Can’t shift anxiety after reading a disturbing news story

[Lilaccprincess]

My own fault really, I kept reading despite knowing it was no good for me but curiosity got the best of me.

I won’t say what the story was but it was true crime and very disturbing.

I have anxiety anyway but I keep replaying what I read constantly during the day in my mind. Took me ages to sleep last night as I kept thinking of the poor victim who suffered.

Can anyone tell me any ways to cope with this? Obviously no more reading articles that I see online!! But other than that, thank you

I purposely avoid reading the news because I know it will upset me. Sometimes news stories I read a decade ago still come
back into my mind and haunt me. You just have to put it out of your mind and stop reading things like that.

Think of something that is quite absorbing (eg how would I redecorate the house if I had a million quid; how many capital cities can I name, etc) and when the other thing pops into your head, think about the absorbing thing. Think of it as steering your brain away from something unpleasant and on to something safe and nice.

Can you pick something really comforting that you like to watch - a long series - or a book you love to read?

You can't unread what you read, but you can occupy your brain with something better.

Look at good stuff. Like this:

https://youtube.com/shorts/5U5zLNHwmG0?si=lp44Rz9PoB3zZpd-