Disclaimer: This article talks about sensitive information that may dishearten individuals.
I will never forget how I felt the morning of November 6th. Waking up to a whatsapp message from my mom just saying “sorry baby.” Sitting up in bed and looking at the “Americans Abroad for Harris-Walz” sign on my window sill. Opening the New York Times and reading the words “Donald Trump is Elected President of the United States.” Doomscrolling on Tik Tok, seeing video after video analyzing the implications of another Trump presidency. Realizing what had happened, but more notably, that I was five thousand miles away from it.
It’s a feeling I couldn’t, and still can’t describe.
A heart that broke for my home. A home that I hated in the moment, but still love. A home that holds memories, family, and friends. A home that, now that I am in college, is only my home a few months out of the year. A home that despite the distance, I still care for. Living so far away means knowing that the direct consequences of what happens there will not affect me in the moment, but that distance does not make the heartbreak or fear any quieter, nor does it make me any more okay with it.
Living Between Two Realities
It’s a feeling that many American students abroad undeniably shared that devastating day, and it’s something that I have felt many times since. The emotional dissonance of enjoying life in St Andrews while intense political violence dominates the news cycle back home, is indescribable. Drinking my Taste dirty chai while reading an article about Trump cutting cancer research feels dystopian. Ignoring the news feels wrong and enjoying my life here sometimes feels like an act of guilt.
I have especially felt the emotional weight of this dissonance recently, with the escalation of events in Minnesota. On December 4th, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was deployed in Minnesota as part of a broader federal immigration enforcement surge. Tasked with detaining and deporting people, ICE agents used aggressive and extreme tactics during searches and arrests that heightened tensions and sparked community resistance.
On January 7th, an ICE agent in Minneapolis shot and killed 37-year-old Renée Good while she was observing federal activity in her neighborhood. Seventeen days later, another Minneapolis resident, ICU nurse Alex Pretti, was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents. Both Good and Pretti were U.S. citizens whose deaths were captured on video and drew widespread outrage. The Trump administration claimed they were interfering with law enforcement, but available footage and witness accounts show neither was acting violently or outside their rights as Americans. Their deaths ignited protests in Minneapolis and across the country, as communities stood in solidarity with Good, Pretti, and others resisting ICE’s presence. Looking away from all of this is not an option.
When Staying Informed Becomes A Balancing Act
I watched much of this unfold from my tiny town in the north of Scotland. Overcome by shock, fear, and helplessness, I’ve struggled to cope with what is happening. I’ve watched protests on social media, wishing I could be there fighting back too, while also remaining grateful that my life, so far away, is so comfortable. Distance is a double-edged sword. It offers comfort and physical protection from what’s unfolding, but the helplessness it creates takes a real emotional toll.
Which brings me to my argument, the reason I’m writing this article.
The tension between wanting to stay informed and wanting to escape constant anxiety is very real. Today’s media cycles, especially in the age of social media, amplify stress and emotional fatigue. Doomscrolling is easy, and it can definitely feel comforting or even distracting in the moment. But while looking away isn’t an option, neither is doomscrolling.
Doomscrolling, especially when it comes to consuming news, has consistently proven to cause real psychological harm. Studies quite literally show that constantly consuming negative news triggers your body’s stress response. This can disrupt sleep, cause nausea and headaches, and become an addiction. It’s not simply interacting with news, it’s the nonstop consumption of negative news that harms both your emotional and physical health.
Staying Up-To-Date Without Sacrificing Yourself
So how have I found balance between staying informed and not letting it overwhelm my mental health? I have found a few helpful strategies to combat doomscrolling. First, I’ve learned the importance of setting boundaries around when and how I consume news. I avoid checking the news first thing in the morning, and balance my consumption with grounding, mindful activities such as going for walks. I also try to be intentional about where I am getting my news, making sure to prioritize depth and quality over constant updates or over-dramaticized headlines for the sake of clickbait. Adding positive or hopeful news into the mix has also been a great way to break up the heaviness. For example, I recently read an article about a Minnesota restaurant owner who has opened her doors to protestors, offering them refuge and comforting Vietnamese food. Lastly, checking in with friends has reminded me to stay present and appreciate the love, connection, and joy that exist alongside the heavy headlines.
Choosing discernment over doomscrolling has helped with the feeling of hopelessness and despair and has, in a weird way, made me feel closer to home. Consuming the right amount of the right kind of news hasn’t made me any less informed, if anything I feel more educated, hopeful, and activated. Instead of doomscrolling for hours and letting the waves of clickbait wash over me, I have been able to educate myself on what I can do. I can call my representatives, support the grassroots resistance in Minnesota, and donate to immigration funds and non-profits. This isn’t to say that what is going on in the US does not merit a serious reaction, but being educated should not come at the expense of your mental health. People must take care of themselves in order to be active and educated participants in resistance.
Being informed in this way also means highlighting what has come out of these tensions, which is that despite violence and tragedy, people have mobilized in incredible ways. Empathy, collective action, and solidarity will always matter and should always be talked about. The actions of the American people in response to ICE are inspiring because they remind us that resistance comes in many forms and nothing is stronger than people’s care for and protection of their community. This gets highlighted when you stay informed in the right ways instead of surrendering to despair. By choosing balance and intentional engagement over doomscrolling, we take care of our mental health and make space for collective, hopeful action.
We allow ourselves to, despite the distance, fight for our home.