Is the world getting sadder or am I getting more emotional.

I am sure it is six of one and half a dozen of the other.

Most of us do tend to become more easily upset as we grow older. My mother said, she could permit herself to cry, after we, her children, were grown up because she no longer had to be brave in order not to scare us.

But the world is very worrying at the moment, and honestly the media make such a meal of the doom and gloom that we cannot get away from it.

I listen to the news oce a day, and have given it a miss this week as this week last year led up to my husband's death on November 1st. That looming anniversary is bad enough - I feel I cannot cope with other disasters right now. Selfish, I know, but thre is really only me to look after me, now.

I feel sad at the way nature is dying and I fear we will follow. Climate change is far more of an existential threat than any wars or diseases we've ever experienced. I'm sad for our children and their children as I fear the world is on the brink of catastrophy. I'm reasonably cheerful in the moment but do recognise the future may be very bleak indeed. Unsurprising so many people feel sad.

I think its wrapped up in a complete loss of sense of humour lately. No-one seems to laugh at anything either afraid of offending or not just seeing the funny side of anything. It's infecting me too. I'm fighting it, but I'm afraid I'm usually met with stoney looks if I try to lighten the mood on so many occasions.

I'm with you Dragonfly. I seem more sensitive now than I was in my younger years.

I don't think the world is sadder but I think we hear about it more now. Nearly everyday in the past week I've read about car crashes and it's honestly made me scared to go any distance by cars. I hear of Israel bombing Palestine and visa versa and think both countries are suffering, what is the point? Just stop and bother about building up your own country. I worry for the world and for my grandchildren. I try not to watch sky news but hubby has it on every morning. Yes I cry at all those things. Maybe I've changed my mind and yes the world has indeed got sadder.

Heaven Leigh , I agree that weeping is no substitute for action

Indigo: me too. I am inhibited.

I must be very unhealthy then as I’m not a crier. I’m not really an emotional person but just because tears don’t come easy it dosent mean I don’t have great empathy when things happen of course not, I find a great many things that are going on in the world are horrendous and others quite sickening! I can read things and see things but thankfully can switch off from it, obv if things happen regarding family friends then that affects me more.

Due to being on anti depressants I do not cry nearly as often as I did when I was younger. I feel sad about a lot of things but am rarely able to cry.

Caleo

It's sign of good health to be able to cry

I would agree with that.

I have had 30 years of trauma, mostly due to the decline in my health becoming disabled in my 40’s and culminating in the death of my daughter. I have never had the chance to unravel any of it and I almost feel as though I have resilient for so long that I am ‘emotionally detached’ now.

Have tried to get some MH support but GPs are unable to refer anyone to MH services before they have medicated and the patient has gone to MIND. However, MIND charges £30 a session and that is £30 more than I have got!

So much for free at the point of use’! You couldn’t make it up!!

Me too and I do think it's a part of getting older. I think it's more noticeable in older men as we're probably not so used to seeing men getting tearful.

Oh yes, I'm the same. Too much bad/sad news these days. The news is generally depressing or infuriating, I'm starting to avoid watching it.

It's strange but life had been a lot harder, sadder, more stressful in the past than now. Yet, I feel constantly stressy & anxious currently!
This started a few years back; the roads are mad ( I won't travel or/ go on holidays anymore!)
Some lowlife's tried to mug us for our old dog in the cemetery & walking with said old dog a bloody great pitbull tried to attack us! ( DH to the rescue.)
I've just had enough of modern life, the only thing I look forward to is food & sleep. Dreadful I know! 😬

I cry too and find that it is less wearing and feels better, if I both sincerely feel for the other person who is suffering and also 'wake up' to my wish for the end of their suffering and wishing them to find happiness - and of course doing anything I can do, however small, to help.

Yes me too turn the news off now

Yes absolutely dragonfly. It started for me in lockdown….crying practically permanently,
. And now the slightest thing sets me off.

I seem to have been much more emotional and cry easily as I have got older too. I have noticed it more since covid lockdown and retirement at that time.

I do recommend avoiding TV/radio news as far as possible. I stick to the paper (we still have one) and the BBC website.

Difficult to avoid it altogether this house - dh is addicted to news and often seems to have it on from one source or other, all day. Though when at home he’s usually upstairs in his lair, aka study. I have seriously put my foot down, though, over TV news while we’re having dinner!

Music makes me cry. The wars so upset me but make me angry why can’t people live together in peace?

Aberfan was an accident that was waiting to happen as the coal board at the time did not follow safety procedures because it cost too much money so it needn’t have happened. What price even one child’s life? I have seen the arches memorial for them and sobbed. I am also Welsh so very close to my heart.

Any animal or child abuse makes me cry . When I had to have my cat put to sleep last year I thought I’d never stop!

My sad state has reduced considerably now that I only listen to the news headlines and none of the support
detail whatsoever. I recommend it to those who are finding the World a bit hard going at the moment.

I was having a coffee, reading the paper during the murder trial of Daniel Pelka. The details were so horrific that I just sobbed - staff asked if I was ok and I could only nod.

Live Aid ‘85 and the Carrs singing while that poor child tried to stand? I can’t listen to that, without seeing the image.

The bears are my favourite charity nanna8 but I can’t watch the advert for it.

Calendargirl

I think as well as we get older, we have more empathy than we did when young.

Being a parent, a grandparent, makes you think about others more.

I am sure I was very self centred when younger.

I totally agree. I could cry at the drop of a hat these days. The younger me was unconcerned about the world. It was all about me and my clothes and friends. I regret not having empathy when I was young.

Of “us”!

Indigo8

You hit on something very profound there Esmay.
I am sure I would like to leave the world feeling that things had got better during my time on earth. But we seem incapable of learning from history. War still seems to be the only solution and cruelty to one another and to animals is still far too common. Modern technology has made modern life easier in some ways but has also thrown up new problems.

There is certainly plenty to cry about but in the end we just have to keep going as long as we can.

I think many of feel the same

Indigo8

I really feel for you. I don't cry easily but I still find the world a very sad place at times and it gets me down.

The national and international news are more readily available than ever before in the past which makes it more immediate and accessible.

All in all, I don't think the world is any sadder now than it always has been, illness, death, natural disasters, war, mans inhumanity to man (and woman) seem to be with us throughout history.

I agree