There’s an old adage in journalism/news circles that “if it bleeds, it leads.” That’s why you’ll often notice a news bulletin beginning with all the negative and grim stuff like disasters, wars, or crime.
While many of us complain that the news is too negative, research shows that typically, people pay more attention to (and tend to remember) negative experiences over positive ones. It's something psychologists call our ‘negativity bias.’
"We’re more likely to spot angry faces than happy ones in a crowd, and many languages have a much wider vocabulary for describing negative emotions than jolly ones," explains BBC's Science Focus.
That's not to say consuming a lot of negative news is good for us...
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Excessive consumption of negative news can be more harmful than we might realize. For one, it can trigger the body’s “fight or flight” response.
"Adrenaline is then released, and so is the stress hormone, cortisol. When our bodies are in this state, we experience the same symptoms we might experience if we were under threat," explains an info sheet released by John Hopkins University. "These symptoms include rapid heart rate, shallow breathing, upset stomach, etc."
Doom-scrolling or watching upsetting footage and news bulletins can also increase symptoms related to anxiety and depression. In fact, for some people, it takes just 14 minutes of dreary news consumption for their depression and anxiety symptoms to rise. They're worsened if someone feels helpless about what's happening in the world.
John Hopkins' experts add that negative news can become addictive, especially when you're getting it from social media.
"Clickbait headlines and social media algorithms are designed to keep you coming back for more, making it difficult to stop returning to apps for your news," they say.
Thankfully, there are ways to protect yourself... Taking a break from the news cycle and scrolling through this hilarious list of headlines is just one of them.
Another is to identify your triggers. "Take some time to think about what subjects stir symptoms of anxiety and depression. Some people may be more reactive to global conflict while others may feel more affected by racial injustice," suggests the John Hopkins team. "Once you’ve figured out what has the strongest impact on you, you can limit your consumption of media with triggering content."
The experts believe it's safer to read the news rather than watch it. Harsh visuals are more likely to trigger you or send you into a spiral than words.
By pausing your doom-scrolling and reading this instead, you're doing yourself a big favor. "Doom scrolling might help you feel more informed about how to protect yourself from the troubles of the world, but it ultimately does more harm than good," notes the site. "Aim for no more than 30 minutes per day if possible."
Even if you feel helpless about everything going on around you, never forget that you can make a positive difference to the world. Every little bit goes a long way.
You might consider getting involved in some charity work, or joining a group that is working on the issues that you are most passionate about. This not only helps other people but it can empower you as well.
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