I need to share this story . It’s actually nothing to do with my AFIB and I hope you all don’t mind. but I do feel it’s important because it got my heart racing to 100 bpm from 65 whilst sat still ..!! (Kardia watch reading) I was watching news today and saw a young man giving a interview about racist abuse he’s suffered while playing cricket.
I ended up feeling really disappointed sad and angry about it and angry about how people treat each other. Iv had a good few months lately with people being ignorant, rude, Angry, Selfish. Greedy etc whilst out shopping, driving, working, and out and about etc, And I think this young chap on the news today just made me think that it’s a sad state of affairs that people can’t treat each other with respect and manners. heart rate has now come down since getting this of my chest so I’m going to press send.👍
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Jetcat
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Hey jetcat I can relate. Hence I stopped watching the news & reading news at the start of the pandemic. Call me ignorant but I’m extremely sensitive & empathic person so pick up anxiety, feelings & emotions quickly & raises my HR! Not needed with AFIb 🥰
I've been doing transcendental meditation for over 30 years. Unfortunately the digestive branch of my vagus nerve was tied when I was 19. I think this might be why I have issues with my parasympathetic nervous system.
I don’t know why I have issues with my PNS but it’s way over active. Conditioned to the panic, anxious & impending doom response! That said I am a very positive optimistic person just scared of my own shadow!
Just want to add meditation has been a huge benefit for me as I live with afib. It hasn’t been a “cure”, but has decreased frequency and helps to slow my heart rate.
Very sad 😔 so much injustice and hidden agendas and unchallenged behaviours but also such a horrific lack of awareness that that type of behaviour is not only hurtful but deeply damaging both to individuals and to a peaceful society.
I have noticed a decline in tolerence for others and basic manners and empathy fatigue and have looked within because I have also felt intolerant and impatient of late - but this goes much, much deeper and to the centre of institutional racism.
Getting the balance of feeling the injustice but looking after our own health is sometimes challenging.
I'm exactly the same Jetcat. The news is miserable and now I often just press my tv's red button and read the headlines. I never watch violent or scary films. If I wake in the night thinking I've heard a noise, my heart starts racing and I swear if anyone ever really broke into my house, my high heart rate would kill me.
There are innocent children and animals treated so cruelly that they die! Honestly, I could scream. I think I'd be happier not watching the news on TV or reading newspapers, but to me doing that feels disrespectful to those that suffer.
Best plan. I had a hard time weaning off news, as I was a news junkie...data mining used to be part of my job, so it was with me when I retired. Now, I focus on weather, movies, fishing, dogs, cycling, cooking shows, fitness motorcycles, etc. Anything but news. Keeps my blood pressure down 🙂
I have come to the conclusion that historically, people have always been treated each other with less than stellar behavior s and attitudes. The advent of social media...or "anti-social" media as I call it, has amplified what has always been part of human nature. Fear of "the other" the unknown, rumours, misinformation, etc etc ad nauseum.
I'm not sure about the UK, but here in "the colonies" news organizations are transparent about political leanings, however south of the border, it is a free-for-all. They have so many ultra-political radio stations, it's hard to ignore the constant yelling and screaming. Anyone who has relatives there, lives there, or driven through the state's knows what I mean.
The world seems like an angry, hell-bent rage-machine these days....but it's not. In reality, tech and scientific advancements and cultural achievements have elevated humanity to a better place, but alas, the screamers and news are all doom and gloom. So, switch focus.
Instead of watching or listening to news, Google "Good news news" Or find sites like goodnewsnetwork.org/ and smile 🙂
Life is short, enjoy what's out there, you will find the "good stuff" if you stay away from the roar of negative news.
Ya, I have dozens of relatives down south, and it "ain't pretty" these days. I asked a cousin how he copes, and his reply was succinct and I suspect widely shared amongst apolitical Americans..."I used to be disgusted, now I'm just amused." Or as my much-wiser-than-I wife will say when something distressing is happening.."and this too shall pass"
I advice people to stop doom-scrolling online, ignore the trolls, and get off "social" media hint...it's not.
I totally agree Jeanne. Such a horrible world we seemto be living in. Like you I try to watch the gentler programmes now and avoid the violence etc. Much easier on the heart!!!
Yes I have to be very careful about what I watch and read particularly if it's about animals or children.who are helpless.The world has become a very cruel place.Why can't we all just be kind to one another.
