Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Neurodiverse Mumsnetters

Use this forum to discuss neurodiverse parenting.

Black and white thinking, justice sensitivity and the news

5 replies

FlossTea · 15/10/2023 09:57

BIG caveat to this thread - I've mmed and aahed about posting this as it's such a hugely sensitive topic and it isn't intended to be another thread about the rights and wrongs of the Israel-Palestine conflict, more about how as a neurodivergent person I'm really struggling with it, please be kind as I feel very vulnerable posting this!

Just wondering how other ND people are coping with the news at the moment? In diagnosed ADHD but also wondering if I might be autistic, and have always had quite pronounced justice sensitivity, as well as the need to understand what the "right" side of something is, my brain has a tendency to hyperfocus on an issue and try to see something from all sides so that I can work out exactly how I feel about it and find some "solid ground" in my mind. I really struggle when I can't work out what that is, and the current situation is so complex with so many historical nuances that I don't understand, I feel an intense level of social responsibility to try and educate myself and listen to voices on all sides but the emotion on both sides is (understandably!) so high and I feel emotionally pulled in all directions - I've realised it's starting to affect my mental health and feel like I need to step away from it, but also feel like I can't look away as to do so would be somehow failing in my social responsibility. Everything i read in the news makes me want to cry, I empathise with all the victims of the conflict. I've a real tendency to become unhealthily obsessive about things and I can feel that happening. I suppose I'm just wondering if anyone else relates.

OP posts:
FlossTea · 15/10/2023 10:00

Also just to acknowledge being able to "step back" is obviously a massive privilege many people don't have. I think there's also a rejection sensitivity element to it too (which is being triggered by posting this!), I want to talk about it and try to understand but it's such a sensitive topic and I have intense anxiety about saying the "wrong" thing when there are so many complexities.

OP posts:
JewelleryCat · 15/10/2023 19:41

I've realised it's starting to affect my mental health and feel like I need to step away from it, but also feel like I can't look away as to do so would be somehow failing in my social responsibility”

I know it’s hard but if it is starting to affect your MH badly then please try to not watch it. I do get it because I try to keep up with the news too but you will not be failing anyone if you look away and do something happier. Unfortunately all the news seems depressing and we need something happier in our lives otherwise all our health would be bad

londonsquirrel · 15/10/2023 23:07

I totally get it...
I've slipped into a deep black hole ever since the invasion of Ukraine - I have a lot of links to the country. Not watching the news does not really help me, I know that the war is happening! The war in Ukraine is off the first page and it does not mean that something has improved. In a way my heart aches even for the fact it is off the first page and has been off for a while. Volunteering with the refugees here in the UK makes it even worse and my heart constantly breaks for them, they have such tough life here and no place to return to. I am not sure for the solution here...
Sorry it is not helpful! Just a bit of solidarity here...

beautifulbrothers · 17/10/2023 12:58

I'm here for solidarity too.

In fact, I'm really struggling with a general sense of foreboding atm. There are so many complexities and nuance in news that I struggle to grasp. I feel completely helpless and am intensely aware of my personal level of comfort and privilege. I live with a lot of guilt that I have brought my 2DC into a world that I don't fully understand and can't fix.

Could you allow yourself a single daily source of news? News at 10, 1 in-depth article. It's pretty difficult to switch off from it, but it might give you the headspace to focus on other interests.

FlossTea · 19/10/2023 22:40

Thank you for your replies! I do feel as though my brain has settled down a bit, I've been putting my phone on airplane mode in the evenings to stop endlessly scrolling, and trying to keep off social media like Twitter (as some of the discussion is so toxic) which has definitely helped.

@beautifulbrothers I relate to what you said about the feeling of guilt over bringing your DC into the world, lots of things trigger that feeling in me! Though I remember my mum telling me years ago that every generation of parents feels like that, and my son does also bring me a lot of hope.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page