That was probably a terrible title, but I'm looking for a word or phrase to describe this concept.
We all probably have a relative like this, they feel that the world is "going to hell" around them - except that isn't true, we have 24x7 media and the internet, so the bad stuff that already exists is just much more visible and perceptible than it used to be.
In the early 90's it was "stranger danger" and daytime talk shows having moms scared out of their wits that there was a child molester hanging around every corner, just waiting to snatch their loved ones away. (Nevermind the fact that the numbers of these crimes have stayed roughly stable, trending down for a long time)
Today it's computer hackers and the NSA.
How do you describe a person who is over-aware of bad news and has lost perspective, or the mental state of being in this condition?