How to Mindfully Consume News During Challenging Times
In the span of 20 years we have gone from a one hour news cycle on television to a 24-hour news cycle that follows us around on on our personal devices. As we enter a highly political season in the United States, it can be very easy to get swept up in the massive amount of information being fed to us.
In an era dominated by a 24-hour news cycle, it’s crucial to approach news consumption mindfully, especially during challenging times.
It is well known that the constant influx of information via television and social media can significantly impact our mental health, oftentimes leading to anxiety and stress (Hwang et al., 2021). It is one thing to access the information you desire, it is another thing for media to be available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Researchers have found the more exposure a person has to news on social media, the more depression and PTSD symptoms one might experience (Price et al., 2022).
Mindful Ways to Consume Media
Turn off notifications. Allow yourself to engage with the news on your own terms rather than being constantly interrupted.
Assess your own energy levels before tuning into the news; if you’re already feeling overwhelmed, it might be best to wait until you feel more grounded.
Prioritize what you want to read by focusing on reliable sources and topics that are most relevant to you.
Understand that news outlets are designed to capture and hold your attention, often by emphasizing sensational stories and imagery. or negative stories. By setting boundaries and being selective about your news consumption, you can stay informed without compromising your mental well-being.
Read a print version of the news. Studies show that reading print is not as emotionally taxing as gathering news through the television or social media channels.
Do not “doomscroll”.
References:
Hwang, J., Borah, P., Shah, D., & Brauer, M. (2021). The Relationship among COVID-19 Information Seeking, News Media Use, and Emotional Distress at the Onset of the Pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(24), 13198. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413198
Price, M., Legrand, A. C., Brier, Z. M. F., Van Stolk-Cooke, K., Peck, K., Dodds, P. S., Danforth, C. M., & Adams, Z. W. (2022). Doomscrolling during COVID-19: The negative association between daily social and traditional media consumption and mental health symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 14(8), 1338–1346. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001202
