News sources provide vital information to the public.
It reports on what is happening locally and abroad, who is running for election, upcoming events and the weather.
In our troubled world, the news seems overwhelmingly bleak and can affect your mood and mental health.
There’s a feeling of hopelessness when you see people suffering and there’s nothing you can do or if you get bad news about something you love or are passionate about.
You’re not alone if you feel this way, but how can you balance staying informed and not driving yourself insane? Here is what you should do when all the news seems bad.
Take Breaks
Awareness of public health and safety concerns is essential, but watching or reading the news too much can cause depression or panic. One way to avoid being overwhelmed is to limit the exposure you get each day.
You’ll want to avoid the news during times of the day when you’re already stressed, such as at work or in traffic, but you also don’t want it to ruin a good time.
Try checking in at different times of day to see when you cope with it the best.
Then, get updates once a day during the best period to stay informed without constantly being flooded with negative information.
Some people will look at the news in the morning, mimicking the newspaper.
They then decompress when eating breakfast or on the way to work. Others may scroll through on their lunch break so returning to work can be a distraction.
If you need to take an extended media break, many news station apps can send urgent news messages through push notifications. You could pick one you like and set the alerts for only weather, health or crime news.
Your mental health matters, so don’t feel guilty for not knowing everything that’s going on. The chances are that if it’s important enough, you will hear about it soon.
Check Your Sources
Another way to reduce your stress is to look critically at the sources your news is coming from.
Some are biased and will add a negative angle to stories where the facts are neutral. It can be tempting to scroll away from such a headline, but reading past it can give greater context to the situation.
Organizations mean for headlines to catch your eye, and digging into the story can help you think critically and be less overwhelmed by the information.
Tabloid or sensationalized sources may even bill a story as accurate when it’s not.
Doing your research and separating credible sources from noncredible ones can help you determine the reliability of the information you are getting.
Consolidate Your Information
The internet is an endless pool of information that can also drown us if we’re not careful.
It can be hard to sort through it all on the days when different stories lead to thousands of other articles and commentaries.
Some websites, newsletters and applications will consolidate different stories and sources and give them to you in quick blurbs.
You can explore these resources to cut down on the mess of articles or choose a few trusted sources to get news alerts from via their website or app.
Many sites will even send you emails with news updates.
Find the Positive
So many people were frustrated by the lack of good news out there that they created entire sources solely dedicated to positive stories.
Sources such as Squirrel News and Optimist Daily, along with many others, focus on finding uplifting stories to boost your mood and give you hope.
Explore the different good news sources to see what draws you in.
Even major news and commentary sources have dedicated sections of their websites to good news.
Take Care of Your Health
Stress significantly impacts your mental health, but it can also take a toll on your body. It can cause headaches, stomach problems, muscle tension and insomnia.
It can also raise your blood pressure, which puts you at a higher risk of heart attack or stroke.
Excess stress’s mental and physical toll can affect your mood and behavior, so it’s important to get a handle on it.
Eating well, exercising regularly and taking time to do the things you enjoy can improve stress symptoms. Try a relaxation activity like yoga or meditation or spend some time with loved ones.
Volunteer
Watching the news can make you feel helpless with how much the world is struggling.
You can’t fix everything, but taking time to contribute to a worthy cause can make a difference for others and yourself.
Sign up with an organization that delivers groceries or meals, join a trail cleanup or help your local animal shelter. These things can solve a bit of the suffering that is so prominent.
Science shows that volunteering is also good for the volunteer. The mental and social benefits have been demonstrated to bring people greater happiness, even helping with conditions such as anxiety and depression.
You can find volunteer opportunities online or by checking local community boards.
Coping With the News
There’s no shame in acknowledging how negative information affects us.
If you find yourself struggling with the parade of bad news, it’s important to know that you are in control of where you get your information and how much you consume.
It’s good to be up to date, but taking breaks and focusing on yourself are important coping mechanisms to keep the news from driving you crazy.
There are many ways to make a bad situation better.
Take the time to cope with the news in healthy ways to improve your outlook on the world around you.