The view from the Idea Center

Whatever else may be going on in our country, one thing seems clear: We’re under a lot of stress.

It’s not just the political moment causing our anxiety and despair. Two stories pull back the curtain on other underlying causes rooted in our culture, society and economy

I was eager to hear the story today on “Morning Edition”  about Ada Calhoun’s new book, “Why We Can’t Sleep.” I thought, great, I’ll get tips on how to get  a deep, uninterrupted night’s sleep, which is my personal Holy Grail.

Well, Calhoun’s book isn’t about sleep, per se, but about the crisis of confidence afflicting women of a certain age, Gen Xers born between 1965 and 1980.

“Middle-class women, they often experience shame and disappointment at middle age that, you know, they had all these opportunities and they should have done better,” Calhoun told NPR’s Rachel Martin.

That’s something that melatonin can’t fix.

In the second story,  ideastream’s Marlene Harris-Taylor and Mary Fecteau teamed up to find out why so many rural Ohioans are taking their own lives. They visited Ashtabula County, which has the third-highest suicide rate of Ohio’s 88 counties.

“People are dying what I would consider to be diseases of despair, caused by a deficit of hope," counselor Matt Butler told them.

Why the hopelessness? Dive into the story and watch the video interviews with experts and relatives of those who’ve died by suicide to learn more.

If you’ve had thoughts of suicide, or know someone who has, please let go of any embarrassment or shame you may be feeling and talk to somebody about it. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is there to help:  1-800-273-TALK

See you bright and early tomorrow morning on the radio,
Amy Eddings

Need to KnOH

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Your ideas

Proponents of shrinking the ranks of Cleveland City Council say the municipal government is bloated and needs to be “streamlined” to better serve citizens. Do you feel represented at city hall? What change would you like to see to make city government more responsive to your needs? Call us at  (216) 916-6476, comment on our Facebook page or join the conversation in Public Square. We'll feature some of your thoughts and comments here in Noon(ish) and on Morning Edition.