How to Avoid News Overwhelm
Staying informed while protecting your emotional well-being is a tough balancing act these days. Not only do we have access to news all day long, it comes from so many angles that it can be hard to keep up with what’s accurate. Additionally, stories are followed up with a mix of opinions and personal perspectives.
Danger to our emotional health occurs when we lose sight of what is in our control and the good things going on around us. Our brains can naturally gravitate to negativity as a protective measure. Our senses are on the lookout for danger so we can respond accordingly for safety.
If the news you watch is unpleasant for hours on end, your brain thinks it’s in a constant state of danger and your body may respond with increased heart rate, rising blood pressure, muscle tension, and racing thoughts.
This scenario can create tunnel vision where we have a disproportionate view of negative vs positive things going on in the world. And social media outlets pile it on more. While in theory it would be nice to have a platform for healthy debate, the unfortunate reality is it often leads to pointless arguing. This harms relationships — more negativity.
The solution is taking responsibility for what you put in your brain. Some tips:
- Choose one or two sources you trust to consistently provide your news.
- Decide what time of day you will check the news and how much time you realistically need to devote to this to stay current. Avoid the rabbit hole.
- Seek out good news. You may have to hunt for it, but there’s a lot of good going on in our world. If your news source is not balancing the good with the bad, research and find it yourself.
- Social media can be a great place to connect with friends and family. However, if one of your connections is constantly posting stressful material, you can take control over what pops up in your feed by “hiding” their posts. You also could “unfriend” them to prevent them from making negative comments on your posts, as well.
- Surround yourself with people you trust to engage in healthy discussions about what’s going on in the world. You don’t have to share the same opinions to have healthy discussions, but all parties need to remain respectful.
Parents need to be especially careful of the news children are exposed to. They have a lot less control in their little worlds, and complicated matters in the news can be especially scary for them. Things need to be explained in a sensitive manner with age appropriate information.
If you have the news playing in the house and your kids are off playing on the side, they are picking up on the things being said in the background. We must always be aware of the things we feed their developing brains.
Kristin Woodling, a licensed mental health counselor and certified marriage and family therapist, owns Pamper Your Mind, LLC in Satellite Beach. She is devoted to providing a confidential and elite therapeutic experience to professional women seeking healing, clarity, and balanced lifestyle for optimal health.
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