How to Avoid the News Blues

If keeping up with the news brings you down with feelings of depression, anxiety, and other negative emotions, take a tip from an MGH expert: Learn to recognize when news coverage is causing you distress, and make a habit of walking away.

People who are disturbed by the daily drumbeat of negative news can usually find out all they need to know about current events by reading the newspaper headlines, watching the TV news re-cap, or listening to a two-minute newscast on the radio, says Amy Farabaugh, PhD, Director of Psychotherapy Research at MGH’s Depression Clinical and Research Program.

“Modern news coverage sometimes focuses on violent, shocking, or disturbing content that is intended to attract attention and generate an emotional reaction in the audience,” ex-plains Dr. Farabaugh. “It’s very powerful, but it may not depict an accurate picture of the real world. It is best if we are aware of the potential bias, as it may skew our feelings and thinking in ways that are not helpful.”

WHAT YOU CAN DO

The following strategies may help insulate you against news-related anxiety, depression, and stress:

  • Focus on the local and personal issues where you can impact events to counteract feelings of helplessness generated by news reports.
  • Lend your financial and volunteer support to organizations that are attempting to make positive changes on issues that are upsetting to you.
  • Make friends with optimistic individuals who lift your mood.
  • Learn relaxation techniques to reduce your levels of stress.
  • Seek treatment for serious anxiety, or depression lasting two weeks or longer.

Psychological toll

Media coverage of local, national, and international events often involves an endless stream of traumatic film footage, stories, and sound bites. Research suggests that this disturbing coverage can be a major source of tension and anxiety for many news consumers. In one large 2014 study published online by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, one-quarter of the 825 respondents who reported experiencing a great deal of stress in the past month said that reading, watching, or listen-ing to the news was one of their biggest daily stressors. A study of news-related stress conducted after the Boston bombings found that “people who exposed themselves to six or more hours of media daily actually reported more acute stress symptoms than did people who were directly ex-posed” to the bombings.

Other research has tied heavy news consumption to greater risk for feelings of hopelessness, frustration, anger, depression, anxiety, and pessimism.

“These findings may reflect the tendency of many individuals to pick up on news events that reinforce the beliefs they already have about life,” Dr. Farabaugh points out. “For example, people who are already depressed may focus on depressing events in the world, and those who are anxious may be more sensitive to events that arouse fear or worry.”

News-proofing

A philosophy of “if it bleeds, it leads” guides most modern news organizations. Coverage is designed to be more exciting than informative, but it also incites fear, anxiety, and cynicism and erodes news consumers’ sense of security. Modern real-time coverage is often less well-researched and lacking in a sense of perspective that characterizes well-balanced news ac-counts. The small slice of events covered by most popular news outlets are usually chosen to boost ratings or circulation, rather than to present an evenhanded view of reality.

Knowing how to protect yourself against this skewed view of the world, then, is an important aspect of news consumption, Dr. Farabaugh says. Here are her suggestions:
Lead a well-balanced life with a variety of activities that inform your world view.
Live in the here and now and focus on things you can control.
Be conscious of the motives of the news business and adjust your reactions accordingly.
Avoid excessive exposure to news topics that are upsetting to you.
Seek out sources of upbeat news to balance out your news consumption. www.goodnewsnetwork.org and www.sunnyskyze.com/goodnews are good examples of upbeat Internet sites.
Look for less superficial, more insightful, news sources. For example, large-circulation national newspapers and magazines that do in-depth reporting are more likely to present the news in a balanced, nuanced, and informative manner.
Devote time to discussing and thinking about major issues, rather than the latest shocking crime story.

“If you start to feel stressed about current events, try to limit your exposure,” Dr. Farabaugh advises. “Consider asking yourself why you are seeking out this information, and—if you are going back for more—whether you are perhaps becoming a little obsessed with the news. Try to balance being up to date with the news with other experiences, such as enjoying pleasant interactions with others.”

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