Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian territories, a threat of a nuclear war, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and much more. Reading, hearing, watching - being exposed to these news can provoke a lot of anxiety in us, especially if they are personally very relevant or directly affect us, our families, and friends. This article will examine the factors that influence our susceptibility to news anxiety and briefly introduce the concept of survivor’s guilt that is shared among refugees that fled from their war-torn countries. Finally, I will end with an optimistic tone discussing how to consume news wisely, in a way that minimises interference with our mental wellbeing.
This article will discuss:
- Doom Scrolling
- Memory and algorithms…
- Survivor’s guilt and news anxiety
- How to wisely consume news
Doom Scrolling
The action of spending an excessive amount of screen time to consume negative, disheartening news has been labelled in popular psychology as “doom scrolling” [1]. This excessive consumption of bad news heightens symptoms of anxiety such as uncontrolled fear, physiological arousal, sleeping difficulties, and fearful thoughts [9]. The more we focus on this disheartening news, the more we rob ourselves of the things we need to diminish our anxiety, namely healthy sleep and meaningful social interactions [8]. Therefore, it can be described as a vicious cycle that fuels our anxiety.
But why are people susceptible to doom scrolling?
An important factor is our negativity bias. This cognitive bias explains that adverse information has a stronger impact on our psychological state than positive information [6]. Indeed, there is a lot of research indicating that higher physiological activity is more strongly associated with watching negative news content than positive news content [11]. News sites attempt to bolster their popularity by taking advantage of this, through sensationalistic content, such as disheartening news titles [6]. This negativity is experienced as stimulating, explaining why people direct more attention to negative information [11]. Therefore, our excessive consumption of negative news can be explained by our negativity bias and the abundance of negative news in the media.
Memory and algorithms…
Negativity bias also influences our learning and memory. Research has shown that people are more likely to recall negative information than positive ones in memory tests [7]. Therefore, negative news is more likely to stay in our memory than positive ones, and this can reinstate or increase negative feelings when we remember them, which, as mentioned previously, is experienced as stimulating [11]. Because of this we might become more preoccupied with this type of information and seek out similar content on social media [11]. The role of the algorithm is, of course, pivotal in exacerbating the excessive consumption as the more people seek something, the more the algorithm suggests related topics in people’s social media platforms[3].
Doom scrolling can also be viewed as an avoidance mechanism to cope with everyday anxiety [8]. This is especially because of the accessibility of our gadgets. When we are confronted with negative emotions, we may feel compelled to avoid them by distraction. Since our phones are very accessible, we can resort to using them to distract ourselves and we are more likely to engage in “mindless scrolling” through platforms that we habitually have access to [8].
Survivor’s guilt and news anxiety
Many who fled from their war-torn countries grapple with feelings of guilt that result from surviving a life-threatening situation when others did not [5]. Many refugees may excessively question why they escaped death while others did not. They may also wonder whether there was something that they could have done to help preserve life [5]. Symptoms of survivor’s guilt may include fear and confusion, problems sleeping, social isolation, obsessive thoughts about the event, and flashbacks of the traumatic event [4,5].
People who have survivor’s guilt related to their home countries may be more prone to experience news anxiety as they are more likely to keep up with the news as it is personally very relevant to them, their families, and friends [4]. They fear their uncertainty of the situation that comes with not keeping up to date, and they feel it a duty to reconnect with the situation in their homeland, due to the distance[4]. We might observe this among Ukrainians citizens, a behaviour that is, unfortunately, normal and comprehensible.
How can we consume news wisely?
I would like to end with a positive note here. There are a few tips to wisely consume news that doesn’t feed into or elicit your news anxiety.
- Accept and allow feelings:
Let those feelings resurface without attempting to distract yourself by checking social media. As mentioned, doom scrolling can be viewed as an avoidance mechanism against everyday stress and anxiety. Instead of avoiding those unappealing feelings, try to be with them and process them! It can be difficult at first, but the more you get closure with those negative feelings, the more likely you will understand what you need out of it[2]. Perhaps instead of whipping out your phone to doom scroll, you can reach out to your friend for help. The key is to find a healthier coping mechanism.
