has helped me tremendously and added much value to my well being.

Ok, disclaimer over.

So here’s something everyone knows: The news stations are brutal. If you don’t watch the one you agree with – you get furious. If you watch the one you agree with – you get furious. It’s a toxic hellstew served on a silver platter. Most of them are fueled by inducing fear and anger in their viewers. I just can’t get behind that. Anyways…..

I continue to be surprised at the complete contrast of reality and reporting. Not that the virus isn’t real and effecting people, but the fact of feeling helpless when I watch the news and how hopeful things feel when I actually talk to real humans.

This really is making me wonder how much influence the news actually has on me and everyone else.

But recent days the news is always on. At work, in the background, on twitter, on the radio, being forced onto my phone’s screen with breaking news updates. For someone like me, it’s very near unbearable.

To be fair though , what else are they going to report on? They need ratings and the world is glued to TVs right now. Everyone is home. Everyone is bored. Simple equation. It makes sense. But, how good is this for our mental health? Hearing bad news after bad news over and over, day by day. Mask shortages, ventilator shortages, death counts, etc.

You would think in times like this, good news would be appreciated and valued. Even more-so, sought after.

Unfortunately, if you want good news you’ll have to look elsewhere. Fox, CNN, CNBC and every other news station will not fill that void for you.

Maybe take up a new hobby. I’m reading and writing a lot more. These are self contained activities that I control. Thats helping me right now. I know my buddy Jeremy is taking up baking and many others are using this time to learn something they never would have had time for normally.

I think thats good medicine. My Nonni always told me: ‘If your going to go through something, at least learn something when your going through it.”

That’s still productive advice.