Traumatised by the news

Hi OP, I am the same, I just cannot cope with all the bad news, so I just don’t engage with it. I know broadly what’s going on, but as soon as I see something I know will be upsetting I put phone down/turn radio off etc etc. I don’t watch any tv news.
Something I read a few years ago by the journalist Lucy Mangan really made sense to me, she said that we were not designed to hear all global or even national bad news. In previous centuries before media and technology, we would only have heard about what was going on in our local area. So basically it’s ok to not have the capacity to deal with a constant onslaught of bad news from around the globe!

The fact is that modern communications have meant that in this globally-connected world we are subjected to a barrage of information that we would once have never known about - and I honestly think it is simply too much for a normal human being to absorb and deal with. And we see the sort of graphic detail that would once have been sadly experienced by the few, but not generally disseminated.

I know it is important that we do not bury our heads in the sand, if only because this might inform our voting in general elections, but self-protection is also important. We do not add to the sum of human happiness by knowingly making ourselves unhappy. It is OK to decide how much you can take without finishing up ruminating and ruining your own life.

So I look at the BBC headlines on my phone each morning and that is that. Occasionally there is a topic that I decide to pursue in more depth.

I also read Positive News and can highly recommend this as an antidote - it relates achievements and successful projects from around the world.

I think you should limit your exposure to the news It is fine to do that - lots of people do. You are not obliged to get soaked with it.

I don't watch any news content. I have enough to be depressed about in my own life. I don't like being ignorant but it's preferable to being upset about depressing news stories. Obviously I'm on here most days so if stuff is being talked about then I will know about it sort of but unless I click on the threads then it still won't affect me that much.

Whilst avoiding the news I would recommend this documentary https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p088s5k4/the-power-of-nightmares

It’s in the interest of World Leaders to keep us in a perpetual state of fear…

Algorithms are a nightmare for keeping on enticing you back to watching more and more sensational or distressing content, so you really have to consciously not click, not read, try and train your algorithms to give you different sorts of content by watching things that don't wreck your mental health.

Stop watching the news.

My mood improved when I stopped looking at The Daily Mail - try avoiding that for a week.

I try to find “non sensationalist” new outlets, that post facts and not hyperbole, and listen to experts rather than freelance journos trying to earn a few more clicks.

I don't watch the news. I read online the parts that I want too, and leave the things that I can't stomach. It's a mantra that I've stood by, for several years now.

YANBU

I have a friend who just won’t listen to the news now - it depresses her too much

There are so many times now where people have live footage due to phone cameras and I don’t think it should all be shared. One story this week made me feel sick and really upset - I’ve woken up a few times about 3am thinking about it and not been able to get back to sleep

I miss the times when they always finished on a piece of good news. There are good people in this world and good things happening and we need to share that a whole lot more

Currently news is just not balanced - I do want to be aware of things happening , but not force fed only misery

If it’s causing you so much distress then maybe you should avoid it? I do.

I don’t watch the news or read much either. Just the same old stuff every day.

Perhaps you'd be better off not reading threads about the current news and avoiding news items if they're causing you distress.

What is your pattern of behaviour around news? All I can suggest is to maintain our humanity, stay in our own lane and cut back news to the absolute minimum.
It's a challenge if you have a shred of empathy.

The news has just felt like doom and gloom for ages 😭 I often don’t bother reading it anymore as it makes me miserable! I’ve ditched social
media for the same reason.