There was a time when you could read a morning newspaper and catch the news at 11 and feel caught up on the essential issues of the day. Now, we face an onslaught of information from every direction, from practically every room in our house, at all times of the day and night. Unfortunately, after we put the phone on the nightstand and turn off the light, we may not notice how the day’s scrolling has affected us.
The endless stream of newsfeeds, Facebook posts, Instagram reels and rants and comments throughout the day may have far-reaching effects on our lives, and many of us are unaware of the risk.
“Humans are good at not paying attention to signals,” said Rhonda Swickert, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Psychology at the College of Charleston. “Our bodies have a stress response system that can result in muscle tension, stiffness in our back or neck, tension headaches or trouble sleeping. But it is often uncomfortable to sit with our emotional experiences so we may avoid processing these feelings. We may even start to feel like this heightened level of stress is normal and accept it.”
Without awareness of what’s happening to our mind and body, we may continue the same behaviors without realizing the effect they are having on us.
“We can expend a lot of energy pushing away negative feelings, but then we don’t apply the internal resources to address these feelings effectively,” explained Dr. Swickert.
Even if it doesn’t come naturally, Kay Newman LISW-CP, who has a practice in Charleston, agreed that one important step in handling stress is to be aware of how our body reacts and to understand how these outside influences affect us.
“Really notice when you feel calm and when you feel angst,” she said. “Practice living inside-out, not outside-in. That way you are taking time first to get information from inside yourself, to do a body scan and assess how you are feeling in that moment. Then you will be ready to be more protective of yourself when you interface with the outside world.”
“It’s not selfish to focus on yourself,” Newman added. “It’s really one aspect of self-care that helps us learn to connect to people authentically.” Newman also advised people to think critically before digesting news. “We should understand with curiosity what people are saying but always ask yourself if you really want to take it in and what purpose it will serve.”
Charles Kaiser, Ph.D., emeritus professor of psychology at the College of Charleston, has studied the causes and reactions to stress throughout his career. He believes we need to be aware of not only how we react to information but also how the information reaches us. “You need to know who you are getting your information from,” he said.
“It’s important to remember that you control the input,” he added. “You can ask yourself if the advantages of getting the information outweigh the disadvantages. If a person listens to the same stations and listens to the same people, they may close their minds and be unable to interpret events for themselves.”
Newman believes that we can take steps to limit our exposure to news. “I prescribe a news diet to my clients, and I live by it as well,” she said. “I want to know enough to be informed without gorging on all the information.”
Realizing that you oversee what you see and hear and how you react is central to some of the advice offered by Dr. Swickert.
“We can learn to consciously take ourselves in a different direction,” she said. “It’s possible to cultivate calm with practices such as meditation which prepare our body for stress. Once someone knows what their body and mind feel like when they are relaxed, they will start from a different place when they face a stressor.”
There are many ways to work on creating a peaceful atmosphere around you. For instance, you might practice meditation or simply participate in activities you enjoy, such as exercise, painting, reading, swimming, yoga, tai chi or working in your garden. “If anxiety is reduced, then it’s working for you,” said Dr. Kaiser.
Abbey Borich, MD, is a child and adolescent psychiatrist who has seen the physical and emotional toll that a constant barrage of information can have on her patients. “It’s good to be informed, but people need to identify their individual warning signs,” she said. “If someone is anxious or angry after seeing a news story or social media post, or if they are thinking about that item all day, they may not be doing the other things they enjoy.”
Dr. Borich suggested that parents can model positive behavior for their children by limiting their own time online. Parents can also set clear boundaries for their kids, either through written rules or by using tools to limit screen time. There are many tools readily available with smartphone apps and software. She advised parents that they should ideally wait until high school for their kids to have a smartphone.
She warned that regardless of how we believe we are shielding our kids from news, they most often are at least somewhat aware. When frightening news is trending, parents should take time to have age-appropriate talks with their kids.
“It’s an opportunity to take control of the narrative,” Borich said. “As a parent, you can find out what they know and how they have been feeling, and you can end the conversation on a positive note. For example, reminding them that they are safe and that you are available to talk.”
We have control over the amount and type of information we absorb and how we can best respond, added Newman.
“We can choose moment-to-moment what we want to do with our time,” she said. “It is important to pay attention to how we are feeling and realize that uneasiness can worsen if ignored. We have to understand and honor what we feel.”
By Lisa Wack
