Managing your mental health while keeping up with world events
A few years ago I was talking to someone about anxiety and their advice to me was stop watching the news.
This didn’t sit well with me at all because I feel it is important to have some understanding of what is going on globally, however, I could see the connection between my anxiety levels at the time and my news consumption.
Gone are the days when if you wanted to know what was going on in the world you had to physically leave the house to purchase a newspaper, now we have a tiny device that comes with us everywhere and can notify us of what is going on every second of the day, without us even having to open any apps.
So, if like me, you want to stay informed while also looking after your mental wellbeing here are some tips for taking control of your news consumption.
Switch off your notifications
This gives you a choice of when and how you are informed of anything that may be traumatic or stressful to know. It may not be obvious at the time but every bit of negative information we receive throughout the day can build up leaving us drained and feeling helpless. By turning off your notifications you limit the amount of times this happens without your consent.
Avoid doom scrolling
It’s really easy to open a social media app and mindlessly scroll as a way to unwind but unless you have managed to manipulate the algorithm so your timelines are only full of positivity then you will be consuming content that is depressing and difficult to process, even if you aren’t paying complete attention. Try to be mindful of how you are using social media and every so often ask yourself if your scrolling is enjoyable or if it’s just a way to fill time. If it’s the latter then it’s probably time to close the app! It’s also worth remembering that there is a lot of misinformation on social media and what we are consuming through certain platforms is rarely 100% truthful.
Make a conscious decision about when you choose to watch the news
The news is accessible at any time of day now so whether you choose to watch it first thing in the morning, last thing at night or sometime in the middle of the day, you can choose a time that works for you. Many people I know don’t like watching it first thing in the morning as they feel it depletes their energy and gets their day off to a gloomy start. Others don’t want to watch anything at night that may cause their minds to go into overdrive before bedtime. It may be worth picking a time that enables you to do something uplifting afterwards to avoid it controlling the mood of your day.
Don’t argue with strangers on the internet
To be human is to have opinions! Everyone will have an opinion whether it is about politics, war, whether or not a certain medication is safe etc, etc…. Arguing with a stranger on the internet whose opinion is the opposite of yours will rarely, if ever, change their mind but it will probably make you feel angry or frustrated. So step away from the comments section!!
Finally, allow yourself to feel good
It feels like there is so much to be sad or worried about when it comes to global news and it’s natural to feel heartbroken when you see people suffering but try to remember that you don’t have to live in that state of mind. Honour the emotion when it comes up and allow yourself to feel it but allow yourself to seek joyful and positive news as well. There’s plenty out there, it just tends to get overshadowed by all the bad.
I recommend a daily dose of www.goodnewsnetwork.org to help with some perspective.
