Struggling to think positively

Page 1 of 1 [ 8 posts ] 

chris1989
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 2 Aug 2018
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,088
Location: Kent, UK

31 May 2022, 7:44 am

I am feeling like I am finding it hard to think positively at the moment. I seem to think that although it looks as though things are getting better with Covid now that there are vaccines and over 5 billion people have so far been vaccinated and the latest strain was not as horrible as the other strains. I still feel as though its deceptive and that there are still worse things to come. I am also feeling like the war in Ukraine is going to be one of those wars that drags on for years and years like for example, the war in Syria went on for 11 years. I do remind myself that I wasn't worrying a lot before the pandemic happened about other crisis going on because they seem to be only happening in other countries and not anywhere else except this one is obviously global and it feels as though it has created in the News and the media and so on, a never-ending crisis mentality and having to deal with multiple world crisis all at once and it makes me feel as though things will NEVER get better. I feels as though there is a pin ball machine in my head where everything is running around and that its like a conflict between one side of my brain that wants to rationalise and that things are not as bad as your think and another side that wants to catastrophise and tell me that things ARE worse and terrible.
I'm worried that the negativity has dug a deep hole that now impossible for me to escape from.



kraftiekortie
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 4 Feb 2014
Gender: Male
Posts: 87,510
Location: Queens, NYC

31 May 2022, 7:57 am

All you can do, really, is take care of yourself, and your family and friends.

Being there for your family and friends helps one avoid digging themselves too much of a hole.



Joe90
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 23 Feb 2010
Gender: Female
Posts: 26,492
Location: UK

31 May 2022, 9:47 am

They don't seem to mention covid on the news any more, like it never happened. It's all about price inflation, the Russia and Ukraine conflict, the America shootings, football hooligans, and monkeypox.


_________________
Female


lostonearth35
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 5 Jan 2010
Age: 50
Gender: Female
Posts: 11,898
Location: Lost on Earth, waddya think?

03 Jun 2022, 11:48 am

I don't get it, my own mother is very much an optimist and accepts the things she can't do anything about. How did I not inherit that from her? Maybe it skips a generation. But then again, she doesn't have anxiety or depression like me.



lostonearth35
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 5 Jan 2010
Age: 50
Gender: Female
Posts: 11,898
Location: Lost on Earth, waddya think?

03 Jun 2022, 11:50 am

Joe90 wrote:
They don't seem to mention covid on the news any more, like it never happened. It's all about price inflation, the Russia and Ukraine conflict, the America shootings, football hooligans, and monkeypox.


News people are a lot like kids who get a new toy and love it until the next one comes around a short time later.



Joe90
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 23 Feb 2010
Gender: Female
Posts: 26,492
Location: UK

03 Jun 2022, 5:13 pm

lostonearth35 wrote:
Joe90 wrote:
They don't seem to mention covid on the news any more, like it never happened. It's all about price inflation, the Russia and Ukraine conflict, the America shootings, football hooligans, and monkeypox.


News people are a lot like kids who get a new toy and love it until the next one comes around a short time later.


Seems that way.


_________________
Female


Pteranomom
Deinonychus
Deinonychus

Joined: 21 Apr 2022
Age: 41
Gender: Female
Posts: 345

03 Jun 2022, 7:12 pm

What sorts of media are you consuming? "The News" is always doom and gloom. Used to be, it came on once a day. Then we got 24-hour news channels. Then the internet.

I don't watch the news anymore. I find it too overwhelming. And what's the point? I can't do anything about wars or covid or whatever. I used to be on Twitter, but accidentally got my account locked and you know what? I've felt much better ever since! These days I start my mornings with a cup of coffee and some uplifting music and just focus on what I have here at home, and it makes me happy.

Good luck



Dillogic
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 24 Nov 2011
Gender: Male
Posts: 9,339

04 Jun 2022, 7:13 am

lostonearth35 wrote:
But then again, she doesn't have anxiety or depression like me.


Depressive disorders = negative thoughts directed at self; sad
Anxiety disorders/OCD = negative thoughts of dangerous events to self and/or others; anxious

You appear to show both of those from my memory, so you're entirely correct. Optimism in the face of such will often be markedly decreased and transient, but it will depend on severity of disorders and the underlying personality of the individual by how much. They'll certainly be the main cause for your negative thoughts regardless IMO. It's good that you get it out here, though. Much better than carrying it without any form of release when it comes to mental health. Might be worthwhile to see when you're feeling less anxious and/or depressed, if you have more optimism or not.

My personality is of the, even if the glass is fully empty, it's still a glass you have. :| So, I'm more optimistic than I likely should be.