[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

The absolute worst of the media in terms of the pandemic has been flipping from "Reeeee the virus! Stupid government saying go out when people are getting sick!" straight to "Reeeee the lockdown! Stupid government telling us to stay home when mental health is suffering" as soon as one or the other is in effect.

I'm no fan of the govt response in general and it's a nuanced topic and a balancing act between physical and mental health effects, yes, but where is that nuanced discussion in the press? They just flop from one extreme to the other... It's almost like gaslighting.

Almost?! Its the very definition of gaslighting really to me. They have behaved atrociously. I mean, anger and fear sells papers so I 'get it' but there has not been an ounce of..well sense in all of the bloody wailing about the end being nigh if things close. Then claiming the end was not nigh, but it is if we lockdown. Then going on about some mutant strain thats s serious and deadly and new, yet the tracking sites had it....7 months back? Bugger off! Just a bit of balance was sorely needed, from even one of the major publications, but nope.

I have a friend who is about as low risk as they come, and is totally convinced she will drop dead from stepping out of her door. Shes had all her 'news' from the mainstream press..mainly bbc news apparently, and daily star/mirror (have told her thats not a good...spread before. She seems to think thats a right wing and a left wing source and will not be told otherwise ) She showed no signs of mental issues before this, like, ever. I know it can seem to come from nowhere...but I really do think her current anxiety disorder is 100% caused by believing scaremongering nonsense basically. Like, to show how odd this is...shes 21, very social media obsessed...she cut off her internet like 5 months back as she read that people were trying to pretend covid was not dangerous online?! Thats just bizarre behaviour to me. Even if some were saying that, cutting off your net about it is..not rational at all in response surely?! Am genuinely so so worried about her, and last I heard, her mam tried to go round to check and was basically refused in, and refused being spoken to as shes been written off as a 'covid denier'...because...she has not turned total hermit for an illness with a low mortality rate, and also while she actively is still working anyway! The daughters 'logic' right now is her mum is in massive danger and is making it worse, by conitnuing going to work, instead of quitting her job to hide. Its like..some alternate reality is going on with some people, it really is. Such whims are not possible for most adults. And I am really starting t think its not the doctors she needs, its sectioned for a bit. Might sound harsh, but I really think shes a risk to herself, not others but herself with HOW panicky shes getting over such tiny things that are almost insignificant to many?!