Stop Freaking Out: How to Deal With The Onslaught of Bad News While Staying Informed

Let me affirm what you are feeling right now: things are overwhelming. That is the point. The sheer deluge of crisis-inducing executive orders, funding freezes, mass firings, and the dismantling of safeguards for vulnerable and marginalized communities day after day feels oppressive.

Again that is the point.

The point is to completely overwhelm you so that you turn away and tune out. It is a strategy known as shock and awe, a military strategy where one group bombards another until the latter is stunned into forfeit. This strategy is meant to literally beat the opposition into submission. It is meant to frustrate into disillusionment. It's meant to wear out resolve and wear down strength. That is what we are experiencing.

The news cycle doesn’t help. I would say it makes it worse. It feels like every major media organization hones in on crises creating an exponentially worse vortext that can feel consuming.

So what do we, the people, do then; when detrimental and harmful actions in combination with the bad news cycle overburden and overwhelm us daily? How do we stop the dread that comes with every news alert, every update, every breaking news flash across our screens? How can we stay informed when it feels like the walls are closing in and the harm is creeping closer to our front doors? There are lots of ways to combat the overwhelm.

First, find and lean heavily on community:

Who is your “community”? It could be your neighbors. It could be your family. It could be your chosen family or friends. This is the time to gather close, especially if you find yourself in need of emotional support.

Also, get to know what services exist in your own neighborhood or vicinity. Meet your local farmers. Connect with local support groups. Join a few "no buy" groups. Regularly support mutual aid.

Next, find and support your “trusted voices”:

With all of the media spin and in light of former stalwarts of journalism making questionable moves lately, this is the time to find and support the voices you deem trustworthy. From independent fact-based journalism organizations to local small papers, these are going to be your best sources for the news you can use. They will focus less on spin and more on the facts. Bonus points if they offer you actionable solutions.

Another tip: Take regular breaks from all the chaos:

Toni Morrison’s words ring ever true, “You cannot constantly hone on the crisis.” No one can or should focus on the constant and incessant stream of bad news. Avoid doom-scrolling like the plague. Avoid arguing in the comments section. Avoid all of the anxiety-inducing headlines. Take a break. Take a breath. Take a nap. Take a walk. Whatever you need to do to keep your sanity and protect your peace, do that.

Learn the difference between being consumed and being informed:

Understand why you doom scroll, to begin with: it’s because you care. You care about your community. You care about other communities. You care about the state of things and how it will affect you and those you love. That is a good thing.

But there is a difference between being consumed by the news and being informed. Being consumed looks like doom scrolling. It looks like the news is on all the time. It looks like reacting to every breaking news flash. Being informed, however, is knowing what is going on but not allowing it to control you. Being informed means being aware of the issues but not reacting or overreacting to them. Being informed means having a grasp of issues without those issues having a grasp on you.

Finally, but equally as important, take action:

There is no way one person can or should combat every single issue that arises. The good news is that you do not have to. That is what the larger community is for. These times do not demand one solitary hero, but an engaged community of well-informed people ready and excited to act.

The best thing we can do as individuals is choose a few issues that are most important to us and concentrate our energy on them. Keep the list of issues short. Keep our actions focused. That doesn't mean you abandon other causes, but it does mean you conserve your energy. That way, you avoid burnout.

When overwhelm is the point, leaning in on caring for yourself and for your community is the solution. Finding solutions is the solution. Taking breaks is the solution. Being the solution is the solution.