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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by B2chica on August 2, 2004, at 11:54:08
ok, it's been almost five months now since i was in the hospital and i still can't force myself to watch any news programs...NONE! even if i'm surfing and i accidentaly get on a news station the anxiety shoots straight up, i get an adrenaline rush in my gut and i fumble the remote to hurry and change the station. just last week i was doing so and dropped the remote and they (of course) were talking about what's going on with the troops and i started singing outloud some stupid song i had in my mind to try to drown out the tv audio as i dropped to the floor to feel around for the stupid remote.
after i finally changed the station i just sat there a little stunned for a minute and it hit me that this just doesn't seem normal. it's like i'm scared of it. but it's that i just can't stand to hear any of it.
So tell me all, how long is too long? i guess i'm fine with not watching it, but do you all see this as wrong? or weird? or as a major problem?
Honestly i think it's just that it's always about death and pain and torture and i just can't stand it. i can't, i just can't. i want to just scream ENOUGH!thanks for input.
B2c.
Posted by partlycloudy on August 2, 2004, at 12:20:26
In reply to still don't watch the news., posted by B2chica on August 2, 2004, at 11:54:08
I think that for some of us, our news-senstivity meter gets jacked up and doesn't come back down. I no longer put the news on when I drive my car because I immediately hyperventilate, and can't concentrate on my driving. So I play sunny, happy music. I know intellectually that there will always be bad news. I know that most media exsists to promote and provoke. I personally don't think it is wrong to censure yourself this way. It is letting you remain part of the world on your terms.
It's not like the news on TV doesn't exsist to shock us - that's their job as they see it (and educating the public about the issues is not even part of the equation any longer).
pc the cynic
Posted by B2chica on August 2, 2004, at 12:37:07
In reply to Re: still don't watch the news. » B2chica, posted by partlycloudy on August 2, 2004, at 12:20:26
> I think that for some of us, our news-senstivity meter gets jacked up and doesn't come back down.
> pc the cynichey, i think i saw you in one of my "how to be a pessimistic cynic" classes!
glad i'm not alone there.i've even made my husband go to a different room (or i leave) when the news is on cuz he likes to watch it...at first he just thought i was completely nuts but he's used to it now (luckily) and automatically goes to another room or lets me know he's changing it to the news.
So i guess if there were some nuclear weapon headed our way he's tell me but everything else is void.
It's just strange cuz i used to almost be a CNN junkie. i was always watching it cuz i was so interested in world news. but now...i can't even stand the thought of it.
i worry sometimes that i am SO out of the loop of news. but...at least i now know i'm not totally alone.
Thanks!
B2c.
Posted by partlycloudy on August 2, 2004, at 12:50:50
In reply to Re: still don't watch the news., posted by B2chica on August 2, 2004, at 12:37:07
I lived in England during the OJ Simpson debacle. Every time it came on the news I'd walk out of the room, saying to my (now ex) husband, "this isn't news and I don't want to hear it,". So I have a true history of putting my fingers in my ears. I find I get very easily distressed since 9/11 and truly anticipate the worst every time I happen upon the news.
Yours in ostrich-hood.
Posted by B2chica on August 2, 2004, at 13:02:27
In reply to As an aside » B2chica, posted by partlycloudy on August 2, 2004, at 12:50:50
on the upside you must have quite clean ears!
(and it's not hard to anticipate the worst cuz that's all there EVER IS!!!!)
>Yours in ostrich-hood.
-at first glance i thought you wrote in "yours in ostrich blood"??? gee analyze that?
Posted by octopusprime on August 2, 2004, at 13:44:20
In reply to Re: aside an aside » partlycloudy, posted by B2chica on August 2, 2004, at 13:02:27
b2chica:
i don't watch tv news any more either. i don't have cable. i don't get a newspaper subscription either.
i find the news much less anxiety-producing and nauseating when i hear it on the radio or read it on the internet. the radio news broadcast is 12 minutes of national/world news plus 7 minutes of local news half an hour later. it omits the car crashes and blood baths, although there is almost always a 30 second line item about what is going on in iraq, israel, etc. of course, if i want more details i can read more about it from the online editions of newspapers. i don't typically choose to follow up on the minutae of terror, instead i like to read more about public policy and the direction the politicians are taking the country.
i like the idea of being informed, i prefer to do it on my own terms. i don't like the responsibility and guilt of keeping up every day. it's not necessary.
in my opinion, public radio broadcasters (such as NPR in the US and CBC radio in Canada) give a more balanced and less sensational view of the news. i also like the world broadcasts of news from the BBC world service, Radio Australia (or whatever it is), Germany's DW radio, Radio Sweden, etc. (they rebroadcast them on CBC radio after 1 am local time ... since i live in the pacific time zone i just tune in over the internet to a broadcast on eastern time and listen as i fall asleep with the radio on sleep timer). it's easier to be detached from news from another country, plus the global perspectives on events are really interesting.
oh yes and did i mention that public radio broadcasts are commercial-free? the lack of commercials is music to my ears - blessed freedom from annoying shouting advertisers. with the advent of ad-blockers (especially in the firefox browser), online newspapers can come ad-free as well.
enough of a ramble. but changing media to a quieter, less obnoxious format may help.
Posted by ghost on August 2, 2004, at 14:33:22
In reply to kill your television » B2chica, posted by octopusprime on August 2, 2004, at 13:44:20
whoa.
i have a news-aversion, too. i had NO CLUE that there were other people like me. I thought i was just being a b*tch by not keeping in tune with world news. i look online for news about once a week or so, and let users on IRC and instant messenger to screen the "good stuff" for me.
I think OP is totally right... pick and choose your news sources. and your husband's really good for warning you and stuff.
i just had to express my relief. i have no magic words, but it's nice not to be alone. (as always).
ghost
Posted by B2chica on August 2, 2004, at 14:45:44
In reply to Re: kill your television, posted by ghost on August 2, 2004, at 14:33:22
Never alone sweety!
Hey, how's it going with you and your job?? last i heard you had a letter offering you the job!
when do you go?
CONGRATS btw!B2c.
Posted by Poet on August 2, 2004, at 18:11:55
In reply to still don't watch the news., posted by B2chica on August 2, 2004, at 11:54:08
Hi B2chica,
The only news I watch is The Daily Show on Comedy Central.
Poet
Posted by Dinah on August 2, 2004, at 19:45:22
In reply to still don't watch the news., posted by B2chica on August 2, 2004, at 11:54:08
Posted by mair on August 6, 2004, at 16:29:03
In reply to Re: Neither do I :( (nm) » B2chica, posted by Dinah on August 2, 2004, at 19:45:22
Are all the political pundits, who mostly just sit around and argue with one another, and all bring nothing but bias to whatever discussion they're having. And what I particularly hate is the way that the news media have turned themselves into the news story. During the convention, it seemed that there were alot of journalist/pundits just interviewing other journalist/pundits.
Mair
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