Coping with Disturbing World Events and News 

Receiving new and distressing information can wreak havoc on our bodies. Whether we are watching the news, reading the newspaper, or scrolling social media, the words and images we encounter can take a toll on how we feel physically. We may come across news reports about violent or life-threatening events and respond as if we directly experienced the event.

Observing terrifying events in our world can leave us feeling scared, overwhelmed, fearing for our safety, grief, and intense anger at injustice. These emotions are valid. If this sounds familiar to you, here are some strategies to help you cope with the negative events you have been witnessing daily through various media sources.  

Calm Your Body

As I mentioned earlier, we can experience an event we hear or see as if we had directly experienced it ourselves. This is called secondary trauma. If you notice yourself feeling more anxious or irritated after reading a news article, this means your fight or flight response has been activated.

There are many strategies you can utilize to turn off this response. Cold sensations like applying an ice pack to the base of your neck, putting your hand in a cup of ice, or splashing cold water on your face can send your body out of fight or flight.

You can try grounding yourself by using your 5 senses to help you connect to the present moment. For example, noticing the sound of the birds chirping outside of your window, the feel of the clothing on your skin, or the taste of the gum in your mouth.

Practicing slow and deep belly breaths can lower your heart rate and blood pressure. Inhaling through your nose for a count of 4, holding your breath for a count of 4, and exhaling out of your mouth for a count of 4 is an effective deep breathing technique called box breathing.

There are many other healthy strategies you could implement. The key here is to recognize stress when it occurs and work to calm your body.  

Feel Your Feelings  

Give yourself permission to feel whatever feeling that shows up without judgment. Feeling sad, frustrated, overwhelmed, and angry after hearing devastating news are all normal and healthy reactions. The feelings we feel come from a place of value and meaning. If we hear about an event that goes against what we care deeply about, we will experience unpleasant emotions.

It is important to recognize the emotions we are feeling as they can lead to action and change. Identify your feelings, validate them, and give yourself some time to process them. Some helpful tools to support this process are journaling, observing your emotion, and noticing body sensations.

Take Care Of Your Body and Mind 

Self-care is important, especially when stress is high. Ensuring adequate rest, frequent exercise, and a balanced diet are crucial for our physical, emotional, and mental health. Engage in activities that stimulate and nurture your mind. Take part in physical movement that you find enjoyable. Seek out a doctor’s appointment if you are not feeling well or experiencing pain. You can reduce your experience of stress by taking care of yourself. Create a daily checklist of activities and strategies that incorporate all areas of wellness.

Set limits and Take Action:

• Turn off the TV and set your phone aside.Incessantly checking news sources and being exposed to distressing information can increase anxiety and stress.
• Make sure you are receiving news from reliable sources.
• Limityour time spent consuming news daily.
• Set time aside daily to catch up on current events.
• Connect with activities that empower you to make a positive change to combat feelings of helplessness.
• Considervolunteering, participatingin community efforts, and/or donating to a local charity.

Seek Out Support

It is always ok to ask for help. If you’re finding your emotions to be very upsetting and interfering with your daily life, reach out to your primary care physician as a first step. You may also check out  Psychology Today, a directory of mental health therapists, if you find yourself struggling significantly and coping skills are not helping. Experiencing difficult emotions is not something you have to do alone.

Jessica Heuston
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW

Connect with me directly on Psychology Today