Right now, it can feel like every day is full of mass dread and suffering in every corner of the world. If we think from a biological perspective, our brains weren’t designed to take on mass trauma and tragedy. It can be challenging if you use the news as a way to stay informed and as a way to be prepared for advocacy. Too much exposure, however, might have the opposite effect. We want to try and acknowledge that it is a privilege to have to watch the news to know what is going on instead of being directly impacted to the extent of some others. And, at the same time, it can be helpful to acknowledge that without taking breaks, we might lose some of our ability to advocate and be a resource to others. So, how do we navigate this? We composed a list of signs that it might be time to monitor your news intake, as well as a list of ways to implement coping skills in order to give you sustainability within your advocacy.Â
How to know you might need a break:
An increase in emotional distress: If you are noticing that you might be having a harder time regulating your emotions (i.e. increased crying spells, feeling on edge, peaks and valleys of feelings, etc) it might be a sign that you are absorbing too much information that is emotionally draining. Remember, our brains absorb information and tend to put an emphasis on things that feel threatening or might be risky which can then cause our nervous system to kick on our fight, flight, or freeze response.Â
Obsessively checking: You might begin to feel a little attached to the news outlets for a couple of reasons. Typically, people feel the need to be in the loop of things that are happening. When we are in a rapidly changing environment, there can be a tendency to see the news as a way to check and make sure you are the most informed that you can be or even for some reassurance that things will be okay. This can start to be distracting from everyday life especially if you are having challenges with putting away your phone or feeling the need to continually check in with news sources.
Physical side effects: As mentioned before, our fight, flight, or freeze response can be activated when we are ingesting information that feels threatening. This can be really challenging for our physical health because we can start to physically feel the effects of the stressors. Headaches, nausea, heart palpitations, restlessness, and GI upset are just a few of the many physical symptoms that we can experience when exposed to distress over a lengthy period of time.Â
How to take care of your news fatigue:
Setting boundaries: This can often be easier said than done. Setting boundaries with ourselves can make a world of difference in how we navigate our day to day lives. We want to make boundaries attainable. So, instead of an all or nothing approach, it might be easier to think about how we can ease ourselves into building a new habit. You might start with a 5 minute reduction, or a 10 minute one. Maybe it’s adjusting from watching the news to reading the news. Maybe it’s only having certain days that you engage with it. The possibilities are wide open, but some sort of boundary is better than no boundaries at all.Â
Trying to practice self soothing skills: Since these times can escalate our nervous system, finding a way to practice regulation can be very helpful. Making sure to take time to rest, feed yourself, getting outside, etc. can be a great way to increase our chances at regulating our central nervous system to stabilize our mental health. Try to carve out the same times daily in order to make these practices habitual.
Engage in community: In times like these, it can be really helpful to lean into your support system or community care. These moments can provide us with reprieve from being in our own thoughts and help us create a space that can feel inviting and engaging with our loved ones. You might have to create a boundary to not discuss things on the news, and sometimes that can be a welcomed break for others as well.
The information on this website is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical or psychological condition and is not a substitute for therapy. If you are experiencing an emergency please call/text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.