Tempests of the mind
Coping with bad news can feel crushing
News of health scares, political crises, economic worries and environmental threats leave us constantly edgy — for a variety of reasons. Graham Davey at the University of Sussex points out the information we receive is often visual and graphic, making it seem more shocking than the printed word.
On social media, stories are frequently presented without context — for example, “Storm destroys 100 homes,” when we don’t know how many homes were hit in total. We look at news updates while in transit, at bedtime, during quick breaks — hardly ever when we can talk them through to help to put the information into a realistic context.
The American Psychological Association (APA) regularly conducts surveys to find which issues are most stressful. Mass shootings, health care and climate change came top in their most recent U.S. poll. More than half of respondents (54 per cent) said they want to stay informed, but following the news caused such stress — especially among younger adults — that 39 per cent were taking steps to reduce news consumption.
The way we’re now informed accounts for much of our distress. Instead of listening to a news roundup once or twice a day, we receive constant updates. The APA survey found 10 per cent check the news every hour and 20 per cent “constantly” monitor feeds.
Finally, communication reaches so far that we hear about terrible events from all over the world. Because there’s rarely anything we can do to help, we’re left feeling upset and powerless.
Although the way we encounter threat and distress has changed, our reactions have not. First, we’re hardwired to a negativity bias: When given the choice, we pay more attention to negative information than positive. This assures our safety and survival when threats are real and present, but otherwise it only creates distress. Second, hearing bad news not only lowers mood and creates anxiety, it also significantly increases the tendency to catastrophize about our own personal worries.
What can you do to regain a sense of proportion in the face of so much bad news?
Manage negativity: Limit how often you check news feeds — twice a day is plenty — and turn off alerts at other times. Listen with friends or your partner, so you can talk through content and place the information in context.
Practise positivity: Do something that makes a difference when you can. For example, volunteer, or donate money or goods to those in need.
Keep a gratitude journal: Write down at least three positive moments each day, however small.
Restore yourself regularly: In her new book, The Art of Rest, Claudia Hammond asked 18,000 people to suggest their best tips for finding respite. Reading, spending time in nature and listening to music came top.