You certainly don’t need anyone to tell you that we live in stressful times. You also don’t anyone to tell you that such stress can result in increased anxiety. The current events regularly imposed upon us by the media tend to be rather negative. They’re also hard to avoid. There are televisions everywhere. Then, of course, there’s the little distraction machine we each carry around all day.
What we hear in the news can feel personal. More often than not, it relates to something far away. It presents no direct threat to us yet, the anxiety flows. Fortunately, there are ways to counter this trend.
Putting Current Events Into Perspective
Images inspire reactions. They trigger us in a variety of ways. When they are connected to tragedies across the globe, the result is usually high levels of anxiety. We feel powerless and we recognize how little control we have. Inevitably, this leads us to feel fear about our situations, loved ones, and lives. This can be natural but it’s not always provoked in a natural way.
There are so many media outlets all competing for your attention. They want clicks and thus, they focus more on the sensational stories. You are being manipulated in subtle ways by clickbait, algorithms, and artificial intelligence. The first self-defense step you can take is to recognize that you’ll almost always hear more bad news than good. Translation: Sure, tragedies happen but things are never as bad as your phone shows them to be.
4 Ways to Deal With Anxiety Over Current Events
1. Take Device Breaks
Let’s start right at the source. There is no law that requires you to spend as much time as you do gazing at screens. This is within your control. To not exercise that control is to risk falling into something of an addiction trap. The fear of missing out (FOMO) is real and can get you caught in a feedback loop.
This is particularly true of social media. In that setting, you not only get bombarded with bad news but you also get bombarded with reactions to bad news. Little by little, set a firm time limit for each app and/or news station. Get comfortable with periodic updates instead of getting sucked up in the 24/7 news cycle. It can be hugely helpful to have an accountability buddy. Take on this challenge with someone you trust. Together, you can keep each other on the right track.
2. Practice Self-Care
The more resilient you are, the better you can deal with current events. Self-care is the clearest path toward resiliency. Your daily regimen should include elements like:
Stress management
Regular sleep patterns
Healthy eating choices
Exercise and physical activity
3. Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself
You are far from alone. Virtually everyone is dealing with some measure of the same issues. Take solace in this fact and do not perceive yourself as uniquely flawed.
4. Be the Change
A powerful step is to literally take counteractions. If you feel out of control, take back some of that control. Engage in activities that directly help others within your reach. Create your own positive energy and spread it around. You may join an already existing project but why not consider starting your own?
Ask For Help
An anxiety disorder is a diagnosable — and very common — mental health issue. You should not be expected to handle it alone. So, if current events feel overwhelming to you, let’s talk. Therapy can guide you through these trying times. I’d love to help you find peace and balance in your daily life. It all starts with a free and confidential consultation. If you’d like to read more about Anxiety Treatment, please click here.