Why are there people unwilling to accept positive news at the moment?

[CathyandHeathcliff]

Exactly that.
I’ve noticed lately both on here and on social media, if someone posts something positive they are almost instantly knocked bak, or put in their place, laughed at or even counteracted with a negative piece of news. Even though there isn’t any firm evidence to the contrary. I know we’ve got to be on our guard, but this is honestly so draining. It’s especualky odd when it appears to come from experts, but it’s still seen as incorrect information! When most people don’t have anywhere near the same qualifications and experience as these people.
I’m not the only one who has noticed this surely?

No OP you are not the only one.
I totally understand that some need to look to the worst case to feel prepared and help them cope but anyone who doesnt immediately go along with the theory that we will be in lockdown until 6 months, 12 months, 10 years or whatever or who picks up on the smallest bit of positive news is immediately jumped on as being uninformed or living a fantasy.
It's all a bit much.

It isnt a case of being on our guard, it is a case of realising what is truly happening and doing the very best effort we can. That deosnt mean you cant cheer your self up anyway you want. Just be realistic about what the experts are telling us, not Facebook and amateur experts. Keep up your moral and your best effort. If we were at war you couldnt expect positive news all the time. Just now ther is no much positive news and wont be for a few weeks. Everyone is peddling like mad

I love positive news right now! The way I'm keeping sane at the moment is to not read the news or social media, I just come on MN from time to time and only read the more positive threads in the Coronavirus section.

This approach is keeping me healthy mentally, which I need to do for my kids, husband and myself - if we're to be locked down a long time we're in this for the long haul and so I need to focus on and celebrate the positive, any positive.

There is an awful lot to worry about, but worrying does not help anyone, so I refuse to do it (where possible)!

I understand that @NoMorePoliticsPlease however I made the mistake of pointing out yesterday that the rate of positive tests had gone down two days in a row (disclaimer I dont have today's yet) and so that can only be good news going forward right?
Straight away I was told that it always goes down at the weekend (it doesnt I evidenced this, no reply), that everyone is underreporting, and that I cant pay any attention to a couple of days data (this last point followed 900 something posts of everyone analysing every tiny number every day).

And I'm not taking my info from Facebook thank you.

Because a pollyanna is very annoying, particularly when people have lost their relatives, jobs, homes, money, marriages etc.

I think hoping for the best, but being realistic is a better position.

Honestly I think the joy police are out in force, if we're not suffering we must be doing something wrong. I took my dd out yesterday on her bike for our daily exercise and was aware that we shouldn't look like we were having too much fun lest it appear she was playing out

For example the news article today from the epidemiologist, stating that things were starting to look like they might slow here and the social distancing etc was working. On Facebook the amount of people claiming it was ‘bullshit’ where’s their evidence?!

I work for a global company and we are in touch with HR in most countries and are starting the journey back to normal in some offices. But I mentioned it and was told it was false news and I was gullible.

But if it’s a piece of negative news it’s taken as red straight away!

Pinkazing which countries? Do you mean working in the office

I'm skeptical of positive news because I don't think we have enough data to support it. There are still a lot of predictions and assumptions being made. I'd rather live in reality and be positive when something is actually confirmed that is positive. Not assumed, or 'may' or the latest model 'suggests'. You'll note people still disagree on how bad it will be, this means we are lacking actual facts.

It does feel early too say about slowing. There’s a three week lag. What measures did we have three weeks ago?

But the facts do say that the last two days the rate of positive tests/infection has slowed. Thats not an opinion piece or a model it is the published statistics.

Livin are you talking about cases tested in hospital? Because they are there now due to restrictions three weeks ago not the stricter ones we have today.

@MarshaBradyo, self isolation for anyone with symptoms AND their families/household members was the biggest. Think that was announced 20th feb so people would have started just after.

@MarshaBradyo, mainly our warehouses etc in China, but from what the teams are saying, it feels like there is light at the end of the tunnel. Of course it could end up that they have to take steps back, but it made me feel better.

The tests published on gov.uk, so yes the hospital tests. That's the point I tried to make on the other thread, that even though its only 2 days so you cant read too much into it, it could show that what we had in place made a small difference, so will be interesting to see how it progresses and what it shows in 2 to 3 weeks following lockdown.

I agree op theres several names on this site that literally have been appearing the last 2 days to spread negative news on any piece of positive news. Your example today is correct. Experts say they think the number is decreasing based on evidence. Someone else uneducated online says they dont have the evidence to prove it... i have come to the conclusion lots of people love the drama and seriousness and will be gutted when it ends. See the same people who say "immunitys not proven/it will mutate and get more dangerous/we will have global depression that will force us all the starve to death/vaccine wont work/this will be something we live with forever.

Some people just reject anything positive. Look at the positivity threads on here taken over by the "millions will die theres no positives to this at all" crew.

Livin agree it’s a bit early but trend might appear

Pinkazing yes I had seen China was slowly returning which is good

Also if it is slowing that’s brilliant that the changes three weeks ago are having an impact, and we could expect more as the lag moves on. Although that is the point of the restrictions and dare I say it we still have a way to go on the other side. Maybe we’ll have the antibody test / anti virals all helpful.

It’s the drama cathy they just loveThe drama.

positive news is fine when it's really, really real, but the supposedly positive stuff I've seen about infection numbers etc - it's way, way too early to tell, speculating on insufficient data, taking some of the wrong things into account and missing out other factors and the media shouldn't be getting peoples hopes up just yet.

In fact it could be downright dangerous if too many people start thinking things are getting better and everything is OK now or will be better soon and start taking lockdown even less seriously.

I LOVE the positive news when someone in their 90's + has recovered though... stuff like that.

I said this on a previous thread, I think people have 2 waste of coping

Some like to stay positive, therefore they spread positive news and talk things up. Negative news undermines this and it’s counter to their coping

Others cope by looking at the negatives, understand the worst case and feel prepared by that. They see positive news as undermining that and counter to their coping

Each side thinks the other is over-emphasising their view

I don’t think you have to be in one of the two camps? I do find looking at data and medical info reassuring in its own way though.