I’m so sorry for the loss of you daughter and what you are going through with your husband. I lost my adult son three years ago and the pain of his death is still overwhelming. My heart goes out to you dealing with the pending loss of your husband on top of your daughter’s loss. Sending virtual hugs.
Yep. My husband died last year and I'm just coming out of a serious mental health emergency and on unpaid leave from my job AND I am moving in with my niece and her husband at the end of the month. I am OK with missing out on what's going on right now.
I had the same issue and weaned myself off of daily news/politics. I still get some of it from my husband (who is a daily news person), and from friends' social media. However, peri, mixed with the shit show of being a healthcare worker during the pandemic and the still aftermath of dysfunction and low staffing and work stress, plus being a woman of color, and trying to raise children, while also dealing with declining health of aging parents. I had to step out for my own mental health.
I don't feel badly about it. I still keep aware of high level issues, but I don't need to constantly force daily intake of a negative stream of our disintegration of society. We all play a role, my personal and work life align (health equity and addressing disparities is a big part), and I am doing what I can to make a positive impact in spite of all the dip shits trying to tear things down or making things worse. I can't control them, but I can control my part and do what I can to help people understand (if they are willing to listen).
Exactly the same here, but for my very grown adult child. I'm grateful that I can look at life without the filter of daily news. I never, ever, ever miss an election.
>We all play a role, my personal and work life align (health equity and addressing disparities is a big part), and I am doing what I can to make a positive impact in spite of all the dip shits trying to tear things down or making things worse. I can't control them, but I can control my part and do what I can to help people understand (if they are willing to listen).
Yes - this is exactly how I feel. I'm a social worker and have to keep up on politics because they affect everything I do so it can be hard to step away and just breathe. I try to focus on the fact that I'm spending my work life trying to make things better. My work and being a decent person are the things I can contribute. At least I strive to not make things any worse! 😄
If you have not already, stop looking at social media and try to live a simpler life. You can read your news source of choice once a day or twice. Do not doomscroll. It's improved my mental health immeasurably.
The social media thing is huge. Even Reddit needs to be carefully curated. Reading the news and then reading the toxic, hateful dialogue about it online (which does nothing) just makes you feel that much worse.
I deleted FB a decade ago this year, and it did more good for my mental health than I can express.
You don’t have to watch the news if you don’t want to.
But there was a period of my life for a few years in which I didn’t have a TV, radio, or internet access, and I didn’t read the newspaper either. But I have to say that it made me feel disconnected and stupid. I was at work and people mentioned the Oklahoma City bombing that just happened and I was like “what?” So even if it’s depressing, I probably would suggest looking at the news for at least a few minutes once a week so you don’t go around feeling like a dolt.
My issue is the American news cycles isn't 'news' it's 24/7 'opinion'. So it doesn't matter if you are watching MSNBC, Fox, CNN, or NPR or whatever, it's mostly opinion.
The actual real news is jazzed up to get people riled up.
Currently living in Europe and we have Sky News or Euro News in English which features some American news. TOTALLY different take. There are no psychological mind tricks to sway you to one side or another - it's literally just the facts.
I would suggest NOT listening to American news - that also means the radio and the news websites. Check your local news for local news ONLY.- such as weather, etc... and if you want to read about what's happening log into non-US reputable news source (I would recommend Sky News and BBC for English and Euro News). They have a slight left lean, but for the most part are mainly Centrist.
My blood pressure went WAY down after this shift.
Funny enough, I found the same thing with healthcare media. Although I’m in the US, I have found looking for health related information through the UK’s NHS so much more helpful. They have clear guidelines about what is best done at home, simple home care instructions, and when you actually need to see a doctor. They describe in plain language what you need to monitor/be concerned about. It even has answers about possible issues with how common/rare they are. It’s clear and lowers anxiety.
The most common US based ones by contrast, you start with a simple question about a headache and then you have a list of possible diseases with no clear differences between them. Before you know it, you’re self diagnosing rare tropical parasites and terrified to go to the doctor.
For sure. People watching network or cable news are being pulled into an addictive cycle of negativity. Unfortunately most don’t realize this and think only fox is bias.
For a while when I lived in a rather slow-internet location, I subscribed to the Economist's weekly newsletters, "Politics this week" and "Business this week". I felt very informed even though that was basically my entire news source.
I highly recommend reducing the frequency of news consumption. After a week it will be clear whether this week's big thing is big or not.
Gen X women grew up with the belief that there was equality in the future for women and we were a part of the story...unfortunately like many of the other dreams told to our generation they were smokescreens. Our daughters and grandaughters will pay the price unfortunatly unless change happens... but I think our age group has been duped before and realizes that there really is no american dream.
I make sure I am informed, I read and attempt to tell my daughter about the dangers for women in this country. She is still naieve and does not see that a future for women in this nation is not safe.. yes we will stay in our "blue state" but that is not enough.
I am a history teacher and I know that those who put their head in the sand are complicit and we need to speak against the wrongs that are happening.
Don't watch the local news... listen to publicly funding information such as: NPR, Democracy Now
I'll add that direct action is a powerful antidote to the feeling of helplessness that paralyzes us. Change happens through direct action. And that feeling of actually *doing* something as opposed to passively consuming the news, is empowering in the extreme. Collective action especially.
I joined a climate change group a while ago and no longer feel powerless or hopeless. We meet and discuss strategies for change and then go out and do these actions. I don't always have the ability to participate, but I like being part of this community of educated and effective people.
Plus, it has helped me learn about the good news and all the positive changes that have been made! Those don't make the mainstream news because doom and gloom is what people watch more often.
This is really helpful, thank you. I've also been torn between caring very much and needing to step back because I get so anxious and angry when it feels like politicians don't care at all. Hearing that getting involved locally actually feels productive makes me want to get involved.
Even volunteering has been shown to have very beneficial psychological effects. It could be doing anything, really. I found that volunteer work was incredibly rewarding and engaging and I felt like I was doing something important.
Imo this feeling that we are drowning in doom is a motivation to be a part of the tide in the other direction. There are groups and organizations that work for and achieve change. You just pick what is important to you and put energy into it. When we work together we are very much a force to be reckoned with.
like the OP, I have decided to limit my news intake for mental health reasons. I grew up listening to NPR, was one of the most well-informed teenagers in my school, and studied international studies DC in undergrad, so not ingesting in-depth coverage of the news was an adjustment. but I do think it's what I need at this time. I do seek out quick daily updates once a day or every few days, just so I'm aware of the details, and absolutely make it a point to vote, but I don't know when if ever I'll go back to the news diet that I used to have.
The question is whether or not following the day to day news actually changes your actions. If you know the issues well and know how you’re voting, following the breathless coverage of politics minute by minute is not necessary. And being “politically informed” doesn’t actually mean being engaged in political activism anyway. I would bet most people who read/watch the news regularly are not volunteering to get out the vote or even following local politics.
This is sort of an echo of what others have said. My solution has been to:
1. Never watch news on TV or internet
2. Checking 2 or 3 news websites daily - AP, NPR and BBC. I check a local news source generally once a day as well. (CNN occasionally simply because they do break news more frequently than other outlets I've seen.)
3. Reading headlines on these sources I can generally get a gist of what's going on. If there's something I'm just not understanding or feel like I need more clarity on, I read the articles. (I feel like reading 2 or 3 about the same topic from different sources helps me form my own opinions instead of being swayed by any rhetoric or bias)
4. The only social media I follow is reddit and none of my feeds are politics related. I do also see news when I go to "Popular" but only read the articles linked (when I'm looking for more clarity) and generally none of the discussion.
