BBC Dateline London

Last summer I mentioned that I watch the political discussion on BBC News' Dateline London. This morning's was especially good: Jane Hill was moderating Bronwen Maddox (previously of The Times), Thomas Kielinger (Die Welt), Nesrine Malik (The Grauniad) and John Fisher Burns (previously of The New York Times) whom I much like though he seems to bear an inner sadness. Also pleasant were the absences: for instance, not only did we not have a Russian apologist but we also avoided the young right-wing chap who eagerly interrupts.

Unhelpful to the stressed

When my mental health was at its worst many years ago some stressors vexed me. Part of my recovery was learning to accept my fate unconditionally: to not fear that events may come to pass nor be disappointed if they did. Coming to terms with some of those possibilities took me some time.

In more recent times I have found myself unsympathetic to others who worry. I realized that this is about protecting myself: if I project onto them that they too should just accept things and move on then I need not follow their thinking well enough to see why they fret. When I do worry then I am annoyed with myself for falling back into old dangerous habits.

One way in which I sustain my recovery is to avoid the thinking patterns of worry and this seems to include not granting credence to others' worry: I dare not deeply consider their point of view. At least now I have recognized this I can take account of it in my intercourse with them.