My eyes widened at the colorful lantern at the St. Louis Zoo. My worry traveled with me, yet this radiant display knew nothing of that. I held my partner’s hand and smiled. My mind filled with curiosity and awe. The animals (lantern or not) were just as beautiful.
Have You Seen the News?
There has been no shortage of bad news in an age of political discord, climate change, and existential concern. The impact these realities inflict on individuals’ well-being is continuously revealed to me in my work as a therapist. Some days, for all of us, it is nearly impossible not to feel discouraged.
Further, as a human, I recognize that people are suffering. It has been this way most of my life. On the web, I can find graphics that paint a story of horrific poverty and disease in many places on Earth. As I drive, I see encampments and can read stories about sweeps and the losses these inflict beyond a person’s belongings. I am aware, and I want to do something. Such is the definition of compassion, and all cynicism aside, the compassion I recognize reflected in others gives me hope.
Yet, if we wish to create the changes we can in the world, as Gandhi urged us to do, we must balance empathy with effectiveness. Becoming too caught up in the planet’s delirium will throw anyone off. Rather, I have found it helpful to take in information in measured doses with a diversity of positivity and negativity.
While I would never advocate hiding out with our heads in the sand in hopes that our fears would vanish, relentless exposure to troubling information can leave us equally paralyzed. We can find ourselves overwhelmed and frozen. Without a break, a laser on all the bad in the world can impede our ability to enjoy the good.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a study evaluated media users’ engagement with news and mental well-being (Kellerman et al., 2022). Higher levels of interaction with pandemic-related news were associated with heightened worry and hopelessness. Rather than rousing us to take steps toward our values or create change, hopelessness leaves us feeling defeated and less likely to take action.
We Have a Negativity Bias
We are a species that is naturally primed to notice negativity. From the beginning, it was safer for our ancestors to search out predators than for them to lackadaisically enjoy bushes of tasty berries. We seek out worrying information and there is no shortage. A recent study found that even among online news spaces, each negative word within a news headline’s title increased views by an average of 2.3 percent (Robertson et al., 2023).
Further, we don’t just seek out negative news. We remember it more sharply, too. In one investigation, researchers provided participants with data excerpts presented in a way that was designed to elicit negative emotions (Lan et al., 2022). They found that presenting information in this way improved long-term memory of it.
So, what can we do to combat all this? Here are five ideas for appreciating positivity while taking realistic steps to address worry.
1. Take a new route. Falling into a rut of monotony and doomscrolling can leave us stuck in a chair, waiting for the world to change. If you are feeling overloaded, consider what routines you have. Do you often sit in the same spot on the same couch, looking at the same websites? Switch it up a bit. Go outside. Call someone you have not talked to in a while. If there is a cause you care about, there may be more that you can do beyond just reading and waiting for what happens next. Targeting what you can is often much more productive than despair.
2. Notice your first thought and wait for a second. When we feel disturbed in one area, unhappy thoughts and emotions tend to cast a shadow on others. If you are experiencing critical thoughts toward yourself or others, see if you can step back. You might not be able to stop the first thought, but you can choose not to fall into a spiral. Rather than following the first thought that comes to mind, see if you can re-focus. Such a simple practice is a brief remedy for rumination.
3. Enjoy something you haven’t since you were a kid. When was the last time you flew a kite, blew bubbles, or rode a bicycle? These activities might not fix all the problems of the Earth; however, whimsy breeds curiosity and creative problem-solving. Reaching back to activities you used to enjoy is one way to inspire joy and clear your mind.
4. Take steps toward what matters to you. What makes the bad news so bad? And what can you do about it? If you are concerned about the environment, for example, there are several steps that you could start taking today to contribute to addressing this massive concern. Yet, watching online as the world burns won’t spark change beyond making you feel bad.
5. Practice appreciation. Remember that negativity bias thing? It doesn’t just overemphasize the ugly; it also discounts the beautiful. Amid all the darkness, see if you can find even a few things you appreciate. It could be a pleasant exchange you witness between a cashier and an elder or sipping some lemon tea. Though small, it is critical not to ignore these things. What makes bad things so bad is the contrast to the good. Appreciation is not about ignoring the negative truths but intentionally opening yourself up to all the happiness and meaning that comes your way.
Closing
Negativity is all around us. Taking small, realistic steps to address our anxieties is meaningful. Yet, we can do this without allowing our whole view to turn toward wickedness. Indeed, to create change, we must keep our well-being and sense of agency strong enough to take the necessary measures to address these matters that bother us because we care.
