Deal with Stress About Current Events

Reading the news can make it feel like the world is in a downward spiral.

With the climate growing more erratic, and political upheaval in many countries at once, it's hard not to get stressed out.

Don't let this stress take over your life! Staying informed is useful up to a point, but if you're worrying every day about the state of the world, you aren't helping anyone.

Be strategic about your news consumption.

Instead of tracking stories that upset you, find a way to make a positive difference for those affected.

Be mindful of your stress, and get help if you need it.

Adjusting Your News Exposure

 * 1) Limit your exposure to electronic news media. While you may wish to stay informed, too much media can inflame your anxieties. Control the ways that the news reaches you. Consider reading the news only once a day, once a week, or not at all if it's really wrecking your mood.
 * 2) *If a lot of your news comes to you through social media, consider disconnecting from social media.
 * 3) *Disable automatic news alerts on your phone and computer.
 * 4) *Delete any news apps you have downloaded.
 * 5) *Mute or unfollow people who post a lot about current events on social media.
 * 6) *Consider switching to a weekly paper.
 * 7) Set a schedule for news consumption. Instead of taking in news all the time, or disconnecting entirely, schedule times to catch up on the news. Choose a time of day when you are not stressed out or trying to calm down. Right after lunch might be a good time, as you may be in a more optimistic state of mind around then.
 * 8) *Notice the times you normally take in the news, and ask yourself if they are contributing to your stress. Do you read the news first thing, or listen to the radio on the way to work? Starting your day by learning all the breaking news might be bringing you down.
 * 9) Replace fast news with in-depth reports. News media is addictive because it's negative, fast-moving, and nonstop. However, tracking developing stories doesn't necessarily help you think, question, and learn. Replace your news consumption with in-depth reports that really increase your knowledge of various issues.
 * 10) *Read long-form news articles that explore the history of the topic, rather than merely the current manifestations.
 * 11) *Relax with nonfiction on the subjects that interest you.
 * 12) *Watch documentaries about major historical events.
 * 13) Discontinue reading news sources that feel especially negative to you. All news sources include national disasters and other upsetting developments. However, some newspapers include an abundance of frightening reports and deliberately upsetting headlines. Because our brains hold onto negative information more easily than positive information, some news sources are upsetting in order to "hook" readers. Try to avoid any news source that makes you feel helpless, wronged, or overwhelmed.
 * 14) *Focus on taking in more factual reporting.
 * 15) *Discontinue reading any news source that makes you feel angry at people who aren't in power, such as war refugees, millennials, or lower-income families.
 * 16) *Check how you feel after you read, watch, or hear news from a source you favor.
 * 17) *Stop reading, watching, and listening to the sources that make you feel the worst.

Taking Action on Issues that Concern You

 * 1) Support a candidate who shares your values. If you are stressed about the political direction of your country, getting involved will make you feel better. Instead of reading the news and worrying, volunteer with a political campaign. During elections, research the candidates and volunteer to get out the vote for the ones you support.
 * 2) *If you have funds to spare, donate money to the campaigns of candidates you support.
 * 3) Lobby your elected officials. Keep track of the bills that affect you and the people you care about, and pressure your local representatives to vote along with your interests. Purposeful, directed efforts against the forces that concern you will lower your stress and improve your overall wellbeing.
 * 4) *Politicians take phone calls seriously. Call, explain that you live in their district and plan to vote in the next election, and then say how you want them to vote.
 * 5) *Write letters, send faxes, and send emails.
 * 6) *Start a letter writing group with some friends, and send letters together periodically.
 * 7) Become an activist. Join a group that advocates for causes you care about, or just get in the habit of going to protests and circulating petitions. Becoming an activist is correlated with overall happiness. Even anger can feel good if it connects you with your community and helps you feel like you are making a difference.
 * 8) *Pick an issue that matters to you and dedicate yourself to it. If you are stressed about the environment, research ways to shrink your environmental footprint, lobby local business to make more environmentally sustainable choices, and donate money to scientists working on environmental concerns.
 * 9) Volunteer to help others. Use the energy you are spending on stress to make a difference in your community instead. Contact your local community center, church, anarchist info shop, homeless shelter, or hospital and ask about volunteer opportunities.
 * 10) *Consider volunteering at a soup kitchen.
 * 11) *If you have teaching experience, you might teach an ESL class for immigrants at your local library or refugee centre, or volunteer as a reading tutor at an elementary school.
 * 12) *If you want to support direct action, but can't perform it yourself, volunteer for an activist childcare collective to provide childcare during meetings and protests.
 * 13) Make an exit plan if current events are endangering you. If current events could directly impact you, you may stress out about your own life every time you read the paper or listen to the radio. Find ways to create a safety net for yourself and your family when you feel threatened. Save money where you can, and make sure it is stored somewhere you can access it in a moment of crisis.
 * 14) *Make backup plans if you are worried that your current lifestyle might become untenable. For instance, if you are afraid of losing your job due to a bad economy, write up a plan for what you will do to support yourself.
 * 15) *If you are worried about the rise of white supremacist violence, form safety plans with your family and friends so that nobody will be caught walking alone at night or in low-traffic areas.
 * 16) *If you worry about the effects of climate change on your waterfront home, create a disaster plan with your family.
 * 17) Connect with others who could be affected by the political climate. Other people who are affected by the current developments that concern you can be a great source of support. Connect in person and online with other people who share your issue or who want to support you.
 * 18) *If you are from another country and your family includes members who fear deportation, join an immigrant advocacy group that will connect you with similar families as well as volunteers who are there to help you, such as Sanctuary in the Streets in the United States.
 * 19) *Where there aren't networks, form them. If you are chronically ill and worried about losing healthcare, form a coalition with other disabled or ill people to take turns delivering food and home aide to one another in moments of crisis.
 * 20) *Volunteer to facilitate communication and organize support-efforts for members of your community in need.

