Hughes suggests that watching too much news contributes to increased anxiety levels. This anxiety can easily spread to other areas of life and make it difficult to concentrate, complete daily tasks, or relax as much as necessary. In the long term, this anxiety can affect mood, which could lead to feelings of depression. Of course, it's important to stay informed.
But experts say digesting too much trauma-related news is linked to a number of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress. It is understandable that seeing images of bombings and other terrorist attacks could have this effect. But experts say that the negative impact of watching the news is not only linked to horribly traumatic or visually graphical events. It's a vicious cycle and only further emphasizes the need to take a break from the news to preserve your mental and physical health.
If you find that your news habit is affecting your relationship or well-being, some changes in the way you interact with the news may be helpful. To achieve a balance of moderation and staying informed, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends seeking news about COVID-19 primarily so that you can take practical steps to prepare your plans and protect yourself and your loved ones. However, other experts say that the effect that news has on a person's health varies from one individual to another. While watching the news can provide you with critical information about how to protect yourself and others, receiving too much information can be overwhelming and detrimental to your mental health.
And if the news you consume makes you nervous or worried and some would say that this is exactly the goal of much of the current coverage, it probably isn't doing your health any favors, he says. In the midst of an unfolding crisis, such as a pandemic, news presented through one-way media could be less damaging than news consumed online. Lieberman, Sawyer and Manly all agree that isolation and cognitive health play an important role in the amount of negative news that will impact a person. However, one in 10 adults check the news every hour, and 20% of Americans report that they “constantly monitor their social media, which often exposes them to breaking news headlines, whether they like it or not.
She suggests listening to a daily news podcast from a trusted news source to get your information, and agrees with Sperling's recommendations to avoid graphic images or videos and limit your exposure time. In an average week, more Australian news consumers get their news online (53%) than in print (25%). So how do you stay informed and minimize the possible negative effects of bad news on your health?.