- Connect with others:
Instead of excessive scrolling, try to do fulfilling, satisfying activities instead [2,8]. When you notice yourself getting anxious, try to seek out a more positive alternative, like simply calling a friend to catch up, go running or cook something nice. Receiving emotional support or simply socialising with others can increase our confidence in our ability to cope with stressors[10]. Furthermore, it is simply fun and rewarding, rather than gloomy and stressful.
- Seek out good news:
It’s easier said than done, of course. But two main reasons for our news anxiety are really algorithms and the abundance of negative news in the media. If our goal is to be informed about current events, we need to focus on all news, including good ones too! Pushing ourselves to seek out positive information can lessen the harmful consequences that come with seeking only negative news [2].
- Download helpful apps:
It goes without saying that limiting time spent on news sites or social media platforms reduces the stressors of news anxiety [2,8]. Some apps that can help you be consistent include Social Fever and StayFree.
- Volunteer your time:
If you are deeply interested about an ongoing event in the world and want to contribute to change, connecting with local volunteering organisations may help ease feelings of anxiety and powerlessness[10]!
In conclusion…
Excessive consumption of negative news can lead to news anxiety. Our negativity bias, the algorithm, shocking news titles, and our ability to remember more negative information than positive ones play a role in developing news anxiety. Those who suffer from survivor’s guilt may be more prone to news anxiety as a way of reconnecting with the situation from their homelands. Despite all the negativity mentioned in this article, there are still ways to stay informed while taking care of your anxiety! The key is being mindful :)
Other sources
- “I fled Ukraine but felt shame for leaving. Therapists taught me that feeling guilty doesn’t mean you’re guilty” - Sofia Sukach https://www.businessinsider.com/ukrainian-refugee-asked-experts-about-survivor-guilt-war-kyiv-ukraine-2022-6?international=true&r=US&IR=T
- 10 minute meditation for anxiety
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-6f5wQXSu8&t=13s
Bibliography
- Cambridge Dictionary. (2022a, October 12). doomscrolling definition: 1. the activity of spending a lot of time looking at your phone or computer and reading bad or. . .. Learn more. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/doomscrolling
- Delgado, C., & Brenner, B. (2022, October 6). Why you can’t stop doomscrolling and 5 tips to halt the vicious cycle. Insider. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/doomscrolling
- Here’s how Facebook’s algorithm works. (2021, October 26). Washington Post. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/interactive/2021/how-facebook-algorithm-works/
- Kuznetsova, A. K., & Shyrmova, T. S. (2022, May 12). Feelings of guilt during the war. Knute.Edu.Ua. https://knute.edu.ua/file/MzEyMQ==/fa2e48a17d17b2b75034aee0500996e6.pdf#page=382
- Leonard, J. (2019, June 27). What is survivor’s guilt? Retrieved October 14, 2022, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325578
- Negativity Bias. (n.d.). The Decision Lab. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/negativity-bias
- Rimé, B. (1998, September). Socially Shared Emotional Experiences Vs. Emotional Experiences Kept Secret: Differential Characteristics and Consequences. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 17(3), 295–318. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.1998.17.3.295
- Rosen, K. R. (2022a, March 30). How to Stop Doomscrolling—With Psychology. WIRED. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-stop-doomscrolling-psychology-social-media-fomo/
- Siman-Tov, M., Peleg, K., & Solomon, Z. (2015, July 3). Anxiety-Inducing Media: The Effect of Constant News Broadcasting on the Well-Being of Israeli Television Viewers. Psychiatry, 78(3), 265–276.
- Socialization and Altruistic Acts as Stress Relief. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2022, from https://www.mentalhelp.net/stress/socialization-and-altruistic-acts-as-stress-relief/
https://doi.org/10.1080/00332747.2015.1069658
- Soroka, S., Fournier, P., & Nir, L. (2019, September 3). Cross-national evidence of a negativity bias in psychophysiological reactions to news. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(38), 18888–18892. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1908369116
Image reference:
https://www.stylist.co.uk/health/mental-health/anxiety-over-negative-news-media/317296