If you turn on your TV or scroll through social media, it’s almost impossible to avoid current events. From climate crisis and possible impeachment to shootings and more, the news is everywhere. While it’s important to stay informed, current events can also be hard on our mental health. In fact, it’s common to see a spike in anxiety or hopelessness after seeing the news.
In order to protect our mental health, it’s important to recognize what types of news are crossing your red and yellow lines. For example, if you find that stories about violence or disasters are particularly triggering for you, then it’s important to limit your exposure to those types of news. Similarly, if you find that your anxiety rises when you read or watch certain subjects, it can be helpful to identify those triggers so you can take steps to reduce them.
It’s also important to keep in mind that kids are especially vulnerable to the negative impact of current events. Even though they may seem mature, they’re still kids and can be overwhelmed by news that includes images of school shootings, beatings or other traumatic situations. It’s important to help them understand the context of what’s going on in the world and how they should be viewing it. Also, helping them to channel their concern into something that they can control, like activism or community engagement, can help mitigate negative effects.
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