How to cope with current affairs when news stories are making you feel anxious

The past month has seen an onslaught of negative news headlines and horrifying imagery as a wave of violence has swept the UK.

Several major cities across the country have been hit by riots fuelled by racist rhetoric, with people of colour, asylum seekers and followers of the Muslim faith having been targeted. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has since dismissed the ongoing violence as "far-right thuggery", and has promised that those involved in illegal activities will face the full force of the law.

But how do we consume the current news healthily? Is there a way of keeping up to date without it taking its toll on your mental health?

Harper's Bazaar has consulted with a series of experts on how to best handle the news at the moment, and the ways you can stay informed without feeling overwhelmed.

Understand that some media outlets may present a distorted narrative

"There's no denying that there's no shortage of bad news, and there's nothing intrinsically harmful or bad about informing yourself about what is happening, but it is also true that there is a growing trend for news sources to focus on the sensational and emotional aspects of these terrible events," says Michaela McCarthy, managing director of clinical institute The Awareness Centre, which offers counselling, psychotherapy, psychology, psychosexual and relationship therapy, psychiatry and coaching.

"News reporters and journalists no longer just bring straightforward, impartial factual bulletins for five to 10 minutes every hour; the fact that they are now part of a 24-hour newsfeed means that they have to vie for your attention and turn the news into wall-to-wall 'entertainment'," McCarthy continues.

"News is not there just to inform anymore, it has to grab your attention—and keep it. And the way some reporters and editors do this is by ramping up the emotional and sensational aspects of a news event or story. The danger in this is that it portrays the world as being full of drama, and posing a constant threat to you, and you could take this as fact rather than making up your own mind as to the potential future danger to you."

Select your news sources carefully

"All news organisations in the early stages of a dramatic piece of news or event jump at any details and make a lot of them," explains Professor Neil Greenberg of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, who is an expert in PTSD/psychological harm of traumatic events. "But there are certain news outlets – some of the big tabloids—who don't aim to put across a balanced view. Even respectable outlets sensationalise facts, but some are far worse than others. Think to yourself, what is this publication setting out to do?"

Know your limits and consider a news curfew

It is in human nature to doomscroll, explains John-Paul Davies, Psychotherapist and spokesperson for the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).

"We’re all actually programmed to survive rather than to be happy and our default tendency is therefore most often to be problem focused in life. Our attention will naturally be drawn to news that worries and therefore, frequently, angers us. With the vast majority of news being ‘bad’ news, technology gives us instant access to every one of these stories across the world. We might then try to manage our anxiety by consuming more news, which has the opposite effect," he says.

"The more anxious we feel, the more anxiety-provoking stories we seek out and, with this viscous circle, you can see why today’s media is potentially such a source of distress for many. It can lead to someone obsessively scanning social media and websites for bad news, or ‘doomscrolling’ . People are left in a hyper-vigilant, worried, angry, or switched off state that profoundly adversely affects their mental, physical and emotional well-being. Some might also understandably try to shift their emotional state in the short-term using behaviours and substances that have longer-term adverse consequences."

However, if you are starting to feel the deeply adverse impact of constantly and automatically seeking out bad news, it may be time to consider doing a social media audit.

"If you start of feel overwhelmed, it may be a good idea to reconsider how and when you get your daily news fix," says Nia Charpentier, a media manager at Rethink Mental Illness. "Perhaps you find seeing images particularly distressing—if so you could try listening to the news on the radio. Or, if consuming the news in the evening means that you find it hard to get it off your mind, making it hard for you to sleep, try and set a 'news curfew', where you don't consume the news after 5pm. There are now also apps you can try that control how much we are logged on to social media. For example, it can be programmed so you only get updates for an hour a day or once in the morning and once in the evening.

Davies adds that it may be necessary that you check in with how you're feeling after engaging with certain outlets.

"Try to notice what dysregulates you," he says. "Many of us aren’t consciously aware of our thoughts and feelings from one moment to the next, so we might not even realise we’re distressed by doomscrolling until we’re overwhelmed,

Mute any triggering social media accounts

"Social media could help you stay in touch with people, but might also make you feel anxious—including if people are sharing news stories or posting about their worries," reads a statement from Mind. "Consider taking a break or limiting how you use social media. You might decide to view particular groups or pages but not scroll through timelines or newsfeeds."

"Setting boundaries is key," argues the BACP registered counsellor Georgina Sturmer. "We need to understand how much time and energy we are expending on watching and absorbing the news, and acknowledging what keeps us hooked into it. There’s a ‘pull’ factor from social media and news apps, with technology doing its absolute best to keep us hooked into an addictive endless scroll. There is also a ‘push’ factor, as we experience something internally that keeps us hooked too. Often it’s a sense of responsibility or guilt that has developed, as if we must or should absorb everything that we can, in order to feel less guilty of being a bystander.

"Actively engaging with the real world is important in order to keep a sense of perspective. Spending time outside, away from our screens, helps us to feel grounded and offers us a sensory reminder of the world beyond the traumatic images we see online."

Don't forget to balance bad news with activities that give you satisfaction

"While it is helpful to stay in-the-know about current affairs, it doesn't have to be all we consume," offers Charpentier. "As well as taking in the headlines, why not also take time to read a section of the newspaper that is of personal interest and enjoyment—whether that's a film or music review or the sports section. You could also download podcasts to break up listening to news reports or line up your favourite TV show for after the evening news."

Davies agrees. "As well as your distress, also notice when you’re feeling relaxed, inspired or joyful in life," he says. "You can then hopefully identify some connecting alternatives to doomscrolling to engage in. Behaviours like mindfulness, getting fresh air, creativity, singing, dancing, and speaking to friends can all help. With friends though, do notice whether conversations are helping you to manage your anxiety or are actually doing the opposite."

If you suffer from mental health illnesses, limit your news exposure

"If you're not feeling well mentally, whether that's because of a diagnosed mental health condition or you're going through a bad time generally, then stay away from news that distresses you," advises Greenberg. "There's research to show that for those who are already unwell mentally, or in the early stages of a certain mental health condition, seeing images or hearing distressing information will not only make you feel worse but it could prolong the issue. If you want to stay informed, ask someone who has watched or consumed the news to tell you what's going on."

Talk to your friends and family about the news

"Seek connection with others; if you can talk to friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances about your anxiety—and learn about theirs—you will be able to strengthen your own personal view of facts and events and how they affect you and your future, rather than accepting the sensationalised, fearful view wholesale," says McCarthy. "It is really understandable at times like this to feel your anxiety rising, but if you talk to someone about how you're feeling, it will help you to take a step back from your fear, put it in perspective and gain resolve."

It may also be worth checking in with friends who may be struggling in the current climate too, explains Sturmer.

"We don’t always know what to say when we want to support other people," she says. "But sometimes it can simply be helpful to share this—to acknowledge that we don’t have the right words, but that we care."

Consider taking a news detox

"Switching off from or having breaks from how you consume the news can be helpful if you're finding it's having a negative impact on your mental wellbeing," says Charpentier. "But it doesn't have to be all or nothing. Some people find the 'not knowing' even worse, so finding a balance is key."

Sturmer suggests that actively avoiding our smartphones may also be beneficial: "This might mean finding analogue solutions to the digital reasons that keep us on our devices," she says. "Share how you are feeling with other people. When we put a voice to our feelings, it can help us to feel more compassionate towards ourselves, and less overwhelmed."

Words by: Ella Alexander and Kimberley Bond

This article first appeared in harpersbazaar.com/uk in August 2024. 

Image: Pexels

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