Are you experiencing news anxiety?
The constant barrage of headlines and the relentless cycle of worrying news about the state of the world is causing anxiety and overwhelm in so many of us
By Aviva Boxer, Registered Psychotherapist
When I worked in journalism, keeping up with the news was part of my job and daily routine. It was all anyone ever talked about, and it was always the focus and top priority. Being caught up and in tune with breaking news was fun and exciting for a time. And then it wasn’t.
I felt a lot of anxiety being in this heightened state, literally day and night, but I never felt I had a choice not to read, listen and watch everything that was happening in the world. And there was always so much. Websites and 24-hour TV news stations were constantly broadcasting breaking news, where everything was always blaring, scary and overwhelming. But now when I think back to those times, world news then seems quaint compared to what is happening now.
The non-stop barrage of news is taking a toll on each one of us.
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“If you don’t know what to do, do the next thing in front of you.” - Elisabeth Elliot
I don’t have to watch the news for my job anymore and I am finding it harder and harder to stay tuned in to more than just the headlines. I hear this from others in my life and from my clients as well — even those people who love having all the information and love being able to share the minutiae of a leader’s latest gaffes or outrageous actions. Even they are turning the TV off sooner or clicking off news sites sooner than they did before. They talk about feeling more stress, anxiety, irritability and fear about the future when spending too much time on the current-events roller coaster, particularly in regards to world news. They are choosing to tune out of excess news and tune in to other things in their lives such as more time in nature (even just more walks in the neighbourhood), passion projects, immersive books, spending more time with their family and friends or getting involved in helping at the local level, a place where it still feels possible to support others and make a difference.
I also hear from those reluctant news watchers who can’t look away and stop watching, even though they know their consumption of news is making them feel anxious. They talk about having trouble turning off the constant flow of information for fear that if they are not informed they will feel worse, and yet they feel terrible being too connected to what is going on.
What has changed in the last year or so?
The difference between now and the past is that there is no getting away from how dark the world feels even without watching every newscast and reading every headline. Even though we need to know what is going on, we also need a mental break from the relentlessness of watching the news of today and accepting the reality of the state of the world and the fear of what could happen in the future.
Finding the balance of staying informed but not too informed to the point of constant anxiety is different for everyone. Part of the challenge that comes with watching the news and worrying, is a feeling of lack of control. Big things are happening on the world stage and it is hard to watch them unfold over and over again and not feel powerless to stop or change them. And to a large degree, we are powerless. But isn’t that always the case? Other than voting or running for office, having an impact comes down to small actions and how they add up to big ones. Keeping our focus on the small picture — our friends and family, our neighbours, our community, our city — and checking in with the people who are literally all around us, may be just the thing to help ease our anxiety about the world and the future.
“If you don’t know what to do, do the next thing in front of you.” I love this quote so much for its soothing guidance. It is attributed to Christian author and missionary Elisabeth Elliot who talked in her writings about doing the next right thing when feeling overwhelmed and unsure of what to do next. I think this is such a helpful idea for this stressful time we are living through. Because we all know that being kind, helping others, listening, giving and sharing makes an actual difference in real people’s lives and can help us feel better too. And maybe starting with that can help to lessen a little of the anxiety so many people are feeling right now, allowing us to be more present in our lives and focus on what is in front of us.
If you are struggling to manage the stress that you feel watching what is happening in our world, you are not alone. Juggling the day-to-day stressors on top of a world that feels unstable and unpredictable can feel like too much to handle alone. If you feel that therapy is something that would help you, reach out to us for a consultation.