I really do understand your frustration but there are 1000's of shares out there and all of them have a potential either to short or long for different market conditions.
If I can give you any advice then this is it "research and research more, if you have limited resources ie small capital, put a stop loss on it. Let me explain that point.
You decide you like a stock and buy at £5.00 put a stop loss on it at say £4.50, if your decision was right to buy the stock it goes up to say £6.00. Now move the stop loss up to £5.50 that way if the share crashes to £3.00 you will be stopped out at a profit. If it carries on to say £8.00 then happy days, but a trailing stop loss is the way for me anyway.
Only my way of helping and may not suit everyone but it will keep you solvent!