how do you deal with despair?

[carlajean]

I have a good life (happy family, no money worries, good health) but I can only feel despair and helplessness about what is going on in the world. I often go to church, but can find no comfort for my feelings there. It probably sounds ridiculous, but it's overshadowing and consuming my life. I feel guilty about bringing my children into a world with so many problems.
I would love to know how others deal with these feelings, and am wondering if practicing Mindfulness would help?

Hi Carla. Guilt and despair are symptoms of depression. Have you spoken to your GP about your feelings? I'm not saying it's not natural to feel awful about the troubles in the world but you sound concerned about how chronic these thoughts are and how it is/will impact on you.

Carla, I don't think I feel despair in the way you describe. Sadness certainly, and frustration and anger of course. There are some people who truly change the world, but I think for me, it's about finding the small achievable things we can do to make someone's life better, or to improve systems or policies that affect many people, and just to try and have a positive impact. Of course we can't know the long term impact of our actions - subsequent events may change something we did with the best of intentions into something less good - but we can try.
I agree with AP that if you are overwhelmed with despair you might want to consider getting help from your GP (or possibly consider counselling).

I think a lot of the news is sensationalist and there is never any positive stories..and it's on a loop these days. Would it be worth only watching the news weekly etc?

There's probably less atrocities around than ever, it's just that you get to hear about it more due to media technological advances. Be glad you didn't live 100 years ago. Being annoyed about atrocities can be a good thing, however, as that way activists are created and a change for the better comes about.

Something isn't right here. I agree you may be battling generalised anxiety/fear.

The ability to categorise horrible stuff, putting the gruesome stuff in its place, is the mark of a healthy mind; otherwise we'd all be in bits after watching the news, unable to function.

Do you know what specific thing triggered your fear? Often it is one thing that takes a hold and then other things clatter in on top.

I'm also surprised you don't feel your fears are addressed in eg the bible, which is FULL of 'fear not' and specifically addresses fear and anxiety. Perhaps take your eye off what, specifically, you are afraid of (easy to say I know) and recognise it is fear itself that has taken a hold.

You wouldn't be the first

How are things this morning CarlaJean? Has talking about your despair helped at all? Sometimes when we face our fears head on we can see that they are not as real as we first thought when they were swirling round in our head without being challenged. I hope that bringing it all in the light has helped and that the suggestions made make sense to you.
Think about how Jesus has overcome all despair by defeating sin and death; when all is said and done He has 'overcome the world' and all sin and death will be swept away. Meanwhile we live in a fallen world where things are far from ideal and we all have to do our best to do as Jesus did, keeping our eyes on Him in our daily walk of life.
There is a prayer thread on here which you are more than welcome to join, prayer, speaking to God about your worries is the most effective way to get on top of them. Hope to see you there.

Someone said to me some years ago that we deal with as much information in a day that someone, 500 years ago, would deal with in their lifetime.

I felt much as you do so I stopped listening to the news, I already had stopped buying newspapers. My view was that it was not 'my' reality.
It was not happening around me. Not an 'I'm alright Jack' stance at all. But I tend to believe in focusing on the positives in my life. I give to charity and I do as many small random acts of kindness as I get an opportunity to.

Giving your attention to all that is wrong in this world is depressing. I understand your frustration. But there is so much more that is right and good. Try to add to that.

You can't change the world and you can't fix it. You have every right to live and enjoy your own life without feeling bad about what else goes on that you cannot influence. Just be kind to those around you.