Reasons Why You Need To Stop Watching The News
Do you often watch or read the news and find yourself feeling sad or hopeless regarding the world? Are you someone who always has news running in the background either via television or social media feed?
Currently, each of us have spent a weekend where the horrific events in Paris have been on replay in various forms and from different perspectives. News outlets flew journalists overnight to bring the story first hand and the main anchors were brought in for the weekend as a way to remind the viewer that this news is horrific. Interviews have been done witnesses and analysts while videos have been on constant replay.
Several years ago I put a stop to watching more than 30 minutes of my local news. I so rarely watch a 24 hour news channel that I do not even know where they are located. As a grief counselor, I was spending my days being present for stories of tragic death or long term caregiving. If an accident occurred within the community, there was a strong likelihood that I (or one of the other counselors) would eventually become involved. Absorbing unnecessary news information often weighed me down.
Before I go any further, I want to make it clear that am not advocating to never watch the news or read a news story. We need to be informed. However, when there is a constant stream of bad news present in our life it does begin to affect our mental health. Research has shown that individuals who view several hours of news coverage report higher incidences of acute stress. Additionally, many individuals who repeatedly view tragic events such as the Boston Marathon bombings often experience more symptoms than those who were present at the bombings.
An individual who is already dealing with anxiety or depression will often find their symptoms increase after viewing the news. Although it is uncertain if an individual with anxiety and depression focuses more upon depressing news, it is noted that it obviously increases whatever one is feeling. In studies, individuals who do not self report anxiety or depression have found that after watching negative news feeds they become more focused upon their own worries. Often these individuals would begin to catastrophize their worries while individuals who did not view negative news feeds did not experience anxiety or increased worry.
The news media wants to grab your attention. As a result, the feeds on television and print will be full of words and images that are often sensationalized that pull you in. Our brains are naturally wired to seek out what could harm us. Sadly, an overdose of news makes one feel that everything is a threat and that the world is bad. There are many suggestions that not watching the news will make an individual happier. Watching the news can be a distraction to concentration and lead to less creativity, less family time and as stated before can lead to a chronic state of stress.
Here are some suggestions for changing your news obtaining habits.
Consider how you are obtaining the news. Do you prefer to see the news via television or via the internet? Do you turn the television on in the morning while you are getting ready for work? Do you have multiple news sources in your social media feeds? Be aware of your news sources. The different media outlets will all slant the news in their own perspective. Choose a reputable paper that you can access online when needed, know what news programming you prefer and do not become overloaded with news from multiple sources. Limit the amount of time the news is on your television and in your life.. Most local news channels run the news for several hours at a time but it is simply a repeat of what has been stated. Choose a time you will view and then change the channel or turn it off. Seek out positive news stories on a regular basis. There are sources such as Tiny Buddha, The Happiness Project, Daily Good, or Huffington Post Good News which deliver a daily focus of positive and good news. Realize that there is good in the world.How does the news make you feel?
Today I am joining Emily’s Grateful Heart because I always want to remember I am grateful to live in a country where I have the choice of where, when and from whom I receive the news.
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I was JUST talking about this last night to Christian and how not only can I not watch the news for too long but I can’t get on social media either (FB is especially bad). The incorrect “news” stories is what really irritates me. I swear, for a lot of people – if they read it on FB – they just automatically think it’s true. I spent most of the weekend offline 😉 Thanks for sharing this!
Thanks Emily. I don’t think a lot of people realize how much negativity they receive from social media. Sadly, I think it becomes common place and it does weigh us down. I’m glad you got offline – I think we all need to do that some times.
The news channels drive me crazy… I love being informed but I don’t want all the bad crammed down my throat all the dang time! Typically I try to read my news and avoid any and all videos and pictures. If the channel is kind enough to have a cover over the photo warning that the images are unsettling then I just scroll right by and don’t “reveal” the photo. I don’t want the image of death and violence and sadness. It’s especially tough because sometimes we watch Jimmy Fallon and we have to sit through 30 minutes of news before the show starts. Sometimes I can’t stand listening for THAT long, especially right before bed.
I read a lot of my news online and agree with you that it gives some control with what we take in. I don’t think we realize how it stays with us. You might want to try watching something else before Jimmy Fallon comes on.
I agree. I actually make it a point not to watch the news any more. They really sensationalize everything. While it’s important to know what is going on in the World, I prefer to get my news online where I can control how much and what I read.
I think that getting the news online is one of the best ways to receive the news. Like you said, you get to control what you read. Thanks for stopping by.