Yes Ted...kindness doesn’t come naturally to an awful lot of people. In truth, ‘the world’ (our planet Earth) doesn’t deserve us as it’s inhabitants. A good size asteroid strike would probably get things going in the right direction. I’ve read that the cricketer in question had two stints with Yorkshire ...first episode for six years and the second one for two years. Hmmm...He must have really loved his sport ‼️‼️... I certainly couldn’t have tolerated such behaviour towards me.
Try being a Man U supporter. That'll get your heart racing😂 - they're so frustrating to watch!! Defo agree with BobD and Lewis at Sao Paulo great watch! 👌
I started watching the old game shows. I'm in the USA and there's a channel that has nothing but the old game shows. Kind of fun to go back in time and remember what it was like back then and what things cost. The old "Price is Right" show in the late 50's, early 60's actually gave away a home in Florida. Price around 15,000 dollars. You could hardly buy a garden shed in Florida now for 15 grand. 😂 Anyway beats watching the depressing news. Take care all.
Hey Rac...You’ll be be very lucky to find anything (in recent years) that resembles comedy. Modern comedy is more to be pitied. People of today, must be very easily pleased. Knowotameanarry ❓❓
I could watch all 180 episodes of Seinfeld, the Curb Your Enthusiasm, then Grace and Frankie, and more. Got to invest in (Sky uk) Netflix and Amazon Prime. Totally worth it for laughs. And laughs are worth paying for.
RAC...I’ll laugh at anything if it’s funny. Can laugh at anything if it’s funny. Won’t and can’t laugh at stuff that ain’t got any humour, as an integral part of it. Give me Ken Dodd and the likes. You can’t beat the old jokesters. The modern stuff is absolutely pathetic. They wouldn’t make a penny if it wasn’t for the bad language, which sums it up for me. Same goes for the movies and modern, so called entertainment. GIVE ME A BREAK.
Yes I agree. It’s mostly foul language. And cruel fun making depending on which so called entertainer it is.!! I give them all a chance by first watching them as you do. but won’t watch them again and have not watched them since. I end up watching things like steptoe and son. I’m talking like a old fashioned fuddy Duddy and I’m 53. 😂😂
Someone has said: "The more I get to know the people, the more I like the animals!"
I wrote this sentence because I liked it too... But, not all humans are bad... If the human is wearing the skirt and is willing, we can reach for the stars together, lol!
I must admit that I am old fashioned and do not agree with modern trends. I am for the old "normal". We have more and more of those ones who do not wear the skirt, like Scottish do, but are homosexual or do not know what gender they are. Such a disgrace for our species...
I think that it also happens with other animals. Facebook and other social media outlets promoted the concept that you are what you think you are, but don't force me to agree with you.
I think there is an important message in this post of just how impactful the affect of what goes on in the world around us as well as what we witness on screens, hear or read impacts and directly affects our we all being and our health.
How do we stay in touch with what is going on and balance ourselves emotionally and physically?
I think there is a difference between ignoring things and being a part of the world and allowing things to become overwhelming. If we don’t feel, we don’t care so feeling is good but it’s not good to feel overwhelmed, powerless or get a little too obsessive about one subject.
My strategy:-
Most important - know when you need to withdraw to take care of yourself, including this forum which at times of illness I have found overwhelming.
Be mindful of just how various topics may impact on you emotionally and prepare yourself and I do that by practising Mindfulness so I focus my practice on what is going on in my body and what triggered that reaction and allow quiet time for my body to process that emotion rather than react to it with my mind. It’s not always easy and sometimes not always possible to find the quiet place but you don’t need a lot of time for this but Jetcat was obviously doing Mindfulness in writing this post - so find a way of processing.
My OH watches or listens to news morning, noon and night. TOO MUCH! I find listening to in depth news more interesting and more informative so prefer to read or listen. I avoid all news broadcasts 1st thing in the morning, all media is banned at all mealtimes, just before bedtime. I read the news but avoid all headlines, all tabloids and anything that sensationalises other people’s misery and drama.
I now leave actively protesting to those with youth and resilience. Doesn’t mean I don’t care. I believe that our support through thoughts and intentions are as important as a spiritual practice. Tolerance of difference and Kindness being key words.
Tolerance and Kindness improves our wellbeing!
Offering gratitude for what I am able to enjoy is a very powerful practice so sometimes a reminder that others have not been able to enjoy what we have as a norm is a good thing as it can develop empathy and kindness and wouldn’t we all agree that is what the world needs now!
Said after a really good night’s rest and sleep so don’t allow sleep to be interrupted and if it is - good signal you need to address the issue.
My thanks for Jetcat for such a meaningful and heartfelt post.
