How to cope with distressing world news Synergy Health*
This article has been provided by MAS. From the devastating impacts of climate injustice to the war in Ukraine to the ongoing uncertainty around the latest Covid-19 variant, there’s a lot going on that is leaving many of us feeling distressed, anxious, angry, fearful, numb, and somewhat powerless. Feeling overloaded by the occurrence of such heavy events around the world is an understandable and normal human response. What's happening around the world is distressing. Not only is war a terrifying thing to read about let alone be caught up in, but it’s also throwing many people back into an intense state of anxiety and sense of existential threat they have been experiencing since the pandemic began, even though they are of course entirely different situations. Thoughts of catastrophe are understandable when we think about any type of crisis. But if you understand how the flow of information about the conflict is impacting you mentally, there are steps you can take to protect your mental health and maintain a sense of peace. Here are some ways to help manage the anxiety and get on with ordinary life as much as possible, while in no way diminishing the reality of what’s going on.
APRIL / MAY 2022
Know your limits Reading the news to understand what’s happening in the world is an important part of being an informed citizen. But news headlines, meant to grab your attention, can do more to incite fear than offer information. The continuous flow of information can be overwhelming. When you pick a daily time frame to catch up with the news, use that time to read and listen to information from highly credible, ethical, and objective sources. If you’re not sure how to tell if you’re inundated with the news, take stock of the impact it’s having on you. It is important to be honest with yourself, and honour yourself as it relates to knowing what the threshold of your mental health is. Ask yourself: •
What are my limits?
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How much news is too much news for me?
Avoid doom scrolling Experts agree that if you're feeling anxious, avoid doom scrolling - the act of spending an excessive amount of time consuming negative news. It's something we often
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