You know, it’s weird. I haven’t been able to sleep at all this past weekend. I know that I suffer greatly from anxiety and I kept waking up in the middle of the night to recount a lot of the stories I was hearing on a constant loop in my brain. I agree completely. Though I like to remain informed obviously of world events, I think I’m going to limit what I watch before bedtime.
If you are waking up with the thoughts, you certainly need to try going to bed after listening to something positive (or funny). This past weekend it was difficult to get away from the news about Paris. Thanks for stopping by.
I don’t watch the news… although I never really did. I don’t like how everything is so sensationalized these days and it feels like a show the reporters are putting on. I always read it, though. Even with sad news, I feel it’s important to be informed. I make sure I stick to legitimate news sources, though.
I feel that reading the news puts you in more control. When you are reading online, you get a choice on what headline you choose.
Yes! I grew up in a family who always watched the news and Colby and I do the same. We have had lots of conversations about how we need to limit it to no more than 30 minutes a day and this post is exactly why! SPOT on! I need to feed myself with God’s Word instead
I realized last week just how much negative information was being repeated on my local channel when I didn’t change it after 30 minutes. You are so right that we need to spend our time feeding ourselves with positive words and hope. (The news can take that away)
The news definitely plays into my anxiety, as you said! Sometimes I’ll have extreme thoughts about my situation (for example, being worried somebody will come in and shoot up the worship service I am in) because of how the news affected me. And I don’t even watch/read the news – it’s all from things being posted on Facebook! I agree that it is important to be informed, but to do so in moderation.
I found that Facebook can almost be worse than the news. I couldn’t get away from anything this past weekend. It’s normal to feel anxious if all we hear is negative information. Thanks for stopping by!
Amen! I hate to watch the news. And if it’s something bad, my Mama calls me! Haha!
Ha – yes, we are bound to hear from someone if the news is really bad. It’s hard to get away from it.
When events such as the Paris tragedy hit, I get the facts and that’s it. I move on. I am one where the scenes will repay over and over in my head. If I’m not careful, I will take it to bed with me and anxiety will set in. Very wise tips here during the times we live in.
Thanks Michelle. If I feel my head with too much of it, I experience what you share and it becomes hard to get out of my head. I really felt like we all needed to be reminded of the importance of self care but setting boundaries. Life isn’t all bad.
I admit I spent too much time watching the news this weekend. I was inundated with it. I like to be informed but you’re right- we need a break from the tragedy!
I think our community has had an overdose of tragedy over the past two weeks – with the deaths of Officer Ellis and the EMT. If we watch it too much, we don’t even become aware of how it is making us feel. Just make sure you are giving yourself a healthy dose of happy news!
I’m thinking about staying off Facebook for a few days because my entire news feed is full of the Paris attack tragedy and the new threats to America. It’s literally freaking me out and I was on the verge of an anxiety attack before. I can’t keep feeding my head with that kind of stuff. These are some wise tips and I realized I need to step away from it all. It’ll be a Sims 3 binge for me for the rest of the week to get away from it! (ha!)
We do have to detox from what we take in. I don’t believe most of us are aware of the news or information we do allow in our lives. I hope you are feeling better after your detox!!
Have you heard of Skimm? I get a lot of my news from there. They send an email every morning Skimming some of the most important stories. While I get there’s a lot more out there and I’ll still pull up a news outlet from time to time, I don’t have a TV so I get it all from the internet and find Skimm allows me to get the stories I need without allowing myself to get to caught up in hours of reading about some really hard things.
I totally forgot to mention Skimm when I wrote this post. ( I was just feeling a little overwhelmed with what I was seeing everywhere). I love it and it is perfect in regards to the amount of information anyone needs to start their day off. Thanks for mentioning it here.
YAS, SHERYL! First of all, I love your tips. I think the world would be a better place if we mixed it up a bit when it comes to where we get our news. I feel like people choose the opinions they want to hear sometimes. Also, this weekend, I knew I couldn’t handle watching the news. I followed by reading it every few hours but watching my time and how often. I wanted to stay informed but I just couldn’t handle the constant barrage!
Good for you for practicing such good self care. We CAN stay informed without being overwhelmed. And yes, people are always going to choose the opinions they want to hear – for better or worse.
I watch the Today show when I get ready in the morning, but other than that (and theSkimm newsletter), I don’t watch much of it. I will say that I was glued to it all of Friday night and Saturday morning after the news in Paris broke. I had to peel myself away from the TV. We need some happy things to hear/look at!
It can be hard to not stay glued to the news when events like last week happen. I think we become almost numb in regards to what we are seeing and hearing. Thus, we need to make sure we pull ourselves away.