Are you feeling exhausted by constantly listening to bad news?
Do you always feel anxious, yet unable to look away?
You’re not alone.
The world feels overwhelming right now, but you don’t have to let the news control your peace of mind.
Hello, I’m Linda. As an accredited counsellor with extensive experience in both the public and private sectors,
I’ve had the privilege of supporting and guiding many, many clients throughout the years, helping them with their own personal challenges. My passion is helping people build resilience, find clarity, and achieve mental well-being.”
Okay now back to how we can reduce news anxiety but still stay informed about whats going on in the world
· We live in a time of 24/7 news updates, social media notifications, and non-stop headlines.
· While staying informed is important, too much negative news can harm our mental health,it increases stress, anxiety, and even feelings of hopelessness.
· So, how can we stay aware of what’s happening in the world while still protecting our peace?
Let’s go through five simple strategies to help you regain control.
STEP 1: SET CLEAR BOUNDARIES ON NEWS CONSUMPTIONS
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- Don’t let news dictate your day—set specific times to check the news instead of constantly refreshing your computer screen.
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- Try limiting your news exposure to once or maybe twice a day .
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- Avoid watching news before bed—it definitely can increase stress and affect sleep pattern
I have had to definitely stop this myself, because I can tell first hand hand how listening to the news updates late at night keeps me awake for hours.
STEP 2: STOP DOOM SCROLLING & TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR NEWS FEED
So you may ask what is doom scrolling?
Doom scrolling is the act of continuously consuming negative or distressing news online, often leading to increased anxiety and stress.
This behaviour involves spending excessive time scrolling through news feeds and social media platforms, mainly focusing on bad news.
So how do I stop?
Turn off news notifications on your phone
Whether it be main stream media or independent sources ration the amount of news you consume
What I do is, I set a 10 minute timer when I am checking the news. Once the timer ends, close the app and shift your focus to something uplifting.
STEP 3: SWITCH FROM WATCHING TO READING THE NEWS.
TV news is designed to. Be emotional and dramatic – it can feel more intense than reading the same story.
Instead of watching the news, start reading news articles where you can control the pace and avoid emotional overload.
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STEP 4 BALANCE NEGATIVE NEWS WITH POSITIVE STORIES
The News often focuses on the worst events, but good things are happening too.
So why don’t you try Intentionally seek out inspiring stories that maybe is happening in your own community.
I know personally if I read a human-interest story that turned out well, or someone has succeeded inspite of them having major challenges in their life.
it makes me feel good reading such an inspiring story.
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STEP 5 PROTECT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH WITH A NEWS DETOX. And don’t feel guilty about it.
Unfortunately as we know, the news can become overwhelming, so remember its okay to take a break from it.
A news detox can be for a day, a weekend, or even a week, just to reset your mind.
Use this time to focus on self-care, Hobbies, and quality time with loved ones.
So I’m going to challenge you, if you feel that news anxiety is becoming a problem, take a 24hr break from the news and notice how you feel afterward. You might be surprised by how much calmer and more present you feel.
