Balancing news exposure in 2021 to protect your mental wellbeing

Lock-down extensions, climate-related floods and wildfires, international humanitarian disasters, controversial political debates… the list goes on. This is what we have been subjected to from the newsfeed over the past months. Trying to strike a balance between being informed by the news and not becoming overwhelmed by it, is becoming increasingly challenging, especially during a global pandemic.

Over the past 18 months, many of us have increased our news consumption following the emergence of COVID-19 in Australia. While this may keep us up to date with the world and how we might be impacted as individuals or as a community at large, it may also cause an unnecessary increase in stress, anxiety, low mood, and a skewed negative outlook on life. Here are some things to consider if you are feeling overwhelmed by the reported state of the world at the moment.

Check in with yourself

There is no magic amount of ‘news exposure’ that we can tolerate before our mental health becomes affected, as we all respond differently and have different limits. However, we do know that repeated exposure to negative information and sensationalised headlines and stories impacts our brain.  Our brain in these circumstances activates our fight or flight response, repeatedly placing our mind and body into an anxious state, ready to fight or flee danger. 

It is important to realise that news consumption is in your control, and it is okay to check-in with yourself, take a break and put boundaries in place to protect yourself, if you are noticing an impact on your mental health. 

Ask yourself this question after news exposure “How do I feel after receiving that information? Has it made me angry, irritated, on edge or pessimistic?”   If you often feel like this, maybe you are exposing yourself to too much news and you might benefit from reduced media consumption.

Implement boundaries

Expose yourself to the news when you are ready for it. Many of us are targeted by our mobile phone’s automated news headlines which pop up at any time of the day. We have developed a habit of scrolling news websites as soon as we awake or have the 24/7 news channel on in the background while working from home. Plan for when you will be the right headspace to be exposed to the news.

·         Consider when in the day suits you best. When are you ready to receive this information?  Sometimes first thing in the morning or before we go to bed isn’t the best for us.   

·         Consider turning off automatic news updates on your phone and seek the news when you feel up to it. (I’m sure a co-worker a loved one will update you if we enter yet another lockdown!)

Put it into perspective

Many of us are passionate about social justice, politics, the environment and the general safety and wellbeing of others. This is a beautiful and inspiring thing but it can come at a cost when we don’t put external events into perspective.  This caring nature can lead us to have displaced feelings of guilt, helplessness and sadness by the events portrayed in the news, many of which we have absolutely no control over, like the devastating events unfolding now in Afghanistan.  

Some mental health professionals have suggested using mantras to create some distance from these headlines. For example, “I feel empathy for those individuals who are suffering from XXXX right now. I am not going to dwell on this as it doesn’t affect me right now and it is not in my control. Dwelling does not serve anyone” OR “I acknowledge what’s happening in the world, but I will not let it define my life. I can only do my part.”

Choose your source wisely

Our team recommends The Guardian to read articles, ABC if you’re a TV person, or The Squiz podcast for a short snippet of accurate, non-exaggerated news.

Of course, if you just want to keep up to date with the situation on COVID-19, it is best to access daily summaries from the World Health Organisation and the Commonwealth Department of Health. 

There are many things that we cannot control right now in 2021, but news exposure and your reaction to it is in your hands and might make this year a little bit easier.

Need further support? Get in touch with our team on (03) 9645 5677.