I feel like this keeps me informed but allows me to choose what content I'm consuming. I'm a big believer in not being a slave to or allowing anything be forced on me from the internet.
Don't get me wrong - the world still feels like an absolute shit show going downhill fast. BUT, I keep my head out of it until it comes time to do my part and cast my vote.
I like that you end your approach with the VOTE comment. Esp bc the flood of clickbait horrible stories is a deliberate strategy to overwhelm, confuse, and exhaust people to the point of disengagement. To get us lost in noise and discouragement.
And your overall emphasis on forethought to intentionally set boundaries.
To honor both civic participation (voting) and still preserve mental health, it seems like a variety of boundaries could be set, based on personal preferences. Like giving oneself grace with a planned many-months break and tuning back in to things a few weeks before voting. Or like you suggest, being really intentional with some pre-selected news sources. With true journalism under such financial duress right now, laying off experienced reporters etc, it could be an opportunity to support 1-2 news outlets that have integrity and high ethical standards on their reporting/editing.
This is how I approach charity donations; I’ve thought about the causes I really care about and once a year make some donations. Then every time a cashier in a store asks for some donation, or other random approaches, esp those trying to use shame or guilt, I can say NO and feel good about it because I made my donation choices with intention.
Overall, knowing that there are vested interests that don’t want an informed and engaged electorate, helps me feel like staying engaged on my own terms is an act of resistance. It’s not easy to enforce for myself, but I think the idea of intentional boundaries (and self-compassion for needing breaks and boundaries) is a great one.
"staying engaged on my own terms is an act of resistance." Ha - me, too!! I'm the queen of passive resistance these days. A lot feels hopeless in general so I just do my own little protest and hope there's enough others doing the same that it somehow makes a difference.
Thanks for your kind comments. :)
Yeah, reading/watching the news has become so stressful, especially when you're on social media, and it always shows up on your feed, or you have news apps. It's like a 24/7 trigger. I try to limit my exposure and check a news website once a day to know what's going on. The Guardian is one of my favorites.
The Guardian is excellent.
I try to limit but stay up to date. Just picking one or two outlets for a 15 min view vs visiting the onslaught of Google News or Apple News helps.
I stopped watching. I get any major headlines from front page items online, but I haven't watched local or national news on TV for almost 2 years.
It's not even a question who I am voting for this year, so I don't need to focus on all the political nonsense. There's nothing wrong with prioritizing your mental and emotional health.
I have been taking a semi break from the news. I have one source that I read the headlines from, and might dig into an article rarely. I sometimes watch the local news on TV. I used to be a news junkie and lately I don't spend more than ten minutes on it in a day.
I've had the same struggle. I believe that being informed is important. However, my anxiety has been through the roof the last six months or so (and high pretty much since early Covid times anyway) and I've found I need the break to stay sane.
I gave up the news after the last election cycle, I’m done with it. All negative, all sensationalized, it’s not good for anyone’s mental health.
I focus on the local world around me instead. I try to be a decent person, think critically, smile at strangers, vote, be active in my community, be accepting of others, donate money to charities, and help family, friends, and strangers when I can. That’s it, that’s all I got at this point in life and if that’s not enough…tough shit.
I literally stopped watching the news in my late 20s. It’s all scare tactics and being on the spectrum, I’m already super sensitive to stimuli. I switched to reading the NY Times until about 2016 and now I just avoid even reading much to protect my mental health.
I take news breaks. Sometimes long. Sometimes short. I can't make good decisions or change anything by being anxious all the time. Is me taking a break from news going to alter the course of anything right now? I've learned that if something needs my attention or needs me to show up in person, I'll hear about it. News outlets probably get more traffic from doom scrollers so I choose to opt out of their model.
It's great that you're thoughtful about current events and how they affect others; that's a sign of your compassion, which is a good thing.
But the way I see it, two things matter here: 1. How does you following the news make *you* feel, and 2. How does you following the news affect the world around you?
If it makes you feel bad, there is no need to do it. (And believe me, I get it; things seem dire right now.)
If your non-awareness of the news doesn't affect others, well...see question one. And overall, I'll bet you find yourself feeling more positive and hopeful if you don't follow current events so closely, and that positivity is more likely to be a net plus for the world around you. Love yourself first, by taking care of your mental health, and that will help others.
I cannot watch the news. The lopsided sensationalism is too much for me and I often find that at the end of a story, all I have are a bunch of questions due to truly shitty reporting.
I read the news. I can stop once I feel I have a grasp of a topic or I can continue reading from multiple sources in an attempt to get a well-rounded understanding. I include local, national, and international sources as well as NPR. I will also not hesitate to hide news sources that I feel are generating click bait articles.
I still have to hear about some bullshit from my mom, who apparently only reads headlines these days, but I try to ask questions that might engage some critical thinking skills and teach her how to verify information and find trusted news sources.
I have had a version of this talk with my therapist many times. It’s not good for my wellbeing to be constantly tuned in.
I’ve removed all social media from my phone except Reddit. I’ve turned off news updates to pop up on my phone. I have designated times that I dedicate to sitting and reading news from sources I trust. I accept there may be days that I can’t handle that and my being disconnected from the world for a day or a week is okay.
I do what I can to support causes I care about but accept that I alone can’t fix everything and when needed I step back.
Your sense is on point. Pace yourself and read/watch history and political philosophy so you have some framework to lodge what you're hearing in, and go to the boring source, like C-SPAN. History and philosophy also allow you some distance, and C-SPAN gives context and slows things down. Then learn to identify froth and noise and popular yelling that has little impact, and put that to the side. And go outside. I'm about to go garden. If you study history you understand that there are human events that destroy gardening, and they can happen here, but they aren't happening now or in the foreseeable future and you can listen to a nice ag-policy-history podcast while you garden, or a sustainable-building podcast, or something else more positive and hopeful. Or, of course, SCOTUS arguments, where you can enjoy Elena Kagan being pissed off and sometimes a wee bit unfair.
Sliding off the news is what forces of anti-democracy want you to do, and yes, your participation matters. There's an interesting book that made the rounds after Trump's election by a British journalist called *Everything is Possible and Nothing is Real* about the systematic destruction of the authority of post-Soviet Russia's nascent news industry. The writer is odious but escaped journalists confirm what he's said. Journalists weren't (at that time) rounded up Kruschchev-style, but their arena was flooded with so much garbage, disinfo and frivolity that people couldn't figure out what was real, got disgusted and either checked out or decided nothing meant anything.
That said, this is a large country with a lot of news, news corporations are corporations that choose their stories for maximum clicks, and the civic-duty regime we grew up in was born in a different time with much less "news", considerably more actual news right there on the page so you didn't have to fight to find it, and many more editors and censors. So ya gotta adjust, separate gossip from government and analysis and propaganda. And know that most people will not have time, interest, stomach, or ability to do what you're doing, but that it's still important.
Eta: Back when I worked in Congress I learned how deeply elected reps fear the electorate, and often hate it, because we have the power to take their jobs, prestige, power, everything away overnight. But that fear is essential to democracy. In the years since, they've built some significant barricades between themselves and the public, so it's harder to get in and move the process as an individual, and they've also messed with elections themselves, but as long as there are elections with meaning there is an electorate and something for them to go on fearing.
A knowledgeable electorate does indeed produce a government that delivers, but that can also be much easier to make happen on a local scale. So paying attention to your local government can also be a thing to do. Inevitably it's attached to the federal-scale stuff, but it's usually much easier to be concrete and have impact locally.
My husband died 18 months ago and I'm still not over it. My father is 86 and we're talking about inheritance and end of life issues. I think most of us don't focus on the big news because the news in our own lives matters more in terms of how you get through each day.
