How to protect the psyche from bad news: 13 saving tips

Sometimes it seems like there is no more good news. Crises, conflicts, pandemics, catastrophes — such headlines come in an endless stream and gradually begin to affect our mental health. At the same time, we cannot completely stop reading and watching the news if we want to keep abreast of current events. How can we protect our mental health from the constant flow of negative information? Here are some ideas.

1. Remember that the media has its own goals.

Recently, many publications and TV channels are increasingly chasing sensations and trying to evoke strong emotions in readers and viewers with loud and dramatic statements. Therefore, journalists often greatly exaggerate the risk of possible tragedies and disasters.

2. Don’t forget that the media paints a distorted picture of the world.

This is especially true for round-the-clock news channels — they have to keep the attention of viewers by all possible means at any time of the day or night. Their reports create an image of a world full of dangers and catastrophes, and, constantly watching the news, we begin to perceive it as such.

3. Choose Your Sources Carefully

Even quite respectable publications often succumb to the temptation to «inflate» the sensation. But the tabloids and yellow press usually do not even try to present the reader with a balanced assessment of events, aggressively imposing their own version — often completely implausible.

4. Read entire news stories

See the dramatic, scary headline? Do not limit yourself to only them, but read the article in its entirety. Most likely, you will realize that everything is not as bad as it seemed at first. And no wonder: the headline is designed to immediately attract the attention of the reader, and the easiest way to do this is to evoke negative emotions in him — fear or anger.

5. Know your limits and allow yourself a break from the news

If the flow of negative information in the media begins to cause a lot of stress, it’s time to give yourself a break. For example, if you find it particularly difficult to watch TV reports about tragedies and disasters, you can listen to the news on the radio instead. If you find it difficult to fall asleep after the evening news, try setting yourself a «curfew» — say, no news after 6 p.m.

In social networks, using special applications, you can adjust the frequency of updates — for example, to receive new messages only twice a day — in the morning and in the evening.

6. Block “toxic” social media accounts

Social media helps us keep in touch with the people who are important to us, but they can also often become a source of constant stress. If you notice that some users in your feed regularly post negative messages, it may be worth blocking them.

7. Go beyond the news

Of course, it is useful to keep abreast of events, but when reading websites and newspapers, do not limit yourself to news headings. There is always an opportunity to distract yourself from unpleasant messages by watching something interesting for you personally — for example, sections about movies or sports. And after the evening news on TV, you can switch to your favorite series to unwind and cheer up.

8. Make a list of everything that worries you

In an anxious state, it is difficult for us to pull ourselves together and reason logically. We have new and new fears — and less and less believable. Yes, theoretically anything can happen, but how likely is it? If the news is disturbing, take a piece of paper and make a list of everything that scares you, and then next to each item, rate the likelihood of this event on a scale of 1 to 5.

9. If you have a mental health problem, severely limit your news viewing.

If you’ve been diagnosed with a mental illness or just feel especially vulnerable right now, try to take care of yourself and avoid any negative news whenever possible. Research shows that unpleasant or shocking information can exacerbate mental problems.

10. Remember that the media tell tragic stories for a reason — they want to evoke strong emotions in you.

In news publications, we often come across heartbreaking personal stories of people who have suffered from various tragedies, illnesses, disasters. All this is gradually beginning to affect our mental health. It is important to understand that the vast majority of these stories do not provide us with any useful information, but only add stress to our lives.

11. Discuss the news with friends and family

Communication with significant people and mutual support is the key to good mental health. If the news causes you concern, it is worth discussing it with friends, relatives, colleagues or acquaintances. You will get to know their point of view on current events and you will be able to look at the situation in a more balanced way, without succumbing to the panic that is often provoked by the media.

12. Turn to spiritual practices

Even if you are not a religious person, you can benefit from various practices that make you feel like you are part of something bigger. They give us the opportunity to stop “obsessing over” ourselves and look at the world more broadly, not limited by the narrow confines of our own lives. This is very helpful in reducing anxiety.

13. Take a break from any news and strive for balance

If you realize that the flow of negative information is starting to affect your state of mind, arrange a little «vacation» for yourself. However, you should not go to extremes and abandon the news forever — informational isolation can also provoke anxiety. Try to find a reasonable compromise.

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