Current affairs are downright terrifying, maddening, devastating, and perplexing. While I may not have any particularly insightful contributions to the ongoing discourse, I do want to touch on a general point. In today's climate, we frequently find ourselves bombarded with distressing or shocking news from around the globe. We're often compelled to quickly assess incomplete information, identify who is in the right or wrong, and declare our allegiances both vocally and publicly. Year Of The Opposite - Travis Stoliker's Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Take, for instance, a devastating incident involving police gunfire. Within hours of the tragedy, we categorize ourselves into factions, assess the fragmentary information available, decide which side to endorse, and begin publicly championing our chosen stance on social media. We can easily become ensnared in this cycle due to the countless daily tragedies occurring worldwide. With unprecedented access to information, those who seek outrage and anger will find an inexhaustible wellspring of distressing news to consume. I'm as culpable as anyone in this regard. However, when I faced depression last year following the deaths of my friends, I observed that participating in the divisive activity of taking sides on current tragic events exacerbated my already fragile mental state. For me, the focal news event at the time was the conflict in Ukraine. I was already descending into a dark spiral of depression, exacerbated by grief that I had yet to properly identify. While grappling with my own volatile mental health—marked by palpable feelings of guilt and grief—I was also continuously exposed to the relentless stream of tragic and miserable reports emanating from Ukraine. I yearned to make sense of the tragedy, to comprehend the incomprehensible. I wanted to neatly categorize the individuals involved as either "good guys" or "bad guys." The uncertainty was too uncomfortable—I needed to know where I stood. I wanted: * An enemy to direct my anger toward and hold accountable. * A team to support, so I could declare my allegiance with conviction. Had I been in a stable mental state and not grappling with depression, perhaps engaging in this "news-sport" game would have been less harmful. But the reality was different. I was clinically depressed, burdened with anxiety, plagued by sleepless nights, and addicted to the constant flow of news. “Secure your own mask first before assisting others.” I was fortunate enough to have a moment of clarity, realizing that my incessant consumption of news about the Ukraine conflict was detrimental to my mental health. I took immediate action by initiating what I termed a "News Diet," deliberately distancing myself from the news and politics to focus solely on things within my control. This news diet had a profoundly positive impact on my mental well-being. In hindsight, it's hardly surprising; common sense suggests that if someone is already struggling emotionally, immersing them in a continuous stream of distressing news is likely counterproductive. I'm not advocating for a universal disengagement from current events. Nor am I suggesting that people should be so self-absorbed that they only care about their immediate surroundings. What I am saying is that it's essential to secure your own well-being first, as a foundation for helping others. If you are struggling with mental health issues, consider shutting off the news and tuning out for a while and see if it helps. As the stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius said: "You always own the option of having no opinion. There is never any need to get worked up or to trouble your soul about things you can't control. These things are not asking to be judged by you. Leave them alone." Or the quote from Epictetus: "People are not disturbed by things, but by the views they take of them." I know that wha