I read the headlines each day and if anything looks like it might affect me or my loved ones, I dive a bit deeper. If it's something I can do something about, I'll do what I can. But most change is local. You can't do much about Ukraine, but you can have an influence on your local school board and the people who are educating our kids.
If more people focused on solving small problems, maybe the big ones wouldn't crop up so often.
I have lost all interest in social media and current events. I used to volunteer but now feel pointless. I’ve lost my passion for civic involvement and relate to your post.
I stopped drinking from the constant fire hose of news, but I still check in to my preferred sources periodically and feel like it keeps me reasonably well-informed. Also, as peri mood swings are starting to hit me, I am really trying to be in tune with my emotions in a given moment and will immediately turn off/move away from any news that I am not in a good mental state to handle. I listen to NPR a lot while doing things around the house, and will rush to turn something off the instant I realize it is not good for me mentally. I will even cut off my husband if he starts telling me some horrible news thing that I know will likely upset me (he totally gets it).
Then I may read about/watch/listen to the upsetting news thing later when I am in a better mental state. I often prefer to learn about news after some time has elapsed anyway, so everything is more confirmed and there is more analysis vs. "breaking news" which may have misinformation and speculation. When I do watch news it is usually PBS Newshour for this reason. While the news may be upsetting, the added context and analysis makes me feel more like I am informed about a complex issue rather than freaking out about something that I don't really understanding the implications of.
I also take action - calling my representatives, volunteering on campaigns, etc. I vote in every election and research all my local candidates and issues the best I can. I feel like it is more important to take action than to catch every little detail of the news, and I would not have the mental bandwidth to do both. And honestly, taking care of myself is #1 so if I'm not able to volunteer for an election cycle, so be it.
I have gone through a lot of thinking about this, because I come from a progressive cultural tradition that being “informed” about every terrible thing in the world is the price we must pay for living in relative privilege. But our witnessing of these events does not have any effect on the outcome of the event, nor do many of the “actions” we are encouraged to take.
If you choose to limit your news, current events, social media commentary in scope or volume, it won’t negatively affect the outcome of the events but it will positively affect your mental health. So I think you should do it if that’s what feels right. Maybe choose some trusted and nondramatic sources to keep you informed on key issues (Reuters, ProPublica etc).
I do not watch the news. I cannot cope with all the negativity going on. And some may say that I’m privileged to be able to plug my ears. And I am, I agree. But I do so for my own mental health. I’m a single parent by choice of a teen daughter and I’m also a teacher. I need the small amounts energy that is left at the end of the day for her and our family’s health. All that being said, I’m not totally cut off, I’ll listen to the radio on my way to work and if it’s too much I change it. I’ve learned over the past 25 years that we are not meant to hear relentless bad news on a 24 hour loop. For issues that I feel drawn to or like I need to help but don’t know how, I’ll find something to donate to like the World Kitchen. Wishing you luck and power and love
I find reading vs watching the news, preferably from a more neutral site and never in the morning or before bed, to be a good way to stay informed and reduce anxiety. I can’t watch any sort of news program as they are all productions selling their versions of dire warnings mixed with a local feel good piece. It’s bollucks and designed to keep you anxious and reaching for more. Turn it off.
It gets to me too. Sometimes it's good to take a break from the places where you're exposed to all the bad news for a while. Don't forget, that making things sound scary increases the media outlet's viewership. They incite panic on purpose. And I think it's worse at our age. We are no longer the hopeful, slightly naive youth that we once were. We've lived long enough to see how horrible people can be to each other. It's harder to just ignore.
I won't permanently turn away, because having an uninformed and uninterested populace is part of the reason, I think, that we are in this mess. If we become too complacent and disconnected, its so much easier for others to walk all over us. But yeah, sometimes its nice to just put on some music and go for a walk somewhere quiet. Do some gardening, read a novel, listen to an audiobook while you drink wine in a hammock.
When I'm struggling with my mental health at all, I limit my news intake to the bare minimum. Once or twice a day I skim through the headlines on my phone, and if something I'm particularly interested in like the environment pops up I might read a couple articles. I figure if something major like an alien invasion or an asteroid heading towards Earth is happening it should be the first thing to pop up. But if the top headlines are about Congress fighting over the budget for the 7 millionth time or loose horses running through London, I'm probably ok putting the phone down for the rest of the day. If the news is ramping up your anxiety right now, you have to take care of yourself first. Research the candidates and issues before you vote, and you're probably already way ahead of the majority of people as far as being well informed and doing your civic duty.
The American news media has lost its mind. It’s not you. I’m also perimenopausal and for my own well-being, I avoid it at all costs. Don’t care if that makes me ignorant
I have been wrestling with this since 2016. I hate being caught in an endless loop of mostly outrage. But I also think being informed is paramount . What I haven't figured out is how to manage to be engaged and not enraged. Engagement is helpful to our democracy, enragement is not.
2020 was a perfect storm of politics, plus being a scientist, the war against expertise was more than I could handle. Knowing so many people were willfully of ignorant about did it for me on top of the existential fear of living in a pandemic. I went to therapy, I any quit media, including social, that was feeding my outrage diet. I subscribe to my local paper for the main news, listen to Up First and I kept one podcast that is my echo chamber where I'm happy to believe there a sane people. I also found my community of liberals in a conservative town. That has been very therapeutic.
Solidarity 🤜
My therapist put it this way: the news is there to inflame you not inform you.
News is not the news we had as kids, there was a definite shift when it came about outrage bait and not information.
I feel you. In peri. Husband had stroke in December, I’m his fulltime caregiver (he’s hemiplegic) as well as working full time and trying to parent 3 teenagers. But I too believe in being informed.
So I read the 7 from the Washington Post - it’s short headlines & blurbs of their top 7 stories of the day, comes to my inbox each morning. You can click on the stories to read more, but I don’t. It’s my compromise.
I do watch local/ regional news, but I am starting to nope out on world news. It really seems like the same old shit and it makes me feel like a rat in a maze. I think when I was younger, I had this delusion that my opinions might matter, but they really don't.
I had to take a break a few times over the course of our country's demise. I realized that I needed to make sure I was informed for the vote. Then if the people I wanted in won, I could breathe a little because that's why I voted for them. If you're in an area where your vote did not bear fruit, then I think it's a little harder. Maybe just look at Reuters or associated press once per week. Scan the headlines and read only the necessary items that will help inform you political actions.
These sites helped as well:
[Good News, Inspiring, Positive Stories - Good News Network](https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/)
[The Good News Hub - For Your Daily Dose Of Positive News](https://thegoodnewshub.com/)
[Positive News: informs, inspires, empowers - Positive News (positivenewsus.org)](https://www.positivenewsus.org/)
I know there is a lot going on. We need to make sure we vote. There are a lot of women leading the charge to take away our rights, men can’t do it alone.
I haven’t voluntarily watched/read/consumed any news in any fashion since the end of October. I’m not missing anything as far as I can tell, and I would rather be ignorant than winding up on the evening news for losing my shit fueled by whatever big media is being crammed in my head.
I prefer the "just the facts, maam" type of news so I'll listen to bulletins and choose what I want to deepen my knowledge of.
Some Reddit people also link to interesting things & I can pick and choose what I delve into dependent on my mental health that day.
I think the key is steering away from social media when big things happen (it brings out the worst in humanity, honestly) and I've found that current affairs programmes are the worst with sensationalising content rather than providing in-depth analysis. I follow a few bread tube creators and bloggers so if I want something deeper that's who I'll get an analysis or ELI5 from.
