Contents
How the news affects mental health?
This, just in.. Read all about it!
How can the news affect our mental health?
First of all, it is worth noting that the news affects wellbeing negatively more than it does positively. At least, in the sense of national news and authority websites such as the New York Times. Other types of news like entertainment or creative-art news can be a booster for mental health.
The reason why it affects mental health negatively is because we can feel anxious reading about crime incidents near us, wars overseas, world leaders making nuclear threats, and so on.
We also know we’ll consume something potentially negative or depressing if watching the news, yet we feel compelled to view it anyway, in fear of ‘missing out’ on something. And it gets us into a cycle.
Does watching the news make you depressed?
The problem with the general news effects on mental health is that negative and distressing events are generally depicted more than positive events, which in turn creates a cognitive distortion that the world is a dangerous and unsettling place.
The other problem is that because families and others such as widows use the news to get an understanding about how the world is from a ‘filter’ that the broadcaster has created (often by only showing bad events)
Feeling depressed from the news can turn into anger
Sometimes we become so overwhelmed of seeing headline after headline of negativity, we actually become aggressive and furious about specific events, such as terrorism.
It is a natural, biological response to be concerned with a current event (especially a ongoing one like the current Covid-19 pandemic), but you need to find healthy ways to deal with anger as soon as possible.
What are the effects of Covid on mental health?
In the news in 2020 onward, you will hear nothing but the coronavirus pandemic. Each day, a news source will most likely come out with a headline along the lines of “Cases surge nationwide – another lockdown imminent?”
Everytime the news creates a new article about how many cases and deaths of COVID there is each day, it creates a negative cognitive distortion in our mind. The news wants us to be wound up in a negative emotional state, and that’s how they get us clicking on ads and subscribing $5 per month to bypass their paywalls, and that’s how they make money from us.
They plant the seed in our mind that another lockdown could occur, when in reality, governmental sources and trusted websites / medical companies aren’t stating that at ALL. It’s a complete WIND UP from the news!
Only trust reliable sources for drug and healthcare treatment information
Don’t soley rely on the general news media for your sources of drug treatments and medical diagnosis. You should always use trusted, unbiased websites which are scientific and factual in nature.
For instance some news channels may exaggerate health risks of CBD products, whereas in actual fact, it is incredibly safe.
Visit Our Resources Page for Trustworthy Drug and Healthcare Information
Why should you stop watching the news?
You should stop watching the news if it is becoming a obsession or a compulsion. People who suffer from psychological anxiousness tend to fall into the habit of checking and refreshing the news obsessively – in case they miss that ‘crucial’ piece of information. They may also be sufferers of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (more commonly known as OCD)
In reality, it is extraordinarily difficult to ignore news entirely due to our socialization, however the following may help assist you:
Taking breaks from consuming the news
They say too much of anything is bad for you, and this holds true for consuming the news. It can have a negative effect on mental health.
If ever you’re scrolling through articles seeing headline after headline like “X attack leaving 26 dead”, or headlines like “Biden is destroying America” and you feel depressed or emotionally anxious … STOP!
Close that tab, switch of the TV, get up and take a walk outside and see the world for what it really is. Count all the animals you can see, how many red cars you see – anything to distract your mind from the ‘picture’ the news have created inside your mind.
Only return to consuming it again until you NEED to, and be resilient with not buying the newspaper or entering your favorite news website in your address bar.
Positive effects of watching the news
Of course, this article wouldn’t be complete without highlighting some of the positive effects of watching the news on your television or smartphone / tablet.
Being informed about current events
This is why people watch and consume news. Today, the news can tell us if a train is late, if we should avoid going to a certain airport, and keep us informed of current events taking place. This can help us prepare ahead for specific circumstances we did not necessarily know prior.
Local understanding and familiarity
Similar to our last point, if your news channel of choice is anything like our’s is, they will cut to news dedicated to your area later on in the programme, which will tell you about the good (and bad, remember) events in your region.
The good things about this are that you can identify social opportunities and plan activities that you may find from consuming news media.
