Breaking the News: Navigating mental health in a media-saturated world

Namibia last month joined the rest of the world in marking World Mental Health Day in a bid to raise awareness and understanding of mental illness and the impact it has on people’s lives, and at the same time trying to break the stigma that continues to surround the topic.

The World Health Organisation estimates that globally 1 in 8 people (or about one billion people) are living with some form of mental health issue, while also pointing out that adolescents and young people are being affected in increasing numbers. Of course, this is not to say that there are one billion people who suffer mental illness (though, due to the stigma experienced across much of the planet, there could well be more) because mental health is more than just the absence of mental illness – just like physical health is more than just the absence of disease.

While I would hate to place the blame for this solely on the news industry, it is undeniable that the rise of the 24-hour news cycle and the barrage of information (much of it negative), or in the words of mental health professional, Dr. Don Grant, “media saturation overload”, people are exposed to on a daily basis plays a role.

Writing in the American Psychological Association’s Monitor on Psychology in 2022, Charlotte Huff explained, “though there is no formally recognised disorder or diagnostic criteria, many psychologists are seeing patients suffering from newsrelated stress and seeking guidance on how to help them.” And a study conducted in the same year by Dr. Matthew Price from the University of Vermont in Burlington found an association between the amount of exposure to news on social media and more depression and PTSD symptoms. The only positive (yes, I am probably grasping at straws here…) that I can take away from the research for my primary news role (radio) is that a 2021 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that while “all types of news media consumption increased emotional distress, … television and social media exposure were more strongly associated.”

So what is the solution?

Well, Dr. Grant suggests turning off all notifications, adding tech-free periods to your day, not bringing phones to the dinner table, and limiting social media checks to 15 minutes. Dr. Steven Stosny, who specialises in treating people suffering from anger and resentment, warns against taking a ‘cold turkey’ approach to cutting your news consumption, because doing that you could set yourself up for more anxiety as “your imagination of what might be happening tends to be worse than what actually is happening.” But what about those who can’t?

Numerous surveys and studies, while of course not unique in this regard, have highlighted the negative impact journalism has on the mental health of those who practice it. A 2022 survey by the Canadian Journalism Forum on Violence and Trauma, for example, found that 69% of media workers selfreported that they suffered anxiety and 46% depression, while a systematic review of available studies published in the International Journal of Social Psychiatry found that the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among journalists is higher than that among the general population. Compounding this is what the authors of the 2023 publication Analysis: Mental health of journalists call “a sort of a cult of mental strength of journalists” that can lead to “ignoring, neglect and constant postponement of the need for professional or at least collegial help, and even a negative attitude towards it.”

While it may be harder for a journalist than a ‘normal’ person to avoid the news, the solutions to media saturation overload are actually universal. Things like mindfulness, downtime, selfcare, exercise and a support structure of friends and family can all make a difference when things get tough – but are of course no substitute for professional help and/or medication in cases where these are required. Also worth remembering is that none of us are immune and, as pointed out by numerous psychologists, stress can be cumulative, meaning that even small incidents can add up over time. Developing a good level of self-awareness and knowing ‘your signs’ can also help us notice a decline in our mental health and offer the chance to intervene before it turns into a full-blown breakdown.

Until next month: take care of and be kind to yourself, and, as always…

Enjoy your journey.

In the spirit of full disclosure (and trying to break the stigma), I am one of those previously mentioned 1 in 8 people, having been diagnosed with both clinical depression and anxiety, so mental health and wellness is a topic very close to my heart, and one I try to advocate for whenever I can.

David Bishop