How to Not Let the News Get You Down

As I work with my clients, I have seen firsthand how consistently watching the news and reading about current events on social media can affect their mental health so much. So, as you live and consume the stories published by traditional media and social media platforms, here are three principles to help protect your mental wellbeing.

Remember that you’re not seeing the full picture.

As you watch or scroll, it’s easy to think that the stories that you’re seeing are a full picture of the whole world. And, that’s just not true. Media organizations intentionally highlight the most gripping and scary stories to show you, and you won’t see nearly as many stories about the normal, good people in the world who are living healthy lives.

Try and remind yourself of this truth: “I’m not seeing the full picture of the state of the world, and the news portrays a disproportionately emotional and scary image of the world.” Simple statements like this will help you stay out of despair as you stay updated on current events.

Know when to turn it off.

Just like most things in life, too much of anything won’t be good for you. Rather than passively consuming the news, we all need more time actively pursuing our own goals. So, if you find that you’re struggling to make or meet your own goals because you’re so consumed with the events of the world, turn the television off, put your phone down, and go do something that is good for you.

Focus local, not global.

If you’re going to read up on the current events of the world, try and focus more on your local community rather than global events. When you learn about what’s happening in your community, you can use that information to be a part of positive change in your local area. By contrast, there probably isn’t much you can do to affect the course of national or global events. So, put your focus on events that are most relevant to you, and where you can make a real difference.

Staying mentally healthy in the Information Age can be very challenging, because media organizations strive to capture your attention, not to improve your life. I hope that these principles help you remain mentally well as you exist in the world today, and pursue the best life possible for you and your family.

Thank you for reading my practice’s blog, my library of all the random thoughts that would make a terrible book but make a halfway-decent blog. To request a session or contact me, head to my Scheduling page to get in touch with me today!