What’s the exact opposite of reassuring?

A government promise:

Government promises world won’t end on Dec. 21

Great.

But wait – as snarky as I’d like to be about this, there’s an actual problem behind it:

David Morrison, a planetary astronomer and senior scientist for NASA who answers questions from the public about astrobiology, says, “At least a once a week I get a message from a young person ― as young as 11 ― who says they are ill and/or contemplating suicide because of the coming doomsday.”

People, people, people: if the world’s going to end, why commit suicide? Save yourself the trouble and just wait a few more days!