How to Prevent News Overload

The world is becoming more chaotic in our daily current events. It can often feel like we are being ambushed by sensationalized news reports everywhere we turn. It’s easy to experience sensory overload when we are subjected to news on the tv, radio, cell phone apps, billboards, magazines at the grocery store, and social media.

Being exposed to excessive news, particularly bad news, can be overwhelming while negatively impacting a person’s mental health. For some people, bad news makes them feel an impending sense of doom. Bad news can also cause anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). People who are especially empathetic are more impacted by bad news than others because they tend to feel the pain and emotions that others are going through.

The sense of dread caused by being overexposed to negative news through the media has caused some people to outright delete their social media accounts to avoid the media as much as possible. While that method may work for some people, it’s not practical for everyone to get rid of social media and avoid the news. Some people have to be involved in the media for work, school, or because they feel it’s important to know what is going on in the world.

Rather than news avoidance, which seems almost impossible in our world today, you can learn how to better cope and process news to prevent news overload. Some of the tips below can equip you with the tools to dissect any news article for clarity, truth, and objectivity.

Tips For Reading Bad News

• Don’t let headlines faze you: News headlines cannot be taken at face value. They are often misleading and intentionally crafted to capture the reader’s attention. When you read a sensationalized headline, just remember it might not be entirely true, or it might be exaggerated to help stand out.
• Look for the source: Pay attention to the source of the news article. Some media channels are known for bending the truth and exaggerating stories. If you know the source isn’t known for being reliable, then don’t let it change your beliefs about the world.
• Acknowledge it might be falsely reported information: The amount of falsely reported news in the media is staggering in our age of digital technology. Internet trolls are taking the media by storm to cause chaos and outrage. Whether it be to push political agendas or to provoke biased engagement, internet trolls have many reasons to alter public opinion.
• Set a time limit: Instead of scrolling through the internet or social media for hours reading headline after headline, try setting screen time limits. Give yourself limited timeframes for how much social media you intake. This will allow you to process what you are consuming without being overstimulated.
• Take a break when you are feeling overwhelmed: If you’ve just read something that has left you feeling overwhelmed, take a break. If you need to temporarily delete your news apps, do so. It’s good to give your mind a break to decompress when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

How To Cope With Bad News

Have you ever read a news article that leaves you feeling defeated? Even if you’ve taken steps to help process news while you are reading it, you might still come across a report that hits you harder than the rest.

You can help prevent feelings of distress and overload by learning how to cope with bad news. Here are 5 methods you can practice to help cope with bad news:

• Acknowledge the issue: The first step toward learning to cope with bad news is acknowledging how the news impacts you. Does the news make you feel stressed or anxious? Does it leave you feeling hopeless? Overwhelmed? Sad? Angry? Recognize what feelings the news evokes in you so that you can find ways to cope with your feelings.
• Talk to someone: Take time to talk to someone you can trust about discussing negative news. Having someone listen to you and help talk about your feelings can help you purge negative thoughts from your system. If you need additional help working through your emotions, reach out to a mental health professional.
• Practice “grounding” exercises: Grounding is a technique that helps you stay focused on the present and grounded in reality. Grounding exercises can help you feel more mentally present and in control of your emotions instead of becoming overwhelmed. Common grounding exercises include focusing on your senses to stay focused. For example, if you begin to feel overwhelmed, focus on 5 objects that you see around you, or focus on the scents and sounds in the moment.
• Look for positive news: This may seem obvious, but have you ever watched a horror film and immediately looked for an uplifting experience afterward to help you relax and get to sleep at night? The same technique can work with traumatic news, too. If you are worried about bad news, look for the good news. Search for inspiring stories and positive things that are happening in the world today. Good news will help you feel more hopeful and motivated.
• Establish boundaries: If you can’t seem to escape bad news, practice setting boundaries. Tell your friends, families, or coworkers that you don’t feel comfortable talking about certain news or events. Unfollow people or media accounts that cause excessive amounts of stress, and remember that you don’t have to check the news every day. Make reading the news intentional while setting boundaries of when and where to digest the news.

The most important thing to remember is that you are not powerless. No matter what is going on in the world around you, you have the power to look after yourself. You can take steps to control what media you consume and practice self-care methods to prevent news overload.

If you are in need of a mental health professional to help work through your emotions and get back to feeling in control of your life, Jackson House is here for you. Do not be afraid to seek help. Talk to your support system or give us a call today at 888-255-9280.