War, corruption, debt, economic collapse, world protests: how can I cope?

It’s been several months now since I took it upon myself to learn more about United States economics and politics (partly thanks to Ron Paul’s announcement to run for president again). Unfortunately, the more I learn, the worse I feel and I find it difficult to realize my place within this system. Clearly I have little control, times are difficult and I fear that they’ll become worse as our dollar loses its value, as we persist fighting wars overseas, and as we increase the size of our government.

I struggle with wanting to learn more because I do feel good about knowing the facts and staying informed, but the more I learn, the less I know and the worse I feel. I don’t want to stop learning so how can I find a balance between learning, keeping an open mind, and staying positive?

I need some sort of outlet for the information – conversations, writing, art – I’m certainly open to more suggestions. My mind is so wrapped up in these issues now that it’s hard to know how I should react to the new information. Can any of you relate? What has helped you? How do you read headlines and not become totally consumed by their content?