By: Kelsey Wooten, LPC
Back before social media ruled our world, the news was broadcasted on the radio, printed in newspapers, or people tuned into the morning or evening news. Unless it was “breaking news”, we had time off from the consumption of information. For better or worse, that is not the world today – there is a constant 24 hour news cycle that has an effect on us.
How it impacts us
With the rise of the internet and social media our culture has shifted, and it has changed how the news is marketed to us. It now has salacious headlines or “clickbait” to reel you in and read or watch. The problem with this tactic is that the information in the actual article may not match the headline or gives an inaccurate impression of the information. Over time, this has caused incorrect information to be distributed as fact and distrust in the mainstream media/news.
Staying informed
The rise of misinformation on the internet has been weaponized in the political sphere know as “fake news.” In order to protect ourselves from being misinformed we need increase our critical thinking skills and be able to identify when we are not on a reputable site.
Below are two resources to assist you in identifying if the information you are reading is accurate and truthful:
On The Media BNCH Fake News
Fake-News-WorksheetProQuest
How to set boundaries with yourself
Between civil unrest, war, it being an election year, and continuing to live through “unprecedented times” there is a lot to cover. These topics cause us to experience intense emotions or feeling triggered, which can lead us to endlessly consume information on that topic by scrolling or watching the news. When we become addicted to the intense emotions or outrage this impacts our wellbeing and mental health.
There is a difference between getting the information and staying informed and endlessly scrolling / reading / watching what is going on in the world. If you find that you have a hard time stopping follow these steps to set boundaries with yourself:
1. Identify how much time you are spending scrolling or watching the news, and identify how it is making you feel.
2. How are you handling these emotions? Is it in a healthy way?
3. Explore other ways to process your emotions and cope with what is going on
4. Set limits around how much time you are spending consuming the news. (If you need to take a step down approach that’s okay!) There are apps out there that can do this for you or using an alarm system are your phone
5. Update app notifications to lessen the impulse to open an app and scroll or read
6. Don’t scroll while in bed to go to sleep or when you first wake up in the morning
7. Once you begin making changes, take stock of what is working and what is challenging. Make changes when necessary and repeat.
If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed or needs help setting boundaries Sonder is accepting new clients. Call or email today!