Humans of New York | images of Iraq

I have to have a balance. I struggle with bouts of anxiety/depression and watching the news makes it so much worse.

I agree with Free Charlie, it's like there's a difference between Existing in a bubble, and Living in a bubble. There are probably better words to describe what I mean.

Some people, like your friend, Exist, tuning out or ignoring what else is happening. Maybe that's not due to ignorance, but a stress in their own life, who knows?

Others Live in a bubble, aware of what's happening, but having to carry on our daily lives. My hometown suffered a huge tragedy, people I know were involved. I helped as I could, and prayed, but still had to get my kid to soccer because his team counted on him. ETA I lived 1590 miles away.


Sometimes it's hard to balance, and sometimes decisions don't make sense to others. Before this war (12 years ago?) I was planning a party, invitations hadn't gone out, but a few people knew. I was so overwhelmed by the sadness of reading and seeing the refugees fleeing for their safety I couldn't throw the party. It was probably mixed with some hormones and depression, but I couldn't wrap my head around it.

I choose to live largely in a bubble. IMO, 24 hour global news that only looks at troubled/disturbing news is one of the ignored factors in many people's depression.

How can you be allowed to feel happy, at peace, hopeful in your own life knowing there is so much misery going on somewhere else?  If just watching doesn't bring you down someone around you is guaranteed to guilt trip you for staying in the bubble.

For awhile I had one son in Iraq (he is still there) and the other in Afghanistan. I could not bear to watch the news. It left me unable to function in my daily life. So I stopped watching and I haven't gone back. I don't plan to.

So much of the misery in other places is caused by their government.  We can't and shouldn't be changing the government of other nations.  It is up to the people their to take charge of their lives. Do what is needed to change their world. Assuming they want it changed.

I try to pay attention, there are sometimes I want to hide though. Did he post anything about the minority women in Iraq being held captive? It's just horrible. It is so horrific out in the world. There was a time when we would never have known any of this, or very little, but with the internet you really can't crawl under a rock anymore and pretend none of it is happening.