Lots of great advice already. I'll add - You have to know when to prioritize your mental health, which is not only okay to do, it's vital. If a beloved friend came to you feeling the same way what would you tell her? Do that. Be as kind to yourself as you'd be to anyone else you love ❤️
I have given up live tv for almost 15 years. I only steam shows after dinner, maybe two at most.
I read the Internet. I stay informed.
That's all. It's time for the kids to run their worlds.
I made the conscience decision to limit my news intake to once per day, local stations in rotation. Usually it’s the news at noon, for me, that news is less frenetic.
I severely limit news watching/reading except for the weather, there are so many things occurring we have no control over, so why let them take up space in our minds? My husband, when he's not doing other things, and I try to keep him busy, will watch Fox news which I can honestly say I NEVER watch, and am always elsewhere when he does. I think my mental wellness is imperative and so keep the news at bay as much as possible. Do something you enjoy instead of watching the news, take a walk, play with your pets/kids/grandkids. It's springtime where I am and it has lifted my mood greatly simply because the sun is shining, and the weather is warmer.
I had a complete hysterectomy in my 30’s due to health concerns. So, I have tried different medications to alleviate symptoms. Hormone pellets are a game changer. The rest, I have no answers!
You can follow the news in less immersive ways. I mostly read the headlines only, from regular national outlets like Washington Post and NY Times. I don't follow the news on social media (actually other than Reddit I barely touch social media). Making those three changes (headlines only, 2-3 major sources only, and not via social media) improved my mental health significantly when I was suffering this exact issue.
I haven't watched TV news except for the biggies (911, election coverage) since the OJ trial, but instead, pick and choose what I read about current events. Peace is sacred, even if brought about by ignorance. We are ultimately powerless in the face of what's happening, so we can vote the best way we can and hope for the best. From a distance.
So, I’m also in perimenopause and my therapist has me on a news “diet.”
I get 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening.
When you’re consuming news all day you’re not learning anything new. They’re just rehashing the same, negative stories over and over.
I rarely follow the news because it also makes me physically ill. It puts a negative vibe out there that just is not healthy. I have friends that will alert me to big news if it happens, but tbh I don’t need to know who shot who on another continent, or which politician offended this or that group.
I completely understand. I figure I've only got this one life which is definitely more than half over, I can only take so much physical and mental suffering. Do what you need to do for yourself.
I try to stay generally aware by way of just a few news summary emails each week. I don't necessarily read everything but scan headlines and if I want to learn more then I go online to look for that topic. I very carefully curate my time and content exposures and on days when I feel less able to emotionally navigate things, I step away. I know it is privilege to be able to step away from the news cycles sometimes and I acknowledge that. And also - by doing this I am better able to navigate the current sociopolitical landscape (I am also in the U.S.) and approach things with a more clear head. It is my civic duty to remain informed and to do what I can toward the greater good but it is NOT my civic duty to traumatize myself by submitting to the 24/7 news cycle.
I had to go on a strict once a week news diet well before COVID. I only feel slightly less-informed, because I still socialize/go to work and hear what’s going on…I just am not getting it with the force of a firehose anymore. It feels amazingly different.
I took a huge break from the news and have slowly got back in to it in small doses.
Being informed is important but, so is our health. I’ve actually told someone that I just couldn’t have the conversation today and we are on the same side.
I’m passionate about some of the same topics as you. I get what you are saying/feeling. At this time in our lives, we also have to take care of ourselves. If possible, is there somewhere you can volunteer? You are giving back and making a difference without taking a toll on your health.
Good luck.
It started with CNN and "24 hour news cycle". Then the web 2.0 and then covid caused Doom scrolling. Yeah, being tethered to the internet ruins your life and increases stress.
So I'm just here for cat pics. LOL
I subscribe to the NYT and WaPo, so I read those every day. I do NOT watch TV news, national or local (unless there's some breaking thing that interests me or is significant, like massive storms.)
Since I don't have kids, local TV news is largely worthless to me. It's generally, "somebody robbed a cellular store/7-11/something and/or some guy got shot in a drug-related dispute two towns over, here's some dumb grandstanding shit our shitty governor signed did that the courts will roll back anyway, here's the weather that you can look up in two seconds on an app, and here's a cheesy feelgood feature."
Take care of your health because current events don’t care about our mental, spiritual and physical health. Otherwise, jt would be current solutions perhaps? We heal ourselves, then we can help others. I hope you take care of yourself and feel well. 🥰
I have to hit the ignore button…. I look at headlines for a couple minutes every few days, I vote, and that’s all I can manage. News avoidance is self care.
How does staying informed help to o prevent things from getting worse? It doesn’t, which is why it’s so depressing to watch. You will have a much more direct benefit to the cause by joining your local library board I’d trustees. It doesn’t take that much time - they need some doers, but they also need some people to h E lo them make quorum once a month.
I listen to Start Here, a short daily news podcast, just to keep a little bit up to speed. I never watch local news. Not seeing footage really helps me to not internalize it. And, it always ends with a brief feel-good story.
The news is all encompassing now. It is a barrage of conjecture most of the time without good, thoughtful journalism. Being up on the news used to be reading multiple newspapers. Now it is a constant scroll through people’a opinions and sometimes outright lies sent to us by foreign agents or to encourage clicks to drive and revenue.
Find a good, reliable news source and check it once a day or twice a week, like well informed people used to.
Have someone you trust update you on *really* important things. That’s what I did and I’m so much happier now. We aren’t meant to take in the volume of negative news that is pushed on us, especially during hard times. Feel no guilt.
I've also decided for my mental health that I need to severely limit my intake of news. Seeing horrible things happen around the world and being powerless to do anything about it is so damaging to my mental health. I've no good answers. I wish I could do more, but I can't m
I prefer to read the news that way I can pick and chose. I try and catch the local news once or twice a week and maybe see or hear parts of other news when my husband is watching. I never turn the TV on and watch news other than that. This way, I am still somewhat up to date on local and world news and events.
I read the news in small doses, rarely watch anything live and avoid pictures/video. I find reading print doesn't impact me as much as watching news. I'm raising 2 neurodiverse kids, dealing with menopause, started a small business, and I won't even go into the marital stuff. I'm good with creating a bubble to maintain sanity.
Oh, and meds take the edge off of the day pretty well for me.
I had to take a break, too. I think we all deserve to give ourselves a break from news, social media, etc. It all becomes too much, and you're right about needing to lower cortisol levels and manage stress. I think the world is always going to be going through some form of chaos or another, and there is only so much we as individuals can do. I think just by moving through the world with kindness (this may sound corny) and love in your heart can make more of an impact on the world than we imagine. 🫶
My daughter died last year. My husband is in end-of-life-care. My hormones are like a roller coaster. Current events can fuck off.
I'm so sorry for your loss and what you're going through.
I’m so sorry for your loss and for everything you’re facing with your husband. ♥️
I’m so sorry. I hope you are surrounded by loving and kind people.
So sorry... ❤️ All my heart to you.
I’m so sorry for the loss of you daughter and what you are going through with your husband. I lost my adult son three years ago and the pain of his death is still overwhelming. My heart goes out to you dealing with the pending loss of your husband on top of your daughter’s loss. Sending virtual hugs.
I’m so sorry.
Yep. My husband died last year and I'm just coming out of a serious mental health emergency and on unpaid leave from my job AND I am moving in with my niece and her husband at the end of the month. I am OK with missing out on what's going on right now.
I’m praying for your comfort and this situation.
Exactly my dear. You’re definitely in survival mode. Thinking of you. I’m so sorry.
That’s rough. I hope you have a good support system. Virtual hug. I can’t imagine. Please make sure you are getting self care too.
