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Staying informed is key for citizens to participate closely in a democracy, yet the nonstop flow of breaking news alerts on digital screens is becoming stressful and exhausting.
A cartoon by David Sipress provides a great explanation for the cause of news fatigue: A woman says to a man walking alongside her, “My desire to be well-informed is currently at odds with my desire to remain sane.”
Sipress’s cartoon dates back to two decades ago, and the struggle depicted is still there for many. About two-thirds of Americans felt worn out by the amount of news in 2019, according to Pew Research Center.
Personal Encounter
Being a member of the Graphic, which occasionally covers intense topics within the community, I feel the delicate balance of staying up-to-date and the stress it brings. Looking back to the year 2023, we just passed through a turbulent time.
We grieved for the loss of our community. We witnessed turning-point moments in the country, such as the ousting of the House speaker and the rejection of affirmative action in higher education. We prayed for those in the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
I appreciated that plenty of good news still happened throughout the year, both from my personal life and the greater society. But there were times when the delightful moments felt too scarce. I was overwhelmed by just knowing concerning events were happening even though I was not involved.
I listened to news podcasts on commutes, and half of my October mornings were filled with updates on the Israel-Hamas war since Oct. 7.
In the first week, continuing to listen to follow-ups on the war, I could still balance my emotions. In the second week, we received the heartbreaking news of the four women killed in a car crash on PCH. On Friday, the podcast I often tuned in to in the car interviewed a mother whose son was taken hostage.
Halfway through the episode, I knew I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I gripped my steering wheel and burst into tears.
After I parked my car in the lot, the first thought that appeared was to avoid any news consumption for a week. The emotional outburst seemed unexpected, but it was the cumulation of buried anxiety and fear.
Later that day, I realized that though people close to me were not involved in the war or accident, those tragic incidents stimulated an original fear of death. The consistent news alerts also created a feeling of anxiety as my mind was exposed to endless bad news since I was unable to alter the grievous happenings.
Mitigating News Exhaustion
People can develop a feeling of learned helplessness when they seek out information but feel like there is little they can do, according to the American Psychological Association. There is a correlation between the level of exposure to negative news and more depression and PTSD symptoms, according to a study in the journal, Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy.
To avoid that mental toll, many choose to avoid news altogether. The percentage of U.S. adults who said they closely follow the news decreased by 12 points between 2016 and 2022, and the number of people who hardly ever follow the news almost doubled over the same period, according to Pew Research Center.
It is essential to protect your mental well-being, but there can be other ways out instead of entirely tuning out from the news. One solution is to change media consumption habits, such as turning off notifications from your common digital news sources and regulating your news consumption to a limited time of the day.
While morning sets the day’s tone, switching news reading to a later time could be helpful. A recommendation is to pick a specific time block, but also remember to avoid media consumption before bedtime, according to Time.
Taking action to uphold the causes that people believe in may also contribute to a sense of control. Over half of Americans say that the state of the country inspired them to volunteer and take some form of action, such as signing a petition, according to the American Psychological Association.
Other solutions include restricting screen time for digital devices, staying connected with close family and friends and immersing yourself in nature, arts or anything relaxing to destress regularly.
To stay informed sustainably in the new year, monitoring one’s stress level and maintaining mental well-being should be the priority.
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Contact Laury Li via email: yuting.li2@pepperdine.edu or by Instagram: @laury__li
