With a constant news cycle and growing globalization, there's always more to know about the world around us. And much of it isn't exactly sunshine and rainbows.
Just now, checking The Washington Post's website, I see articles about hate crimes against Asian Americans, mass deportations of Latin American immigrants, the ever-growing bubble of the inflating economy — and that's just the first page.
Before we go any further, I want to affirm that there is power in being informed and educated about world issues. It is both a privilege and a responsibility, and I strongly encourage everyone to make reading diverse new sources part of their daily routine.
However, sometimes it can lead to news fatigue or feeling drained. How do I maintain hope in humanity when there is so much violence and hatred in this world? How can I help a humanitarian crisis every other week? When does it all get better?
I felt this way the most prevalently at the height of the Black Lives Matter Movement this last summer. Amaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and countless others — I was devastated about their ruthless murders and the ongoing issues of systemic racism. I was enraged by the blatant lack of empathy expressed by politicians, police forces and community members around me. I was frustrated with the performance of social media support without any action.
When I talked about the way I was feeling, a friend of mine said, "You know, you're not a bad person if you want to turn it off."
I grappled with that for a while. Is it not my privilege to be able to "turn off" my exposure to racism and other issues? Well, yes. My awareness of my place in world events and social issues is pivotal. However, can I be the sole catalyst of change? No. Am I helpful in bringing change if I'm utterly burned out? Again, no.
As I wrestled with this, I tried to figure out if there was a way I could strike a balance. I ended up examining my interactions with news and media as a relationship.
When you have a friend going through a difficult situation, you're there for them. When they need to talk, you're able to listen and give them the time they deserve. You're able to ask how you can help, and even follow through. You check in regularly with them for updates.
You might be able to keep up like that with a few more friends in their burdens. However, the nature of your ability to listen, help and keep in touch changes the more friends that need you. At first, you don't fully listen or you forget to actually help, but, eventually, you're not really listening or doing anything. You might feel completely overwhelmed. You might not even care.
It becomes even more complicated if you, too, are going through a difficult situation. You're not even in the place to carry burdens like that.
Now, it's not a perfect analogy, but I think it demonstrates the point. There is a time where reading more news is not necessarily helpful.
And that's not to blame media outlets for covering heavy topics — it is invaluable that journalists are able to report on injustices and world crises. People need to be informed.
However, "people" is a plural word. As a collective, we have the capability to be people informed and educated about the world's issues. The world's problems were not meant to sit on one person's shoulders.
Now, don't give up on following up with an issue or event. Sometimes things rightfully cause anxiety and anger, like the continuing injustices against Black Americans do for me and many others. Nevertheless, it's easy to go from staying informed to doomscrolling.
Staying informed is your responsibility as a global citizen. Doomscrolling is self-sabotage.
It is healthy and important to realize how you're feeling and engaging with news and take a step back for the moment. Ultimately, the most important thing to be informed of is your mental health. If you do choose to step away, know you are still a person trying to do your best for others, even when the best thing is to take time for yourself.
Here are a few questions to consider when experiencing news fatigue:
Does this story bring cause me to want to take action or overwhelm me?
Will continuing to read further educate me on new, relevant and important information or continue to heighten my emotions about the current state of this situation?
Will continuing to read the news heighten my feelings about current situations in my life unrelated to the news?
Considering my responses to the previous questions, is this a time-sensitive topic I need to engage with now or can I revisit this story later when I may be more apt to do so?
What actions do I need to take for my wellbeing based on my assessment of this story and myself?
Additional resources about creating healthy relationships with news:
"How to Stay Informed Without Losing Your Mind" by author Nir Eyal
"Strategies for Dealing With News Fatigue" by Gabrielle Drolet from the Toronto Star
"How to Cope if You're Finding the News Overwhelming" by Naomi Pike from Vogue
"Is it Okay to Switch off When News Gets Overwhelming?" by Dhvani Solani from VICE
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