Do you think watching the news can lead to depression?
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
United States
March 27, 2009 5:32pm CST
i know being bipolar i cant answer this really but do you think a mentally healthy person watching a lot of news on the tv or internet etc would develop depression problems after awhile? i know they said that after 9-11 there was a huge serge of people going on anti-depressants because everyone was glued to their tv wanting to know what was happening and of course disturbed by the events even if they didnt live near them..
i know the news can get me down sometimes but like i said with being bipolar i cant rely on how i react lol! i just think maybe the people that dont keep up with news may be happier since they dont know all the bad things happening.. i dont promote ignorance by any means but seems like it would make sense..
what do you think??
8 people like this
33 responses
@Vladilyich1 (1454)
• Canada
28 Mar 09
It definitely makes sense and is also very true. I was a broadcaster (radio and television) for 17 years, most of it as a newsman. One of the reason I left that field is that it was depressing me tremendously. Even today, I will only read the N.Y. Times or any other newspaper about three times a week. When there is something potentially depressing, I don't read them at all. I only watch CNN once a week.
3 people like this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
29 Mar 09
i couldnt imagine working for them! that would be hard
2 people like this
@playapal (894)
• United States
27 Mar 09
I do think that the news can lead to depression. Where I live we don't get alot of English news and I don't understand much of the Spanish. The other night I happened to catch an English news station just before I went to sleep. I probably hadn't watched any news in a month. It was just horrible, there was nothing good on it all. During the night I had strange dreams and when I woke up the next morning I was in a real funk. If I watched it every day I would certainly be totally depressed. I don't advocate not knowing what is going on, I do read some news online, but having it blasted at you visually and hearing it is awful.
3 people like this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
27 Mar 09
yeah im the type that wants to stay up to date on news and etc so i sometimes have to watch how much i watch because i will just get disgusted and upset
2 people like this
@sukumar794 (5040)
• Thiruvananthapuram, India
29 Mar 09
Apart from looking at the various programs on the TV, it is necessary to watch the news telecast, for we have to be aware of good or bad things happening around us from time to time.
@fafinette79 (943)
• United States
31 Mar 09
I think that watching the news can lead to issues of depression or PTSD.
ttyl
2 people like this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
1 Apr 09
hey! long time no see! glad to see you around!
1 person likes this
@phifer (515)
• United States
28 Mar 09
i think that it can, but its one of those things that effects people in different ways. the news always seem kind of depressing every time that i've watched it. so i can see that it would cause some one to be depressed watching it. its not that offen that you see them reporting about good things happening in the world. most of the time is bad things and personally i dont like to watch it for that reason.
3 people like this
@inkyuboz (1392)
• Mandaluyong City, Philippines
28 Mar 09
Watching the news can lead to so many things. It solely depends on the person watching it. I am a cynic, so watching the news every night about mass murders and horrible wars only cement my belief that life is not worth living. I am perpetually depressed anyway, and yeah, the news doesn't help. LOL.
P.S.
(I can't believe a depressed person like myself just LOL'ed.)
P.P.S.
Just thinking out loud. Sorry. :p
3 people like this
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
28 Mar 09
I think the problem with watching the news is that they only tell you what they want to and you don't always get the whole picture....like all the stuff that's went on in Iraq....you never see all the good that has been accomplished by our troops...I do think it could get depressing.....they list all the murders...etc...but you don't see anything about someone helping someone across the street that is blind or anything good like that...I think our economy would be much better too if they quit giving gory details about how bad it is....as there is a good side to all of this....like all the rats that are coming out of the woodwork and they are finally catching up with them!
1 person likes this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
29 Mar 09
yeah but good news just isnt as exciting they think...
@dorisday1971 (5657)
• Philippines
27 Mar 09
It is nice to be updated with the news but if the news will break your heart, better not watch it. I sometimes don't want to watch the news if it involves children being hurt or fetus being thrown.
@tlb0822 (1410)
• United States
28 Mar 09
I try not to watch the news so often. I usually just go online and read some articles. I do think that the news is depressing. I really think that when it is all negative, all you can feel is negative. I like just being able to pick and choose which things i want to read. Plus I am able to limit on how much the negativity effects me. I think that it is good to know what is going on around you, but I think that it should be in small doses.
1 person likes this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
29 Mar 09
yeah knowing your limit is where the secret is at..
@goldeneagle (6745)
• United States
28 Mar 09
watching the news isn't nearly as depressing to me as reading my bank statement is. LOL
1 person likes this
@tessah (6617)
• United States
27 Mar 09
not bi polar.. im mentally healthy.. but im also empath. as such, i avoid the news, tv, print, or otherwise, like the plague. absorbing everything from everywhere.. specially when its all negative as the news is want to be.. is just painful. so yeah.. constantly being beraged with negative can and does lead to being depressed.