Managing News-Related Stress and Anxiety

 * 1) Take breaks to check in with your body. Pause while taking in the news or discussing politics and listen to the way your body is reacting. First, stop and breathe. Stay still and think about your body. Notice if you are sitting or standing in a cramped, stressed way.
 * 2) *Ask yourself what parts of your body are holding tension. Take a deep breath and relax your shoulders, your neck, your face, or any other body part that is tensed.
 * 3) *Slow your stressed thoughts by checking in with your five senses. Then, take stock of what you are seeing, touching, smelling, tasting, and hearing.
 * 4) *If you find yourself knotted up with tension when discussing politics with friends, give yourself a break. Stand up and stretch, get a glass of water, or get a snack. End the conversation if it's stressing you out by saying politely, "I'm sorry, but I've noticed that this topic is stressing me out. Let's talk about something else!"
 * 5) Eat well. Getting good nutrition, exercise, and rest will help you feel less stress. Sit down and eat three meals a day, as well as healthy and satisfying snacks. Don't overeat, and don't stress yourself out with unnecessary diets. Eat a variety of foods to get the nutrients you need.
 * 6) *Skip the news while you eat. Try reading a book, chatting, or focusing on your food instead.
 * 7) *Don't forget to eat on big news days. If you are inside trying to follow an emerging story, you may think that it's a waste of time to step away. Take the time to prepare three full meals, and eat them without rushing.
 * 8) Exercise to reduce overall stress. Get about 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week. Moving your body helps you relieve stress and reduce inflammation.
 * 9) *Instead of starting your day with the news, go for a run or a swim.
 * 10) *Movement is a good way to deal with strong anxious feelings. If you are feeling stressed, get up and take a walk, or have a little dance party by yourself.
 * 11) Get enough sleep. Try to go to bed and wake up on a regular schedule. If you're an adult, you need 7-8 hours a night, and if you're a teenager you need 9-11 hours of sleep. Sleep in a dark, quiet room. Do your best to stay asleep all night.
 * 12) *Avoid screens the hour before bedtime.
 * 13) *Don't watch the news in the evening. Not only does screen time disrupt your sleep, but negative stories will make you feel agitated and unable to relax.
 * 14) *Wake up without an alarm when you can.
 * 15) *Limit caffeine, which can keep you up, and alcohol, which interferes with the quality of your sleep.
 * 16) Get professional help for serious stress. Talk to your doctor or your therapist about your stress. You may be suffering from anxiety that is not helped by your relationship to world news. While you can't control the news, you can learn to regulate your emotional response to the news.
 * 17) *Look into cognitive behavioral therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy teaches you to recognize your fears and their impact on your thinking and decision-making.
 * 18) *Consider taking anti-anxiety medication if stress and fear have taken over your life.