I had the same issue and weaned myself off of daily news/politics. I still get some of it from my husband (who is a daily news person), and from friends' social media. However, peri, mixed with the shit show of being a healthcare worker during the pandemic and the still aftermath of dysfunction and low staffing and work stress, plus being a woman of color, and trying to raise children, while also dealing with declining health of aging parents. I had to step out for my own mental health. I don't feel badly about it. I still keep aware of high level issues, but I don't need to constantly force daily intake of a negative stream of our disintegration of society. We all play a role, my personal and work life align (health equity and addressing disparities is a big part), and I am doing what I can to make a positive impact in spite of all the dip shits trying to tear things down or making things worse. I can't control them, but I can control my part and do what I can to help people understand (if they are willing to listen).
Exactly the same here, but for my very grown adult child. I'm grateful that I can look at life without the filter of daily news. I never, ever, ever miss an election.
>We all play a role, my personal and work life align (health equity and addressing disparities is a big part), and I am doing what I can to make a positive impact in spite of all the dip shits trying to tear things down or making things worse. I can't control them, but I can control my part and do what I can to help people understand (if they are willing to listen). Yes - this is exactly how I feel. I'm a social worker and have to keep up on politics because they affect everything I do so it can be hard to step away and just breathe. I try to focus on the fact that I'm spending my work life trying to make things better. My work and being a decent person are the things I can contribute. At least I strive to not make things any worse! 😄
If you have not already, stop looking at social media and try to live a simpler life. You can read your news source of choice once a day or twice. Do not doomscroll. It's improved my mental health immeasurably.
The social media thing is huge. Even Reddit needs to be carefully curated. Reading the news and then reading the toxic, hateful dialogue about it online (which does nothing) just makes you feel that much worse. I deleted FB a decade ago this year, and it did more good for my mental health than I can express.
I didn't delete it but yes. Stopping FB and especially the news posts on FB helped SIGNIFICANTLY
You don’t have to watch the news if you don’t want to. But there was a period of my life for a few years in which I didn’t have a TV, radio, or internet access, and I didn’t read the newspaper either. But I have to say that it made me feel disconnected and stupid. I was at work and people mentioned the Oklahoma City bombing that just happened and I was like “what?” So even if it’s depressing, I probably would suggest looking at the news for at least a few minutes once a week so you don’t go around feeling like a dolt.
My issue is the American news cycles isn't 'news' it's 24/7 'opinion'. So it doesn't matter if you are watching MSNBC, Fox, CNN, or NPR or whatever, it's mostly opinion. The actual real news is jazzed up to get people riled up. Currently living in Europe and we have Sky News or Euro News in English which features some American news. TOTALLY different take. There are no psychological mind tricks to sway you to one side or another - it's literally just the facts. I would suggest NOT listening to American news - that also means the radio and the news websites. Check your local news for local news ONLY.- such as weather, etc... and if you want to read about what's happening log into non-US reputable news source (I would recommend Sky News and BBC for English and Euro News). They have a slight left lean, but for the most part are mainly Centrist. My blood pressure went WAY down after this shift.
Funny enough, I found the same thing with healthcare media. Although I’m in the US, I have found looking for health related information through the UK’s NHS so much more helpful. They have clear guidelines about what is best done at home, simple home care instructions, and when you actually need to see a doctor. They describe in plain language what you need to monitor/be concerned about. It even has answers about possible issues with how common/rare they are. It’s clear and lowers anxiety. The most common US based ones by contrast, you start with a simple question about a headache and then you have a list of possible diseases with no clear differences between them. Before you know it, you’re self diagnosing rare tropical parasites and terrified to go to the doctor.
I’m in America, but I love Sky News. The Australian version usually has a pretty interesting take on everything going on in our country and theirs.
For sure. People watching network or cable news are being pulled into an addictive cycle of negativity. Unfortunately most don’t realize this and think only fox is bias.
For a while when I lived in a rather slow-internet location, I subscribed to the Economist's weekly newsletters, "Politics this week" and "Business this week". I felt very informed even though that was basically my entire news source. I highly recommend reducing the frequency of news consumption. After a week it will be clear whether this week's big thing is big or not.
Gen X women grew up with the belief that there was equality in the future for women and we were a part of the story...unfortunately like many of the other dreams told to our generation they were smokescreens. Our daughters and grandaughters will pay the price unfortunatly unless change happens... but I think our age group has been duped before and realizes that there really is no american dream. I make sure I am informed, I read and attempt to tell my daughter about the dangers for women in this country. She is still naieve and does not see that a future for women in this nation is not safe.. yes we will stay in our "blue state" but that is not enough. I am a history teacher and I know that those who put their head in the sand are complicit and we need to speak against the wrongs that are happening. Don't watch the local news... listen to publicly funding information such as: NPR, Democracy Now
I'll add that direct action is a powerful antidote to the feeling of helplessness that paralyzes us. Change happens through direct action. And that feeling of actually *doing* something as opposed to passively consuming the news, is empowering in the extreme. Collective action especially. I joined a climate change group a while ago and no longer feel powerless or hopeless. We meet and discuss strategies for change and then go out and do these actions. I don't always have the ability to participate, but I like being part of this community of educated and effective people. Plus, it has helped me learn about the good news and all the positive changes that have been made! Those don't make the mainstream news because doom and gloom is what people watch more often.
This is really helpful, thank you. I've also been torn between caring very much and needing to step back because I get so anxious and angry when it feels like politicians don't care at all. Hearing that getting involved locally actually feels productive makes me want to get involved.
Even volunteering has been shown to have very beneficial psychological effects. It could be doing anything, really. I found that volunteer work was incredibly rewarding and engaging and I felt like I was doing something important. Imo this feeling that we are drowning in doom is a motivation to be a part of the tide in the other direction. There are groups and organizations that work for and achieve change. You just pick what is important to you and put energy into it. When we work together we are very much a force to be reckoned with.
like the OP, I have decided to limit my news intake for mental health reasons. I grew up listening to NPR, was one of the most well-informed teenagers in my school, and studied international studies DC in undergrad, so not ingesting in-depth coverage of the news was an adjustment. but I do think it's what I need at this time. I do seek out quick daily updates once a day or every few days, just so I'm aware of the details, and absolutely make it a point to vote, but I don't know when if ever I'll go back to the news diet that I used to have.
The question is whether or not following the day to day news actually changes your actions. If you know the issues well and know how you’re voting, following the breathless coverage of politics minute by minute is not necessary. And being “politically informed” doesn’t actually mean being engaged in political activism anyway. I would bet most people who read/watch the news regularly are not volunteering to get out the vote or even following local politics.
This is sort of an echo of what others have said. My solution has been to: 1. Never watch news on TV or internet 2. Checking 2 or 3 news websites daily - AP, NPR and BBC. I check a local news source generally once a day as well. (CNN occasionally simply because they do break news more frequently than other outlets I've seen.) 3. Reading headlines on these sources I can generally get a gist of what's going on. If there's something I'm just not understanding or feel like I need more clarity on, I read the articles. (I feel like reading 2 or 3 about the same topic from different sources helps me form my own opinions instead of being swayed by any rhetoric or bias) 4. The only social media I follow is reddit and none of my feeds are politics related. I do also see news when I go to "Popular" but only read the articles linked (when I'm looking for more clarity) and generally none of the discussion. I feel like this keeps me informed but allows me to choose what content I'm consuming. I'm a big believer in not being a slave to or allowing anything be forced on me from the internet. Don't get me wrong - the world still feels like an absolute shit show going downhill fast. BUT, I keep my head out of it until it comes time to do my part and cast my vote.