1 person likes this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
29 Mar 09
its weird since it seems like i can turn off the empath SOMETIMES (not often) but i dont know how i did it.. or maybe my bipolar was just screwing me up to where i didnt feel it or something.. i wish i could figure out the off switch lol
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
27 Mar 09
im screwed im bipolar and an empath lol.. yeah have to really watch what i intake because of it
@zweeb82 (5653)
• Malaysia
28 Mar 09
I once heard someone said CNN - Continual Negative News, haha!~ Well, I guess it's got nothing to do with your situation. Anyone that's glued to the news is not good. We only watch the news once in a while as almost everything on it is like bad stuff
We don't subscribe to the newspapers as well. Only once in a while we watch it on TV or surf the net to read. Other than that I personally don't think that everything on the news is real anyway
We don't subscribe to the newspapers as well. Only once in a while we watch it on TV or surf the net to read. Other than that I personally don't think that everything on the news is real anyway1 person likes this
Then you gotta be careful what you take in!~ IMO, the media actually makes more money through negative news
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
29 Mar 09
im always afraid i will miss out on something if i dont watch a lot lol
1 person likes this
@sharay (2769)
• India
31 Mar 09
Absolutely, my father can watch any news and can be normal, at least reacts that way, i dont even have the habit of watching news ocasionally because of stress issues, i do read stuffs from internet sites, but dont look into TV for they are live and dont miss showing us every negative things happening around the world, they may even forget to inform the good ones, but dont let the bad ones go unnoticed
2 people like this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
1 Apr 09
yeah you do always forget the good by the end of the show
1 person likes this
@pheonixstar1982 (2307)
• United States
27 Mar 09
Well i am bipolar as well, but the news doesnt make me depressed it ticks me off. Two reasons...one because of the stupid stuff they think is news worthy that i feel is just pointless...and second the stupid stuff people do, and get caught doing.
1 person likes this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
27 Mar 09
not to mention if people gave a crap and helped out each other then most problems wouldnt exist
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
29 Mar 09
yeah tell me about it.. i want to help but then realize i cant even drive that far or get out of bed or too broke to have any money to donate or help out.. sucks
@pheonixstar1982 (2307)
• United States
28 Mar 09
Thats another reason i don't watch the news. I want to help with whatever i can, but sometimes its difficult to do given my issues. Like when the tornadoes hit around here i wanted to help with the clean up, but was limited do to fibro and social anxiety, but i did help a small amount.
1 person likes this
@winewhisky (345)
•
28 Mar 09
I think it can do with all the negative things that there are in the news at the moment - especially about the economy. I was reading an article by a GP doctor in a newspaper that said that more people had been coming into the doctors with depression since the credit crunch / global economic crisis started.
1 person likes this
@karbuks (270)
• Philippines
28 Mar 09
maybe because you now seem to be negative especially now when we expeience recession. i dont have a stable job right now, and when watching news about the people who lost their job and there are many of them, it can create negative effect beacause it can lead you also to think that there is no hope that we can find better job due to crisis we are in. im not watching news when its about employment. Im still positive that i can find one despite everything that happens in our environment and i am very determined to do it.
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
29 Mar 09
yeah my brother is out of work and i hate hearing anything about the employment (or lack there of) situation because i always think about him
@bluemars (952)
• Australia
28 Mar 09
I think it is important to listen to the news and be aware of what is happening in the world but I don't allow myself to listen to it all day long and all the time because I could only imagine that yes it would make me very upset and I would not be able to feel good about much else, because some things are very upsetting and close to home too.
1 person likes this
@hotsummer (13835)
• Philippines
28 Mar 09
yes, of course, news has lots of effects on us cause news affects all of us. not reacting to news would be some kind of weird. cause we are all affected what happens around us. even what happens over seas. but in a way if we are prepared i think that we can avoid depression. i just think that it will depend on how bad the news is. when the news involve some global crisis of course it will affect me in some negative ways and will make me worried. but anyways, i try to look on the things that i can do on responses to this crisis that we are experiencing that just think about them without doing any action to deal with the situation
1 person likes this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
29 Mar 09
yeah i guess if it never affected a person that would be weird
@yenwie84 (1344)
• Malaysia
28 Mar 09
I agree with you to certain points. News can make a person feel depressed especially those sad stories such as killings,rape cases,wars and sorts. But after a while I am sure everyone will slowly forget about the incidents and recover from the depression mood,unless maybe those with weak mentality. I think most ordinary people will have same perception like me. I am one of those who is easily forget about the sad things and leading to a better life.
@elmolovesu (814)
• Philippines
28 Mar 09
Hi moonlitmagikchild.
Yes, watching the news could lead to depression to a certain degree. Personally, I do get depressed every time I watch the news about crimes being committed especially when it involves children. But this hasn't stopped me from watching the news. I want to be up to date with what's going on around me.
Thanks. Have a wonderful weekend!
1 person likes this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
29 Mar 09
same with me.. i rather be down than be ignorant on whats going on in the world
