• Replies 11 replies
  • Subscribers 86 subscribers
  • Views 7039 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Coping with news

Billy87

I am really struggling to deal with all the anxiety inducing stuff in the news. Every time I walk past a newsstand I have to turn my head the other way. 
If I ever see a headline I just meltdown. Yesterday I borrowed my wife's phone and a news update about Covid  popped up while I was in the queue in Starbucks. I had a complete meltdown back in the car and nearly smashed my head on the dashboard. 
I started being scared of news during the endless Brexit debates, where everyone just seemed to hate each other, but Covid has made this explode like a mushroom cloud. I cannot cope with seeing Covid news but I also cant cope with the uncertainty of not knowing it.

What I would really like to know is does anyone on here have any coping techniques for dealing with news and media and stuff like this? Please share anything that works for you as it might be useful for me

( Just to be clear, pleas dont have any debates about Covid, Brexit or anything else, thats not what Im interested in, just needed some coping techniques)
Thanks 

  • I agree. Avoiding news, in all forms, as much as possible is the best thing I've done for my mental health.

    I now just check it once a week, on a Saturday morning when I feel positive and full of energy. Seem to absorb it better in that way and it causes much less anxiety

  • in reply to Deleted User

    Concentrate on your own world, I like that.

    Its like the world outside might be dark but your world can still be light and colourful, thats how I try to think of it 

  • in reply to Ducky

    Good point

  • in reply to Deleted User

    Also, I think the news apps websites have got you because often the news is different each time you check.  It's the same with social media. I saw on tv once they were likening social media to gambling. You win some, you lose some (you get an update,  you don't get an update) and its this which keeps you addicted. If it was win everytime we might lose interest.  I think it's the same with the news. So what did I do. I ended up coming on here more as a substitute....

  • If your feeling this way I'd suggest not looking at the news for a few days

    It's so depressing which is why I stopped looking in the end

  • My friend who has anxiety gave me good advice "just concentrate on your own world" ie family job home. The world is so big/small these days...we weren't connected 24/7 30 years ago. ..not even 20. Go cold turkey. Don't look at any news for a few days and it breaks the habit. If theres anything really important, you'll find out anyway somehow. A lot of it is the media trying to sell you stories. We have constant breaking news...that only used to be reserved for imporant events...it's all about political point scoring and a lot of the info is surplus to what we need to know.  Cold turkey!

  • Hi Billy,

    I wish I had magic answers to this.  Both those issues have caused me a huge amount of anxiety.

    Sadly, we can't insulate ourselves from what is going on in the world.  It won't stop going on because we don't look and we do need that information to know how to protect ourselves/decide what to do at the ballot box etc.

    However, we don't need to be constantly bombarded with this stuff and points below about the scaremongering, if not down right inaccuracies, of some news outlets are well made.  I'd recommend switching off all the news apps etc and get one intake a day or every other day from a reliable source.  Then, focus only on the bits you can do something about - you can decide to have a jab or not, you can decide which party to vote for or look into whether you can apply for an Irish passport etc, but most of it we have no direct control over and that is why it causes so much angst.  All you can do is then try and distract yourself with something you enjoy and push it out of your mind.  Easier said that done?  I know! I fail more often than I succeed with that one, but I try.

  • I just avoid watching the news on TV or going onto any news websites.  And if any news notifications pop up on my phone screen (which they sometimes insist on doing - one day I'll get rid of them all!) I've trained myself to swipe them away like spammy pop-ups.

    If there's something I really need to know (like a new lockdown or changes in mask regulations) it'll most likely get shared enough on social media that it'll be difficult to miss.

  • hi, i completely get what you mean. i usually just try not to see the news as much as possible and also try not to predict what will happen and i guess, what happens, happens.

  • I used to get affected by the news, and was also locked into checking often on my phone - but realised it was draining me and checked less often, and also I stopped getting drawn in by it and having meltdowns/shutdowns.  Try and stop the thoughts after seeing any news headlines or stories, this can lead to a chain reaction that ends in a meltdown.  Take your mind off the news quickly onto something good.

  • I know how you feel.  An extra problem is false news and pure speculation which causes unnecessary anxiety.  A lot of news is actually contradictory.

    Avoid the news channels on television,. Listen to radio, but switch off when news comes along.  Avoid shops or cafes with live TV.

    Watch other TV channels, read books, sleep.

    Realise that most of what happens in the world is outside your control, just worry about yourself and your immediate environment.