Extrapolating from recent polling research, I think it’s fair to conclude that journalists are depressing the hell out of us. Actually, the research didn’t involve journalists at all, at least not by design. Instead, it asked Democrats, independents and Republicans to assess their own mental states. Here’s what the researchers found:

Republicans are significantly more likely than Democrats or independents to rate their mental health as excellent, according to data from the last four November Gallup Health and Healthcare polls. Fifty-eight percent of Republicans report having excellent mental health, compared to 43% of independents and 38% of Democrats. This relationship between party identification and reports of excellent mental health persists even within categories of income, age, gender, church attendance, and education.

And since journalists self-identify as Democrats by about a 9-to-1 margin, it’s not a huge leap to assume that these findings apply to most of the mainstream media.

The finding that Democrats view the world through dung-colored glasses could explain why the media are so quick to bury good news about such things as the war in Iraq, the economy, Christmas shopping trends, etc. More generally, it might explain why good news always seems to take a back seat to bad news. Just check your local paper or 6 o’clock news if you doubt me.

I have some experience with this phenomenon. Some years ago, as I made my turn from leftism to conservatism, I found it increasingly uncomfortable to be in my former newsroom. My newfound optimism about life in general was suddenly badly out of sync with the jaundiced worldview that predominated in my newsroom and, I would argue, that predominates in most newsrooms.

High doses of suspicion and cynicism characterize most reporters. They like to think this makes them good reporters, but it really just makes them tiresome to be around. They feel the deck is stacked against the Average Joe, and most got into journalism to help right those perceived injustices. Their noble efforts, though, are always thwarted by bean counters, editors, publishers and, a pretty well-adjusted public that doesn’t share their pessimism.

Their unhealthy state of mind is inflicted daily on the general public via a barrage of news stories viewed through a glass darkly. This may explain why the mental health of groups that have a high degree of faith in the mainstream media (Democrats, liberals) is so fragile.

Meanwhile, those who view the mainstream media with a healthy dose of skepticism, or those who tune it out altogether and use alternative sources (Republicans, conservatives, some independents), seem to have a healthier outlook on life.

As Old Media searches for reasons it is dying, even resorting to begging, maybe this poll will give them a clue.

Jon Ham is vice president of the John Locke Foundation and publisher of its newspaper, Carolina Journal.