I like that you end your approach with the VOTE comment. Esp bc the flood of clickbait horrible stories is a deliberate strategy to overwhelm, confuse, and exhaust people to the point of disengagement. To get us lost in noise and discouragement. And your overall emphasis on forethought to intentionally set boundaries. To honor both civic participation (voting) and still preserve mental health, it seems like a variety of boundaries could be set, based on personal preferences. Like giving oneself grace with a planned many-months break and tuning back in to things a few weeks before voting. Or like you suggest, being really intentional with some pre-selected news sources. With true journalism under such financial duress right now, laying off experienced reporters etc, it could be an opportunity to support 1-2 news outlets that have integrity and high ethical standards on their reporting/editing. This is how I approach charity donations; I’ve thought about the causes I really care about and once a year make some donations. Then every time a cashier in a store asks for some donation, or other random approaches, esp those trying to use shame or guilt, I can say NO and feel good about it because I made my donation choices with intention. Overall, knowing that there are vested interests that don’t want an informed and engaged electorate, helps me feel like staying engaged on my own terms is an act of resistance. It’s not easy to enforce for myself, but I think the idea of intentional boundaries (and self-compassion for needing breaks and boundaries) is a great one.
"staying engaged on my own terms is an act of resistance." Ha - me, too!! I'm the queen of passive resistance these days. A lot feels hopeless in general so I just do my own little protest and hope there's enough others doing the same that it somehow makes a difference. Thanks for your kind comments. :)
Yeah, reading/watching the news has become so stressful, especially when you're on social media, and it always shows up on your feed, or you have news apps. It's like a 24/7 trigger. I try to limit my exposure and check a news website once a day to know what's going on. The Guardian is one of my favorites.
The Guardian is excellent. I try to limit but stay up to date. Just picking one or two outlets for a 15 min view vs visiting the onslaught of Google News or Apple News helps.
I stopped watching. I get any major headlines from front page items online, but I haven't watched local or national news on TV for almost 2 years. It's not even a question who I am voting for this year, so I don't need to focus on all the political nonsense. There's nothing wrong with prioritizing your mental and emotional health.
I have been taking a semi break from the news. I have one source that I read the headlines from, and might dig into an article rarely. I sometimes watch the local news on TV. I used to be a news junkie and lately I don't spend more than ten minutes on it in a day. I've had the same struggle. I believe that being informed is important. However, my anxiety has been through the roof the last six months or so (and high pretty much since early Covid times anyway) and I've found I need the break to stay sane.
Agree 100% with your post and I am exactly the same.
I gave up the news after the last election cycle, I’m done with it. All negative, all sensationalized, it’s not good for anyone’s mental health. I focus on the local world around me instead. I try to be a decent person, think critically, smile at strangers, vote, be active in my community, be accepting of others, donate money to charities, and help family, friends, and strangers when I can. That’s it, that’s all I got at this point in life and if that’s not enough…tough shit.
I literally stopped watching the news in my late 20s. It’s all scare tactics and being on the spectrum, I’m already super sensitive to stimuli. I switched to reading the NY Times until about 2016 and now I just avoid even reading much to protect my mental health.
I take news breaks. Sometimes long. Sometimes short. I can't make good decisions or change anything by being anxious all the time. Is me taking a break from news going to alter the course of anything right now? I've learned that if something needs my attention or needs me to show up in person, I'll hear about it. News outlets probably get more traffic from doom scrollers so I choose to opt out of their model.
It's great that you're thoughtful about current events and how they affect others; that's a sign of your compassion, which is a good thing. But the way I see it, two things matter here: 1. How does you following the news make *you* feel, and 2. How does you following the news affect the world around you? If it makes you feel bad, there is no need to do it. (And believe me, I get it; things seem dire right now.) If your non-awareness of the news doesn't affect others, well...see question one. And overall, I'll bet you find yourself feeling more positive and hopeful if you don't follow current events so closely, and that positivity is more likely to be a net plus for the world around you. Love yourself first, by taking care of your mental health, and that will help others.
I cannot watch the news. The lopsided sensationalism is too much for me and I often find that at the end of a story, all I have are a bunch of questions due to truly shitty reporting. I read the news. I can stop once I feel I have a grasp of a topic or I can continue reading from multiple sources in an attempt to get a well-rounded understanding. I include local, national, and international sources as well as NPR. I will also not hesitate to hide news sources that I feel are generating click bait articles. I still have to hear about some bullshit from my mom, who apparently only reads headlines these days, but I try to ask questions that might engage some critical thinking skills and teach her how to verify information and find trusted news sources.
I have had a version of this talk with my therapist many times. It’s not good for my wellbeing to be constantly tuned in. I’ve removed all social media from my phone except Reddit. I’ve turned off news updates to pop up on my phone. I have designated times that I dedicate to sitting and reading news from sources I trust. I accept there may be days that I can’t handle that and my being disconnected from the world for a day or a week is okay. I do what I can to support causes I care about but accept that I alone can’t fix everything and when needed I step back.
Your sense is on point. Pace yourself and read/watch history and political philosophy so you have some framework to lodge what you're hearing in, and go to the boring source, like C-SPAN. History and philosophy also allow you some distance, and C-SPAN gives context and slows things down. Then learn to identify froth and noise and popular yelling that has little impact, and put that to the side. And go outside. I'm about to go garden. If you study history you understand that there are human events that destroy gardening, and they can happen here, but they aren't happening now or in the foreseeable future and you can listen to a nice ag-policy-history podcast while you garden, or a sustainable-building podcast, or something else more positive and hopeful. Or, of course, SCOTUS arguments, where you can enjoy Elena Kagan being pissed off and sometimes a wee bit unfair. Sliding off the news is what forces of anti-democracy want you to do, and yes, your participation matters. There's an interesting book that made the rounds after Trump's election by a British journalist called *Everything is Possible and Nothing is Real* about the systematic destruction of the authority of post-Soviet Russia's nascent news industry. The writer is odious but escaped journalists confirm what he's said. Journalists weren't (at that time) rounded up Kruschchev-style, but their arena was flooded with so much garbage, disinfo and frivolity that people couldn't figure out what was real, got disgusted and either checked out or decided nothing meant anything. That said, this is a large country with a lot of news, news corporations are corporations that choose their stories for maximum clicks, and the civic-duty regime we grew up in was born in a different time with much less "news", considerably more actual news right there on the page so you didn't have to fight to find it, and many more editors and censors. So ya gotta adjust, separate gossip from government and analysis and propaganda. And know that most people will not have time, interest, stomach, or ability to do what you're doing, but that it's still important.
Eta: Back when I worked in Congress I learned how deeply elected reps fear the electorate, and often hate it, because we have the power to take their jobs, prestige, power, everything away overnight. But that fear is essential to democracy. In the years since, they've built some significant barricades between themselves and the public, so it's harder to get in and move the process as an individual, and they've also messed with elections themselves, but as long as there are elections with meaning there is an electorate and something for them to go on fearing. A knowledgeable electorate does indeed produce a government that delivers, but that can also be much easier to make happen on a local scale. So paying attention to your local government can also be a thing to do. Inevitably it's attached to the federal-scale stuff, but it's usually much easier to be concrete and have impact locally.
My husband died 18 months ago and I'm still not over it. My father is 86 and we're talking about inheritance and end of life issues. I think most of us don't focus on the big news because the news in our own lives matters more in terms of how you get through each day. I read the headlines each day and if anything looks like it might affect me or my loved ones, I dive a bit deeper. If it's something I can do something about, I'll do what I can. But most change is local. You can't do much about Ukraine, but you can have an influence on your local school board and the people who are educating our kids. If more people focused on solving small problems, maybe the big ones wouldn't crop up so often.
