As we continue to savour the long summer days, sun-kissed skin, beach outings, and barbecue season, we are also keenly aware that we are living through a period of constant and profound change. Changes that are often driven by natural disasters, world conflicts, or political unrest.
We used to learn about world events or politics from water cooler chats, evening news, weekend newspapers, or banter at local pubs. In our current day it is constant news exposure via 24-hour streaming, internet scrolling or social media platforms. We are inundated with coverage dedicated to world events and politics.
The coverage we are experiencing today can be an abundance of vitriol, comments dripping with cruel and bitter criticism, personal attacks, and unkind language. It can have a negative impact on mental health, at both an individual and community level. This constant coverage of political news and world events can cause us to experience feelings of uncertainty, anxiousness, fear, and angst. It can impact not only our emotional health but our overall well-being. The exposure can cause fatigue, increased substance use, difficulty concentrating, poor sleep patterns and impact relationships with family, friends, and community members.
Political engagement and being aware of world events can also have benefits. It can encourage people to support causes, facilitate reform to existing policies and encourage people to become involved in their communities. The important thing is to recognize the impact our level of exposure is having on our mental health.
“Politics is a chronic stressor that people see as consistently taking a toll on their emotional and even physical health across the long-term" - Kevin Smith, Dept. of Political Science | University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Chronic or long-term stress can wear on a person’s resilience and their ability to cope with life’s daily tasks in a healthy manner. Simply put, it erodes resiliency.
There are steps we can take to cope with the barrage of news clips, articles and videos we encounter every day. Measures that can be employed to protect our mental health and that of our loved ones.
- Exert control over what we can – Limit our news media exposure to reputable sources. Establish healthy self-care routines. We can control how we take care of ourselves. Get outside, it is summer! Enjoy nature, eat nutritious food, and develop healthy sleep practices. Turn the television off and put the phone down at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
- Engage strengths – Look at what healthy mechanisms have worked for you in the past. Reach into your toolbox and use existing skills, enhance the ones you possess or develop new strategies to protect your mental health. Reframing situations, breaking information down into manageable pieces and remembering a sense of humour can go a long way to coping with difficult situations.
- Be mindful of media exposure – Be aware if you find yourself “doomscrolling.” Spending large quantities of time reading news, particularly negative news, can have a detrimental impact. The content can make a person feel sad, anxious, or angry.
- Stay in the present – Stay focused in the moment rather than focusing on impending doom. Your nervous system will stay on high alert if focusing on future negative events. Practice mindfulness, yoga, deep breathing, and grounding. Be in the here and now.
- Maintain social connections & support – Keep in contact with friends and loved ones. Maintain open lines of communication, discuss positive topics and plan pro-social activities such as volunteering. Join recreational or sporting groups or take your dog to the dog park, a good opportunity to chat with other pet owners. The priority is to not isolate yourself and become overwhelmed.
It can be difficult to establish healthy practices regarding media exposure in our daily lives. It will take a concentrated effort to protect yourself and your loved ones so that you can receive the necessary information but establish boundaries that will screen out persistent negative messages. Allowing a healthy balance between being informed and engaged rather than being overwhelmed and negatively impacted.
Invest your energy into being in the here and now, being with your loved ones and living a healthy life.
If you find yourself needing to speak with someone because you are experiencing a difficult time or require assistance for a family member, please visit our Family Mental Health webpage for various resources including the MFS US Family Counsellor and the Family Information Line (FIL) at 1-800-866-4546.
