I fully blame social media, no where else have I been so relentlessly attacked. I improved my own mental health tremendously by deleting this crap, no Tinder, Snapchat, Insta, etc. In fact I have an easier time making friends and meeting partners now.
Here's an experiment. After work, leave your phone at home and walk around for at least an hour. Give your brain a break from constant NOTIFICATION stimulation!
I hate this website but I can't quit it. I quit nicotine and it was easier than quitting HN.
I'm basically trying to turn my life into an RPG and leveling my character up in real life instead. It's kinda disturbing that I have to rely on video game mechanics to self motivate, but maybe that's what happens when you grow up addicted to video games and electronics. Big contrast to my dads generation, who grew up playing baseball and swinging from trees in the woods.
I use HN has a way to keep up with tech related stuff and only use it during work hours as a treat when I finish a task, this helps me get work done and gives my brain a small dopamine hit.
This leads to mean world syndrome:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mean_world_syndrome
Believe it or not, if you are healthy you're much more likely to die in a car accident than anything else the regular media wants you to believe:
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm