Many folks I work with in therapy have commented lately about how “messed up” the world is right now and, consequently, how lousy they are feeling.
For some it’s a sense of impending doom related to terrorist attacks in other parts of the world and threats of terrorist attacks in our own backyard. For others it’s philosophical – how can parents inflict pain on their children? How can police take the lives of those they exist to protect? Why do sociopaths exist who rob strangers of their innocence, treasures, or lives? At times it can feel like just too much to live in a world with this much cruelty. I understand the despair and have been vulnerable to it as well.
After acknowledging that this is indeed a sometimes frightening world in which we live, the question I usually ask my patients is: So, how much news are you watching, listening to, and reading?
The thing is, we need to be informed about the world around us. It’s important to be tuned in to world events as well as what is happening in your community. But we are on a continuous news cycle in which the same events are reported over and over, analyzed ad nauseam, and analysts are sometimes forced to generate hypotheses about what is happening just to fill time until the next juicy nugget is revealed. We have people who masquerade as journalists shouting at us through the television screen about the most recent violent crime. Too often, like a moth to the flame, we find we can’t turn away. Yet the impact can be significant, especially if we’re already feeling down or anxious.
“Negative news can significantly change an individual’s mood -- especially if there is a tendency in the news broadcasts to emphasize suffering and also the emotional components of the story," said Dr. Graham Davey in a recent Huffington Post article written by Carolyn Gregoire.
Dr. Davey, a British psychologist who studies the psychological impact of media violence, added, "... negative news can affect your own personal worries. Viewing negative news means that you’re likely to see your own personal worries as more threatening and severe, and when you do start worrying about them, you’re more likely to find your worry difficult to control and more distressing than it would normally be."
In other words, too much negative news can be bad for your emotional health.
So limit the number of news shows you’re watching or listening to on a daily basis. Make a choice to turn off the television after a bit of news, or at least change the station to your favorite comedy. Limit your internet news surfing and when you realize that you are spending precious hours reading yet another twist on the same heinous story, hit exit and spend a little more time noticing the beautiful wildflowers that Texas produces this time of year.
Your psyche will thank you.
If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Jana Drew, please call her at 512-960-5265 or contact her here. Dr. Drew provides free 30-minute consultations and would welcome the opportunity to work with you.