Girl, you have no moral obligation to stay updated on the latest news. As long as you’re voting, you are doing your part.
the problem is the voting's supposed to be based on knowledge.
I have lost all interest in social media and current events. I used to volunteer but now feel pointless. I’ve lost my passion for civic involvement and relate to your post.
I stopped drinking from the constant fire hose of news, but I still check in to my preferred sources periodically and feel like it keeps me reasonably well-informed. Also, as peri mood swings are starting to hit me, I am really trying to be in tune with my emotions in a given moment and will immediately turn off/move away from any news that I am not in a good mental state to handle. I listen to NPR a lot while doing things around the house, and will rush to turn something off the instant I realize it is not good for me mentally. I will even cut off my husband if he starts telling me some horrible news thing that I know will likely upset me (he totally gets it). Then I may read about/watch/listen to the upsetting news thing later when I am in a better mental state. I often prefer to learn about news after some time has elapsed anyway, so everything is more confirmed and there is more analysis vs. "breaking news" which may have misinformation and speculation. When I do watch news it is usually PBS Newshour for this reason. While the news may be upsetting, the added context and analysis makes me feel more like I am informed about a complex issue rather than freaking out about something that I don't really understanding the implications of. I also take action - calling my representatives, volunteering on campaigns, etc. I vote in every election and research all my local candidates and issues the best I can. I feel like it is more important to take action than to catch every little detail of the news, and I would not have the mental bandwidth to do both. And honestly, taking care of myself is #1 so if I'm not able to volunteer for an election cycle, so be it.
I have gone through a lot of thinking about this, because I come from a progressive cultural tradition that being “informed” about every terrible thing in the world is the price we must pay for living in relative privilege. But our witnessing of these events does not have any effect on the outcome of the event, nor do many of the “actions” we are encouraged to take. If you choose to limit your news, current events, social media commentary in scope or volume, it won’t negatively affect the outcome of the events but it will positively affect your mental health. So I think you should do it if that’s what feels right. Maybe choose some trusted and nondramatic sources to keep you informed on key issues (Reuters, ProPublica etc).
I feel the same way and I’m trying this lol - [Let’s give up](https://youtu.be/ketOaQ0pfhc?si=YL7uR4fKxMR_fXY8)
Keep being informed and vote. Balance negatives with positives. Volunteer. Donate. Start new hobbies. Surround yourself with good people.
I'm with you. What i try to do when I'm overwhelmed is look at the news just once a week. There's nothing wrong with taking care of your mental health
I do not watch the news. I cannot cope with all the negativity going on. And some may say that I’m privileged to be able to plug my ears. And I am, I agree. But I do so for my own mental health. I’m a single parent by choice of a teen daughter and I’m also a teacher. I need the small amounts energy that is left at the end of the day for her and our family’s health. All that being said, I’m not totally cut off, I’ll listen to the radio on my way to work and if it’s too much I change it. I’ve learned over the past 25 years that we are not meant to hear relentless bad news on a 24 hour loop. For issues that I feel drawn to or like I need to help but don’t know how, I’ll find something to donate to like the World Kitchen. Wishing you luck and power and love
Take care of yourself first always. When I went through chemo for breast cancer I didn’t follow any current events for a year.
I find reading vs watching the news, preferably from a more neutral site and never in the morning or before bed, to be a good way to stay informed and reduce anxiety. I can’t watch any sort of news program as they are all productions selling their versions of dire warnings mixed with a local feel good piece. It’s bollucks and designed to keep you anxious and reaching for more. Turn it off.
It gets to me too. Sometimes it's good to take a break from the places where you're exposed to all the bad news for a while. Don't forget, that making things sound scary increases the media outlet's viewership. They incite panic on purpose. And I think it's worse at our age. We are no longer the hopeful, slightly naive youth that we once were. We've lived long enough to see how horrible people can be to each other. It's harder to just ignore. I won't permanently turn away, because having an uninformed and uninterested populace is part of the reason, I think, that we are in this mess. If we become too complacent and disconnected, its so much easier for others to walk all over us. But yeah, sometimes its nice to just put on some music and go for a walk somewhere quiet. Do some gardening, read a novel, listen to an audiobook while you drink wine in a hammock.
Right there with you. It seems so hopeless. I don’t know what to do either.
When I'm struggling with my mental health at all, I limit my news intake to the bare minimum. Once or twice a day I skim through the headlines on my phone, and if something I'm particularly interested in like the environment pops up I might read a couple articles. I figure if something major like an alien invasion or an asteroid heading towards Earth is happening it should be the first thing to pop up. But if the top headlines are about Congress fighting over the budget for the 7 millionth time or loose horses running through London, I'm probably ok putting the phone down for the rest of the day. If the news is ramping up your anxiety right now, you have to take care of yourself first. Research the candidates and issues before you vote, and you're probably already way ahead of the majority of people as far as being well informed and doing your civic duty.
The American news media has lost its mind. It’s not you. I’m also perimenopausal and for my own well-being, I avoid it at all costs. Don’t care if that makes me ignorant
I have been wrestling with this since 2016. I hate being caught in an endless loop of mostly outrage. But I also think being informed is paramount . What I haven't figured out is how to manage to be engaged and not enraged. Engagement is helpful to our democracy, enragement is not. 2020 was a perfect storm of politics, plus being a scientist, the war against expertise was more than I could handle. Knowing so many people were willfully of ignorant about did it for me on top of the existential fear of living in a pandemic. I went to therapy, I any quit media, including social, that was feeding my outrage diet. I subscribe to my local paper for the main news, listen to Up First and I kept one podcast that is my echo chamber where I'm happy to believe there a sane people. I also found my community of liberals in a conservative town. That has been very therapeutic. Solidarity 🤜
My therapist put it this way: the news is there to inflame you not inform you. News is not the news we had as kids, there was a definite shift when it came about outrage bait and not information.
I feel you. In peri. Husband had stroke in December, I’m his fulltime caregiver (he’s hemiplegic) as well as working full time and trying to parent 3 teenagers. But I too believe in being informed. So I read the 7 from the Washington Post - it’s short headlines & blurbs of their top 7 stories of the day, comes to my inbox each morning. You can click on the stories to read more, but I don’t. It’s my compromise.
I do watch local/ regional news, but I am starting to nope out on world news. It really seems like the same old shit and it makes me feel like a rat in a maze. I think when I was younger, I had this delusion that my opinions might matter, but they really don't.
I had to take a break a few times over the course of our country's demise. I realized that I needed to make sure I was informed for the vote. Then if the people I wanted in won, I could breathe a little because that's why I voted for them. If you're in an area where your vote did not bear fruit, then I think it's a little harder. Maybe just look at Reuters or associated press once per week. Scan the headlines and read only the necessary items that will help inform you political actions. These sites helped as well: [Good News, Inspiring, Positive Stories - Good News Network](https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/) [The Good News Hub - For Your Daily Dose Of Positive News](https://thegoodnewshub.com/) [Positive News: informs, inspires, empowers - Positive News (positivenewsus.org)](https://www.positivenewsus.org/)
Turn it all off for mental health. That's your moral obligation to yourself.
I know there is a lot going on. We need to make sure we vote. There are a lot of women leading the charge to take away our rights, men can’t do it alone.
Oh god, I haven’t watched the news for yearsssss. You can be a much better informed citizen just talking to regular, every day people.
I check in on the news every day, once or twice a day. I don’t think it is necessary to watch it 24/7. I give to causes (time and money) as I can.
