I find politics very stressful. It's hard to avoid though. Especially right now. Besides actual governing, it seems like everything now is touched by political opinion. Movie reviews, commercials, magazine racks, sports, etc. I completely agree with this forum's rules against political discussion. But I just mean this to be more of a stress avoidance topic. When, and IF, I get better, I'll get back into the political fray. But for now, it just causes undue stress and anger. I need to avoid it. I'll keep reading the headlines, and summaries, just to know what's going on in the world. But I need to stay away from the brawl. Regardless if you lean Left or Right, the fact is that each side hates each other more than ever. It's distressing. Does it affect you? Do you stay away from politics? Or perhaps you find it invigorating. ?
Yeah, I stay away from any political talk unless I know the person agrees with me. It's just too stressful and aggravating that the other side doesn't accept basic facts, science or value basic decency. (was that too political?) I've had times where its triggered vertigo, so I just change the topic if it comes up. I also try to limit the amount of news.
All stress, physical, mental and emotional, affects the immune system and may make our situation worse. I avoid political and other controversial discussions with people who disagree with me or whose views i do not know and people like you who are stressed out by the topic. Even with people with whom I generally agree (i dont agree with anyone on everything), too much dwelling on things i dont like or pontificating about things not in my direct control, becomes a sort of neurotic addiction and at best is not a stress rliever. Outdoor exercise, on the other hand, is just the opposite. It fills my head with calming chemicals, creative thoughts and r lieves my stress a great deal. On that note, i am going to go rent a bike and ride on the trail this afternoon.
I approach experiences of strain & pressure from the opposite direction. Rather than avoid unpleasant states of consciousness, I pay open, nonjudgmental, & nondiscursive attention to the content of consciousness, whether pleasant or unpleasant. Once fluent in this form of attention, experiences such as stress—its charge, its texture, its weight, its shape, its effect on your body—become interesting to observe. This interest subsequently bends stress in such a way that its unpleasant cargo wraps upon itself, bites its own tail & disappears. Leaving only an empty, nonthreatening shell of its former self behind. The likes of which, now hollow & weightless, dilutes & passes away.
Strangely it helps calm me down to listen to CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, etc about political issues. It gives me something to concentrate on and not think about my ills. I also like yard work and sometimes shopping. It is the weird times and incidences that I have trouble with. What I have serious trouble with are grocery stores, noisy bathroom fans, silverware clunking in restaurants, screaming children, people who talk loud or too much, knocking on the front door, entering dark rooms, heavy bass in music, too much TV or on computers, and the list goes on.
I forgot to mention, if I have person problems, which involve me regarding bills, relationships, etc., then my symptoms go wild. Dizziness, ear fullness, very loud tinnitus which last for days, and severe hearing loss and distortion. There is obviously some type of mental connection with this disease. However, politics, discussed on TV, no problems. It may be different if there is a real person involved.
I stopped watching the news and television in general after election night or shortly thereafter (i now only watch sports and the Discovery and History channel while the chief likes HGTV and Food Network....go figure she never cooks)!!! I stopped because it is complete FAKE NEWS with everybody having a bias and pushing an agenda. I guess they need talking heads with agendas to fill the 24/7 news channels. If i do need my news i will read the Drudge Report every so often, but not often. My best advice is turn it off, get a laby and start living your life again, if for no other reason half the crap on the news these days is agenda driven and FAKE NEWS!!!
They always talk about a silent majority in the country and this is the first time in my life where it was true. Always remember the news has an agenda it is called ratings and they will do anything they can to get them, even make up sensational headlines and LIES to drive viewership. I look at the news for complete entertainment value and i finally realized i can find better entertainment on TV (sports ect....) then any news channel can give me.
BD, This is a thread about how politics contribute to stress, not about politics, itself. You're coming dangerously close to crossing the line. If everyone reading this gave an opinion on what they think about the claim of fake news and told what news they listen to or whose website they read, it would soon become a free-for-all and would quickly be shut down. You're not exempt from the "No Politics" rule.
It was sort of an irresponsible post on my part. Just asking for trouble. It wouldn't be a bad idea to just delete it. I'd feel really bad if we all started fighting.
My post was not political is was meant to turn it off and watch something different on tv that interest you because the 24/7 news cycles that are agenda driven with bias no matter what your views are are meant to create stress get reactions. Just ignore it, if it makes you stressed out and hurts your mm symptoms, it's not worth it and besides there is other more interesting things on tv that will not make your symptoms worse. Sorry you took my post in a way I did not mean for it to be interpreted. Peace.
Pupper, Don't feel uncomfortable about having started this thread. We're all grown ups here and we should be able to follow the rules.
It was not an irresponsible post as stress does aggravate mm symptoms. Politics certainly causes me stress but it doesn't affect my symptoms. It's the stress from work that really affects me which unfortunately I can't just change the channel to avoid.