How not to get depressed with so much bad news

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

If you follow the world news, you probably often feel like you are drowning in a stream of negativity. It seems that everything in the world is really bad, every new day brings fresh confirmation of this, and you are in a depressed mood. Undoubtedly, it is important to know what is happening in the world, compassion and solidarity are also important, but we must protect ourselves from depression. And we will tell you how to do it.

How negative news affects us

Only bad news seems to fall on us around the clock. Directly a self-assembled tablecloth, which for some reason offers exclusively spoiled treats. This is due to the fact that we perceive the negative more sharply. News with a negative connotation has a stronger effect on our psychological state than neutral or positive news.

You pay more attention to bad news because you subconsciously try to protect yourself from such incidents. Bad news is a threat, so it’s okay for you to dwell on it. But the world does not collapse, sometimes it just seems so to you.

News portals and media outlets are very well aware of this human perception. And they want readers who are attracted to tragic news. When we see an accident on the road, we will definitely turn around to consider the details, even if we understand that helping is already pointless. News releases seem to shout: "Hey, there are a lot of accidents in one place, let's take a look!" Naturally, if we do not watch, they will most likely stop publishing it, but that is their business.

Why resist the temptation to watch bad news? After all, negative thinking cannot be so bad since it warns us. However, constant exposure to bad news increases stress levels, which can have serious mental health consequences in both the short and long term. Dr. Graham Davey, who specializes in the aftermath of media abuse stories, told the Huffington Post:

Graham Davy, Professor of Psychology Negative news can make a big difference in your mood, especially if the news broadcasts highlight the suffering and emotional components of a story. Bad news can affect your own worries, you start to perceive them as more difficult and threatening, you begin to worry more than your problems require it. As a result, you feel stressed and depressed.

When you see a tragedy on the news, remind yourself that there are many good things happening in the world at the same time, they just don't tell you about them. They are not brought to the main page. This does not mean that you should not care about the tragedies that occur, and it does not mean that you have to convince yourself that the bad news is not so bad. It is important to keep your head held high and acknowledge that you are only shown half of what is happening.

If you know what affects you the most, you can define limits for the impact of news. Jesse Singal, Editor-in-Chief of nymag.com, says bad news doesn't make anyone happy, but certain types of news bother you more than others. If you have already figured out which tragedy reports put you under great stress, try to reduce the amount of such news around you, or at least do not start studying the details of the incident.

For example, you are depressed by stories of child abductions. If you've heard or read one of them on the news, that's okay, don't ignore, accept the fact that it exists. But there is no need to continue studying the topic, delving into the terrible details of the incident. Looking for the details of the tragedy that happened, you will not protect yourself, but spoil your mood greatly. Help yourself and find out what you need to know only superficially so as not to get depressed.

Discuss the news with family and friends

If the recent news worries you very much and you feel mentally tired, meet with loved ones. Susan Fletcher, Ph. D., at Scrubs Magazine explains what's important even when you don't notice it. Spending time with friends and family will help you remember what is good in your world and can share your sadness about what you hear on the news. The longer you carry the whole load inside you, the worse you will feel.

Such meetings are similar to psychological support sessions: you talk about what worries you, and this helps to better understand what is happening and your feelings. John Sommerville, author of How the News Makes Us Dumb: the Death of Wisdom in an Information Society, believes that it is better to devote time to discussing and understanding the news than keeping up with new details.

After talking with friends, you will not forget about the incident, but the stress will ease. Often times, the fear of hearing the news is easy to overcome simply by telling loved ones about it. Just do not close yourself off from the opinions of your friends: express your vision and listen to others. The conversation should not turn into your speech and assent to others, it is after discussing what happened that you will feel better.

Help yourself and take a "news break"

You cannot completely shut yourself off from the news, but you can control the flow of news. It is not necessary to ignore all the world news, but it is necessary to take a break. Alison Holman, head of nursing at the University of California, Irvine, recommends avoiding too much news. Turn it off if all channels are talking about the same incident, do not read the news feeds, take a break and ask yourself: what exactly should I know? If you are not in a danger zone or near the scene, why listen or read eyewitness accounts for the fourth time? It’s even worse - to fall into the trap of news, about which no one really knows anything yet, but they are already talking.

Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage, and Michelle Gielan, author of Broadcasting Happiness at Harvard Business Review, suggest turning off all notifications and unsubscribing from newsletters by taking a "news break." It is good to be aware of events, but you do not need to keep track of every incident of the day. You don't need to be constantly bombarded with reports of another robbery or car theft. Unsubscribe from breaking news, turn off news app notifications. If the news hits you on the radio in your car, switch the wave and listen to music or a podcast. Better yet, enjoy the silence and the opportunity to reflect.

If your social media feeds are teeming with bad news, unsubscribe from the accounts that post or retweet them, block the particularly annoying ones. If it is possible to disconnect at least temporarily from social networks, this is also a good idea.

Add positive news

If for some reason you can't avoid bad news, dilute it with good news. Balance the received negative with positive to understand that there are good things in the world. This will help you maintain a positive attitude.

Good news or story in the morning will energize you. But if you prefer to start your morning with familiar news, then at least end your reading with something positive so that the bad news doesn't bother you all day.

Instead of worrying, think about what you can do

Think of bad news not as a source of frustration, but as a call to action. Rather than darkening with every news you hear and worrying about how awful the world is, think about what you can do to help in this situation or prevent it in the future.

For example, organize the collection and dispatch of things or money for the victims of the tragedy. You will not have time to worry, since you will be involved in active work. And you will understand that the world is not so bad, because there are people like you who make it better.