Staying informed is important, but at what cost
As a college student who studies Political Science and Communication Arts, I feel a sort of responsibility to try my best to stay educated on what is happening in America and around the world at all times. This includes reading my daily email from the New York Times, listening to podcasts talking about major news stories, and checking live updates as big news stories break. I often can’t even escape the large news stories on social media when my TikTok “for you” page, Twitter feed, and Instagram feed are filled with political topics as well. That being said, I am also someone who struggles with anxiety and depression, and constantly reading about the issues in our society can be really hard on my mental health. I think that this topic is really nuanced and I feel I need to mention that being able to step away from many news stories and not being as directly impacted as other groups of people is an immense privilege that I (and others) should acknowledge before we proceed.
For the case of stepping away from news and screens, I think that sometimes doom scrolling reaffirms many people’s beliefs that our society will never be saved from the issues that seemingly plague our everyday lives. I think taking the time to step away, or trying to focus on larger stories that relay facts rather than fearful stories of what “could” happen is really important. I also think that when you are a part of the group that is being reported on it is also appropriate to step away if it begins to affect your mental health. For example, as a woman who lives in a state that has an 1849 abortion ban, I became incredibly anxious when Roe v Wade was overturned at the federal level last summer, and stepping away from the news was necessary for me at times. It also can be hard for me as someone who has many teachers in my life to constantly read about school shootings. As a member of the LGBTQ community, it is extremely hard for me to watch as fellow members of this community are fighting for their rights against harmful setbacks in legislation, and watch as things like the “Don’t Say Gay” bill in Florida are talked about on the news.
On the other hand, it is very important, especially in today’s society and political climate, to stay informed on current events. There are also news sources on various social media platforms that focus on promoting positive news stories as they come, and following these accounts can really help people who find themselves overwhelmed by the negativity associated with current events escape the more pessimistic news. That being said, only keeping up with positive news, and remaining naive or uninformed on topics that are hard to digest is a privilege that many people don’t have. Issues of racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia and transphobia-related news often report things that directly impact people’s everyday lives. While it can be tempting to ignore the news that doesn’t directly affect you, being an ally to those who are a part of marginalized groups, whose lives are the reality of this news, is very important.
I have also found that directly involving yourself or trying to make a difference in your community about these issues can help relieve some of the stress associated with the news. Last summer my friends and I got involved in local protests against the Wisconsin abortion ban, and making sure that your voice is heard by voting and helping others register and stay informed about voting can be important too. I have found that this sometimes relieves my stress related to certain things because I know that I have done what is possible for me to try to combat the things stressing me out. I also think it is important to try to do things other than just endlessly share news stories and try to get out into the world and do something about it.
While I don’t have the answer of how to create the perfect balance between being politically aware and taking care of your mental health, I do think that finding a balance for yourself, especially when the issues are directly affecting you, is important. I also think that this is something that Millenials and Gen Z are struggling with more compared to previous generations as we live through large, newsworthy events because of the 24-hour news cycle created by social media and new technology. Our generations have also become more aware of the effects of being a bystander or ignoring news and issues that don’t necessarily affect you. With all of that being said, take care of yourself, stay as educated as possible and stay safe in this seemingly scary world.