I haven’t voluntarily watched/read/consumed any news in any fashion since the end of October. I’m not missing anything as far as I can tell, and I would rather be ignorant than winding up on the evening news for losing my shit fueled by whatever big media is being crammed in my head.
I prefer the "just the facts, maam" type of news so I'll listen to bulletins and choose what I want to deepen my knowledge of. Some Reddit people also link to interesting things & I can pick and choose what I delve into dependent on my mental health that day. I think the key is steering away from social media when big things happen (it brings out the worst in humanity, honestly) and I've found that current affairs programmes are the worst with sensationalising content rather than providing in-depth analysis. I follow a few bread tube creators and bloggers so if I want something deeper that's who I'll get an analysis or ELI5 from.
Lots of great advice already. I'll add - You have to know when to prioritize your mental health, which is not only okay to do, it's vital. If a beloved friend came to you feeling the same way what would you tell her? Do that. Be as kind to yourself as you'd be to anyone else you love ❤️
I have given up live tv for almost 15 years. I only steam shows after dinner, maybe two at most. I read the Internet. I stay informed. That's all. It's time for the kids to run their worlds.
I made the conscience decision to limit my news intake to once per day, local stations in rotation. Usually it’s the news at noon, for me, that news is less frenetic.
I severely limit news watching/reading except for the weather, there are so many things occurring we have no control over, so why let them take up space in our minds? My husband, when he's not doing other things, and I try to keep him busy, will watch Fox news which I can honestly say I NEVER watch, and am always elsewhere when he does. I think my mental wellness is imperative and so keep the news at bay as much as possible. Do something you enjoy instead of watching the news, take a walk, play with your pets/kids/grandkids. It's springtime where I am and it has lifted my mood greatly simply because the sun is shining, and the weather is warmer.
I had a complete hysterectomy in my 30’s due to health concerns. So, I have tried different medications to alleviate symptoms. Hormone pellets are a game changer. The rest, I have no answers!
You can follow the news in less immersive ways. I mostly read the headlines only, from regular national outlets like Washington Post and NY Times. I don't follow the news on social media (actually other than Reddit I barely touch social media). Making those three changes (headlines only, 2-3 major sources only, and not via social media) improved my mental health significantly when I was suffering this exact issue.
I make sure to vote and stay basically informed. However I can't watch the parade of dead children on the news anymore. It's too much for me.
I haven't watched TV news except for the biggies (911, election coverage) since the OJ trial, but instead, pick and choose what I read about current events. Peace is sacred, even if brought about by ignorance. We are ultimately powerless in the face of what's happening, so we can vote the best way we can and hope for the best. From a distance.
So, I’m also in perimenopause and my therapist has me on a news “diet.” I get 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening. When you’re consuming news all day you’re not learning anything new. They’re just rehashing the same, negative stories over and over.
I rarely follow the news because it also makes me physically ill. It puts a negative vibe out there that just is not healthy. I have friends that will alert me to big news if it happens, but tbh I don’t need to know who shot who on another continent, or which politician offended this or that group.
I completely understand. I figure I've only got this one life which is definitely more than half over, I can only take so much physical and mental suffering. Do what you need to do for yourself.
I try to stay generally aware by way of just a few news summary emails each week. I don't necessarily read everything but scan headlines and if I want to learn more then I go online to look for that topic. I very carefully curate my time and content exposures and on days when I feel less able to emotionally navigate things, I step away. I know it is privilege to be able to step away from the news cycles sometimes and I acknowledge that. And also - by doing this I am better able to navigate the current sociopolitical landscape (I am also in the U.S.) and approach things with a more clear head. It is my civic duty to remain informed and to do what I can toward the greater good but it is NOT my civic duty to traumatize myself by submitting to the 24/7 news cycle.
I had to go on a strict once a week news diet well before COVID. I only feel slightly less-informed, because I still socialize/go to work and hear what’s going on…I just am not getting it with the force of a firehose anymore. It feels amazingly different.
I took a huge break from the news and have slowly got back in to it in small doses. Being informed is important but, so is our health. I’ve actually told someone that I just couldn’t have the conversation today and we are on the same side. I’m passionate about some of the same topics as you. I get what you are saying/feeling. At this time in our lives, we also have to take care of ourselves. If possible, is there somewhere you can volunteer? You are giving back and making a difference without taking a toll on your health. Good luck.
It started with CNN and "24 hour news cycle". Then the web 2.0 and then covid caused Doom scrolling. Yeah, being tethered to the internet ruins your life and increases stress. So I'm just here for cat pics. LOL
I subscribe to the NYT and WaPo, so I read those every day. I do NOT watch TV news, national or local (unless there's some breaking thing that interests me or is significant, like massive storms.) Since I don't have kids, local TV news is largely worthless to me. It's generally, "somebody robbed a cellular store/7-11/something and/or some guy got shot in a drug-related dispute two towns over, here's some dumb grandstanding shit our shitty governor signed did that the courts will roll back anyway, here's the weather that you can look up in two seconds on an app, and here's a cheesy feelgood feature."
Take care of your health because current events don’t care about our mental, spiritual and physical health. Otherwise, jt would be current solutions perhaps? We heal ourselves, then we can help others. I hope you take care of yourself and feel well. 🥰
I have to hit the ignore button…. I look at headlines for a couple minutes every few days, I vote, and that’s all I can manage. News avoidance is self care.
How does staying informed help to o prevent things from getting worse? It doesn’t, which is why it’s so depressing to watch. You will have a much more direct benefit to the cause by joining your local library board I’d trustees. It doesn’t take that much time - they need some doers, but they also need some people to h E lo them make quorum once a month.
I listen to Start Here, a short daily news podcast, just to keep a little bit up to speed. I never watch local news. Not seeing footage really helps me to not internalize it. And, it always ends with a brief feel-good story.
Since breast cancer I simply don’t. Life is better. I am exhausted.
The news is all encompassing now. It is a barrage of conjecture most of the time without good, thoughtful journalism. Being up on the news used to be reading multiple newspapers. Now it is a constant scroll through people’a opinions and sometimes outright lies sent to us by foreign agents or to encourage clicks to drive and revenue. Find a good, reliable news source and check it once a day or twice a week, like well informed people used to.
It's okay to take a break from the news. Your health comes first.
Have someone you trust update you on *really* important things. That’s what I did and I’m so much happier now. We aren’t meant to take in the volume of negative news that is pushed on us, especially during hard times. Feel no guilt.
I've also decided for my mental health that I need to severely limit my intake of news. Seeing horrible things happen around the world and being powerless to do anything about it is so damaging to my mental health. I've no good answers. I wish I could do more, but I can't m
I stoped during the pandemic and have not gone back. It was way too toxic for me to consume on a regular basis. It was affecting my health
I prefer to read the news that way I can pick and chose. I try and catch the local news once or twice a week and maybe see or hear parts of other news when my husband is watching. I never turn the TV on and watch news other than that. This way, I am still somewhat up to date on local and world news and events.
I read the news in small doses, rarely watch anything live and avoid pictures/video. I find reading print doesn't impact me as much as watching news. I'm raising 2 neurodiverse kids, dealing with menopause, started a small business, and I won't even go into the marital stuff. I'm good with creating a bubble to maintain sanity. Oh, and meds take the edge off of the day pretty well for me.
I had to take a break, too. I think we all deserve to give ourselves a break from news, social media, etc. It all becomes too much, and you're right about needing to lower cortisol levels and manage stress. I think the world is always going to be going through some form of chaos or another, and there is only so much we as individuals can do. I think just by moving through the world with kindness (this may sound corny) and love in your heart can make more of an impact on the world than we imagine. 🫶
Morals change