Being a naturally anxious politics student trying to stay up to date with current affairs feel like two slightly contradictory parts of my identity. On the one hand I want to look after my brain and stop myself from reading depressing new headlines every day, however I also don’t want to live under a rock.
To me, news anxiety is the sinking feeling of stress you feel when you see that BBC news app notification with a heart-breaking headline of a salient conflict happening on the other side of the world, or that Instagram infographic popping up on your feed of some shocking statistic on the newest climate change study. If you get this too, you aren’t alone- Mental Health UK actually released a study showing how cortisol (the main stress hormone in your body) is often increased by negative news we see online, which has been ‘leading to levels of anxiety which we are not designed to sustain’. This resonated with me deeply- I have had to take some measures to ‘sustain’ my mental health when it comes to reading the news.
Of course, it is a privilege to be able to read the current news and not be the one the news is reporting on. Furthermore, if you are filled with dread when reading the headlines, this can demonstrate your empathy towards those across the world who you did not previously have knowledge of. Online news is clearly a powerful tool to connect us all. It is fast, constant, and straight to the point. This is a huge blessing and allows us to stay informed of what is going on in the world. After all, it is a privilege to be educated and up to date with our surroundings.
However, if you are like me, sometimes I find it very difficult to ‘shut off’ after reading or watching the news. Sometimes it feels like you can’t escape it- even when I try to distract myself by having a harmless scroll on social media, it will pop up again in the form of a friend’s Instagram story, or infographic post from a news account I follow. Again, I am trying to see this as a good thing- this shows I have surrounded myself with people who care about learning more and sharing interesting information. However, sometimes you need to be kind to yourself, which doesn’t have to come at the price of being switched on about current affairs.
- Get off your phone
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This is the simplest measure I have taken. This doesn’t mean get off your phone indefinitely (is this even possible in the 21st century?), but taking some time to do activities that are not on your phone can help remove yourself from the news for a short while. For example, I have really enjoyed going for a run, putting my phone on airplane mode, and listening to a downloaded playlist. Your relaxing time shouldn’t be limited to scrolling on social media, because more often than not, this actually leaves me feeling less relaxed.
- Turn off notifications
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If you’re like me and have various news outlets’ apps on your phone, I have found turning off notifications works, to have a little break. Sometimes when you are mentally not ready to process some horrible news stories, having often quite traumatic headlines pop up on your phone every 30 minutes is super draining.
- Set aside a few times a day to check the news
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Staying educated on current affairs doesn’t have to be a constant flow throughout the day. Instead, setting a bit of time each day can help limit how much you are intaking, and allow you to process the news you are reading. I find that when the news is constant, I take it in less, but the feeling of anxiety is still there, even though I wouldn’t be able to really tell you what I just read. Giving your brain a rest is needed if you want to understand current news and give it the time it deserves.
- Use a different Instagram account for news
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Some of my favourite Instagram accounts cover the news in a way that is simple, quick, and interesting to look at. There are some great influencers out there who educate their followers on current affairs, and I love the rise of the so-called ‘infographic’ posts, for example @thenewsmovement. However, they can slip into your everyday feed meaning it’s hard to look at Instagram just to see what your friends are up to. Therefore, you could make another Instagram account where you follow all these great accounts whilst keeping them separate to your personal feed.
- Follow some positive news accounts too
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This doesn’t mean disregard all other news that isn’t happy or makes you feel good, however, getting some balance of what you are intaking can be good for the brain. I like @the_happy_broadcast as it offers a few pieces of positive world news nearly every day. The world isn’t all doom and gloom, there are good things happening too.
- Be kind to yourself
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You cannot be expected to be on top of every piece of news there is every day. Staying educated, especially on issues and news stories that don’t directly affect you, is a massive privilege and shows you care about others. However, you cannot use this knowledge effectively if your anxious brain is taking over, as often that feeling of anxiety means you are not thinking rationally, so probably can’t reflect with a level-head on what you have read.
Overall, limit how much news you personally feel you can take in every day. Don’t try and read everything, or watch every piece of triggering content Instagram shows you, or respond to every infographic activist post your friends post on their stories. Remember that it is very special to have this much news at your fingertips thanks to social media, but your mental health is important too.