I completely agree with you. I didn't see the clip you are talking about but saw another that had a similar effect on me and my husband and we ended up talking about it for hours, trying to imagine how this comfortable safe world we inhabit without a second thought is so very different for others solely through the colour of their skin. And I can't even begin to talk about the selfishness and aggression of some during the pandemic.
Yes its best to try and stop watching too much news. We tend to watch a little in the morning - or have the radio on. Get the headlines at 1 - usually nothing has changed and get headlines at 6 and local at 6.30 - generally find that nothing has changed so turn off after the headlines. We have not watched late night news for years now. I do a crossword and wife reads instead and we are usually settled for sleep then. I have a few friends who do the same. Even some friends younger than my son's say they have stopped watching at all. It may seem a little selfish to cut yourself off from the world at times but it certainly is more comfortable as it just tends to annoy me these days. Of course there is worse with all the crud on faceache where I check in once a day to see what some of my chums and relatives are up to but only look at the good stuff now and never react to the stupidity relating to government, covid or anything what could be termed controversial as I find I have known a lot of people all my working life who are not the people I thought they were once they joined faceache - but when I didn't know they were I got on well with them and personally I liked getting on with them - much nicer and their opinions are their own I just may not agree with them but I don't necessarily want their unsolicited opinions which are all over faceache so I ignore and continue to meet up with them once a year at work reunions where we talk about the old days wearing rose tinted specatacles - much nicer.
This isn’t meant to be a political reply Jetcat, but just 6 months after the Brexit referendum I came out of a local mini supermarket into the midst of a blazing row on the street. A young and very angry man was castigating an old chap in his 70’s. Wooah, I thought. Then I Listened to what was being said. Apparently the old guy had walked up to our regular Big Issue seller, apparently from Romania, and told him to clear off back to his own country, “His sort weren’t welcome here anymore”.
The young chap had overheard him say this and challenged the old guy’s racist comments. But the old guy wouldn’t budge and came out out with the usual justifications. He actually came up to me, I Suppose being female and a similar age he thought I would be a willing listener. I told him how disgusted I was at his comments and walked off. My heart was hammering, so I had to leave. I avoid confrontations big time these days.
There seems to have been an implicit political justification for Imperialism since 2016. Very, very upsetting.
Last week I had a consultation with my consultant. I thought it was just for a chat but when I arrived I was told I needed an ECG. They were very efficient and I didn't have time to compose myself before I was wired up. Result was heart rate of 100! Not good! Luckily the consultant said I should track my pulse at home in my own environment for a while to get a better reading. Had to switch off telly during final of the EUROs - no way could I watch the penalty shoot out.
I don’t turn on TV anymore, DC cable. Nothing on worth watching just keep me from sleeping peacefully. I now get what I want on my iPad and works better for me.
Sounds like it caused you a lot of anxiety. Happens to me when I watch the news, which all seems to be bad anymore. Causes my BP to go up... So in a way it is affecting the Afib. 😒
I don’t actually watch much news to be honest and on this occasion just had some background sound on my when news came on. I understand why some people turn it off which is fine but it doesn’t alter the fact that the situations and problems are still there around us and surly you can’t hide away from everything all the time. I can turn tv off yes. But I can’t turn off someone in supermarket or on a bus who is abusing someone for their colour/size/ race or sexuality etc etc and that’s what’s sad.! While ever us humans are here this treatment to each other will also be here.?
Totally relate. Every so often I listen to Radio 4 in the mornings. I follow Dr Tim Spector via the Zoe App for news about the C word and that's it for me.
I’m with you there Jetcat. I’ve been in tears listening to Azeem Rafiq relate his experiences. I’m not going to close my eyes and ears to it though, we need to hear it and learn something from it. The way I see it now is that thanks to his bravery in speaking out things can only get better. So in a way it’s something to be sad about but also to celebrate x
So appreciate your sharing this. My afib gets triggered by stress and adrenaline and nothing worse than seeing some of what is happening to behavior in public by people who should know better! We need to keep pointing out how rude, crude and wrong this is. Mustn’t let the lowlifes define our society. But agree…I cannot watch much of the news…too stressful!
To be honest I’m not actually a news addict at all and mostly watch boring stuff like space and science documentarys and the like. But just happened to have tv on for background sounds when my ears pricked up. I put my paperwork down and started watching the story and I was left angry, sad, and just really p….. ..f and it stayed with me for days.!! The world is probably more efficient and productive now than ever with all the high tech stuff we live with etc, but a lot of people a very lot of people are now more greedy, rude, inconsiderate, and selfish.
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