In today’s media world, it becomes difficult to open a news article or hear a story that isn’t
negative in some way. It may feel as the only news you hear is the deep, dark, and despairing
stories. As humans it is emotionally taxing to be processing the news that we are provided each
and every day. While we aren’t in control over what happens in the world, we are able to cope or
manage our responds to stories we hear or read in a way that is brings awareness to our
emotional and mental health. Below are a few ideas I have found as a therapist to be beneficial
for clients first hand, working on how to manage your responds to uncomfortable, and
overwhelming news stories.
1. Become aware of how often you are utilizing news channels and/or apps. With social media,
notifications, and constant communication, we are informed of events quicker than ever before,
which can lead to countless hours of negative information being thrown at us. Notice how often
you are consuming the news and time of day you are consuming. Make sure to start your day off
in a positive note, not waking up to the latest tragedy in the world. Begin your day on a softer,
more balanced note.
2. Take note of your lack of boundaries around the news. Set a limit to
when and where you gain information. Try to only check the news once or twice a day, and avoid
scrolling endlessly through article and article. With that being said, make sure you don’t believe
every news story out there, and instead, check to ensure the source is credible. Not setting
individual boundaries around news consumption can lead to increased anxiety.
3. Not all news is negative, but you may have to search for the positive. When reading or listening
to the news, make sure your mindset is right. If you are in a negative mindset, most likely you
will pick up on the more negative side of the story verse if you were thinking clearer. Find news
channels that display uplifting stories and positive individuals as the narrators. Broaden your
perspective and gain information from sources all throughout the world. Utilizing different
channels to make sure you are understanding the full story, as much as possible.
4. Another effective way to not allow the news to consume you is to set boundaries to protect your
emotional state. You can simply unfollow news or social media accounts or even mute them for a
time being until you feel you are at a better mental state overall. Boundaries can be fluid and
vary degrees depending on your state. Along similar lines, you can take detoxes from your
digital world when you are feeling extremely overwhelmed. In doing so, it allows you to control
what you can in life, your corner of the world, without allowing heavier issues to invade.
Discussing news stories can also be a boundary you put into place. It is more than okay to
separate yourself from a difficult conversation regarding the news.
5. Pay attention to what you can control regarding the news around you. You take action in small
or big ways, by volunteering or advocating for something that really pulls at your heart strings.
Are you able to spread more positive news stories to the people you love, bringing in light
overall? Using a creative outlet, through art, music, or writing, is a powerful way to release what
you ultimately may not have control over.
Discussing difficult stories with a professional or trusted family member or friend can help you process your feelings and provide support to
discover coping tools. Controlling your portion of the world is more impactful than you may
think and will allow you a small amount of control over the overwhelming and difficult issues
discussed on the news daily. Try a few of these tips listed above to see which one works best for
you.
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