No News is Good News: Avoiding the Media for your own Wellbeing, and Why Hearing News from Loved Ones is Easier to Digest
The news has always been a bit of a minefield, but now more than ever, we are inundated with new information and current events that make even normies struggle with the realities of this fucked up world. It’s little wonder that T/MIs have such a hard time digesting the news of the world today, but maybe there’s a way to filter it out that will leave you feeling more stable, even if you’re a little less informed.
EMOTIONAL STORMS, WHAT METEOROLOGISTS CAN’T PREDICT
When I was first diagnosed with Bipolar, I stopped watching the news altogether. There were too many triggers, too much suffering in the world, for me to be able to focus on my own healing while still giving a shit about the world around me. It was selfish, but ultimately, it helped me to find my equilibrium. But it was also very isolating. I had no idea what was going on in the world around me, and it was hard to connect with people socially because I was so “out of touch.”
I still think it was the right call for me at the time, and my psychiatrists and therapists tended to agree: I was not ready to face the grim reality without unraveling all the progress that I had made.
I think the same could be said for anyone with mental illness. If you are too focused on the woes of the world, you may not be able to focus on your own wellbeing. One will ultimately cancel out the other, and you’re back at square one. This is where that over-used phrase “Put on your own oxygen mask before you help others” comes in. Your health and stability are your key focus. If you are still struggling to maintain that, then you may not be capable of handling the tailspin of current events. And that’s okay!
Let me say that again, for you guys in the back: That. Is. Okay.
Choosing yourself over others is often thought of as a selfish act.
But if you need to be selfish in order to get yourself into a place where you can function in reality, fuck selflessness.
Don’t allow yourself to be put in situations where you can be triggered.
READER’S DIGEST: A BIT OF TRUTH IS EASIER TO CHEW
Easier said than done, right? I know; it’s a tall order. The news is EVERYWHERE nowadays. You can’t even scroll through social media without being thrown into often-terrifying world events. I’m not suggesting turning an entirely blind eye to the news, but there are ways to dip your toes in instead of diving headfirst into the depths.
I would recommend small bites in small timeframes. Give yourself a time limit and look at the news in “highlights” on your trusted news sources. If you are getting the gist of the current climate (not of the weather, but of the world), you will still be informed and prepared, but you won’t allow yourself to dwell and wallow.
Small bites & small timeframes. I’m talking 3 skimmed articles in a 15 min window. And once that window has closed shut, you’re done for the day. Or the week. Take it slow at first, and decide as you go how much you are up for in terms of your current personal struggle.
BREAKING NEWS FROM A FAMILIAR VOICE
There is inherent comfort in familiarity, so if the struggle is real right now, and you’re teetering on the edge of instability, you may want to consider pawning this task off to a loved one.
I’ve always found that being given bad news from someone you love hurts less than it does from a disembodied voiceover and a montage of horrific images. When you hear disturbing, frightening, or depressing information on the news, it seems almost like a slap in the face to something that is already causing you immense distress.
I’m sure the newscasters try their best to have a calm and comforting demeanor, but I have found that TV journalists voices and characters are, at best, highly professional and, at worst, comical—and not in the fun way, but in the begging-us-to-make-fun-of-them way.
So my preferred news anchor is my husband. He tells me the important things that I need to know to stay in the loop, he filters out the stuff he doesn’t think I need to know based on my personal triggers, and he relays truly terrible news in a way that’s also comforting, because I know I can get a hug from him or a shoulder to cry on should I need it. Lester Holt never offered that service, as far as I’m aware.
THAT’S THE WAY THE COOKIE CRUMBLES
Whether you’re limiting the time you spend digesting the news or relying on a friend, family member, or significant other to provide you with the highlights (or low-lights, as is more often the case these days), you are giving yourself permission to be informed while not allowing yourself to dwell.
During this turbulent time in our world, it seems impossible and irresponsible to stay in the dark while you work on yourself. I completely understand your hesitation to lock yourself away. So I hope these guidelines and suggestions help provide a starting point for you—not to drown in current events both terrifying and depressing, but to be informed enough to get by while protecting your own mental wellbeing.
