The media is clobbering us with 24/7 misery… do horror stories cause copy-cat behaviour and add to stress-related depression?
I refer to Simon Jenkins’ interesting piece in the Guardian newspaper last Thursday (21 April).
“The order has gone out to Brexit spin masters, on both sides, to push fear. Immigrants must swarm, crime must soar, wealth must plummet and influence fade. Foreign stories are always bad news, unless about animals.” Terrorism incidents are turned into week-long sagas of hysteria. This can only feed insecurity and risk-aversion.”
Then Jenkins counters, “Yet the reality is that Britain’s crime is falling, prosperity is increasing and people are living longer. Around the globe, diseases are defeated each year, technology liberates millions, and deaths in armed conflict are at an all-time low. …society is steadily evolving in a more peaceful and tolerant direction.“
Jenkins makes an interesting link to the tenfold rise in serious depression over the past half-century which he says “may have many causes, including improved diagnosis. But it appears to relate, in part, to social isolation and alienation… and the round-the-clock barrage of bad news is hardly likely to bring relief. It induces the opposite: public anxiety and fear.”
So, if you crave a break from bad news and stressing over your social media feed, I am delighted to offer you exactly that at Kaliyoga.
For seven sun-filled days you can eat healthy food (we cater for ALL dietary limits); deepen your yoga practice (or learn the basics if you’re a novice); receive world-class natural health treatments from our awesome therapists.
We encourage you to enjoy the freedom of unplugging by the pool, during yoga and meditation classes, as well as being off-line at meal times. We can help you manage your digital cravings by keeping your device in the office until you really need it, or you can choose to limit your online activity yourself. In a group of up to sixteen fun-loving guests, you’ll be in good company on retreat at Kaliyoga.