What is News Anxiety and How to Manage it?

Overexposure to Negative News

Most news outlets focus on negative stories because they get the most attention. Bad news about disasters, violence, and scandals gets more views since our brains are wired to pay close attention to potential threats.

So, when the headlines report violence, disasters, or threats, your brain reacts as if you’re in danger, even when you're safe. The more you watch or read bad news, the more anxious and powerless you feel.

Social Media and Information Overload

Social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok have made it easy for us to access news and updates 24/7. Unfortunately, the constant stream of unfiltered information can be overwhelming and trigger anxiety.

One minute you’re watching a cute dog video, and the next you’re hit with graphic footage from a war zone. Even though some of the information may be false, it still leaves a negative impact on your emotions.

Pre-Existing Anxiety Disorders

If you have an existing anxiety disorder, depression, or phobia, negative information can trigger news anxiety. You might dwell on disturbing stories, overanalyze possible threats, or find it hard to stop overthinking about what might go wrong.

Even a single negative story can cause you to spiral into racing thoughts or panic, which makes it so important to learn how to manage your symptoms.

Increased Feelings of Worry, Fear, and Dread

If you constantly worry about your safety or the future after consuming news, it may be a sign of news anxiety. You may feel like something bad is always just around the corner, making it hard to relax. These feelings can stay with you long after you’ve closed the article or app.

Constantly Feeling Sad and Hopeless

Bad or distressing news can make you feel hopeless. You may start to believe that nothing will ever improve. If you feel a deep sense of sadness or hopelessness about the state of things, this could be a sign of news anxiety.

Difficulty Concentrating or Focusing

When your mind is full of worries from the news, it's hard to focus on other things. You might struggle to concentrate at work or on daily tasks without your mind drifting to something troubling you saw in the news. If you’re having trouble completing tasks, you may have news anxiety.

Withdrawing from Social Interactions

News anxiety makes you feel so hopeless or disconnected that you may start isolating yourself from friends and family. You may avoid socializing because you feel too drained or want to avoid certain conversations. Social isolation makes news anxiety worse over time, affecting your overall mental health.

Doomscrolling on Social Media Platforms

This is one of the major signs of news anxiety. By endlessly scrolling through negative news, you can worsen your symptoms. It becomes a compulsive habit that’s hard to break because your brain craves closure or a sense of control. You feel anxious, scroll for reassurance, and end up feeling even more nervous.

Physical Symptoms like Fatigue and Headaches

Mental stress from news anxiety can manifest in your body. You may experience chronic tension headaches, muscle tightness, stomach issues, fatigue, or even chest pain from constant overthinking and anxiety.

Chronic Stress and Anxiety Disorders

When you repeatedly read or watch bad news, your brain interprets everything as a threat. This triggers your body’s stress response, also known as the fight or flight response. Your heart rate goes up, your muscles tense, and stress hormones like cortisol flood your system.

Over time, that stress builds up and raises your risk for developing chronic anxiety disorders, panic disorders, and even depression.

Decreased Productivity

News anxiety can mess with your ability to focus. You may find yourself spending too much time on news sites or social media. This breaks your concentration, increases procrastination, and reduces your overall productivity.

Negative news consumption can also leave you feeling mentally drained even before the day begins. You may feel foggy, unmotivated, or constantly distracted.

Desensitization or Emotional Numbness

When you see disturbing images or headlines over and over, it can eventually make you feel numb. You might stop reacting emotionally, not because you don’t care, but because the news anxiety is too overwhelming.

This is called emotional desensitization. It’s your mind’s way of protecting itself, but it can make it difficult to feel empathy or connect with others. You may also struggle to respond to your own needs or healthily process your emotions.

Poor Sleep Quality

News anxiety can lead to insomnia, irregular sleep patterns, and restlessness. Consuming news, especially right before bed, can lead to cognitive distortions and anxious thoughts. And when your mind is racing, falling asleep or staying asleep becomes difficult.

This can cause you to feel exhausted during the day, which can affect your productivity and quality of life. In some cases, news anxiety builds up to the extent that you can have news-related nightmares.

Since sleep is essential for your physical and mental health, you may experience even more issues when you don’t get enough of it.

Know Your Triggers

Everyone reacts differently to news. What makes someone else feel informed might leave you feeling overwhelmed or upset. Understanding what type of news causes your anxiety helps you take proper steps to reduce its impact on your mental health.

Here’s how to identify your anxiety triggers:

• Notice What Types of Stories Affect You Most: Various types of news, whether political, climate change, crime, or economic, can trigger your news anxiety.
• Pay Attention to Timing: Identify when you’re most anxious, whether it’s in the morning, before bed, or during stressful times of the day.
• Watch for Physical Symptoms: Look for signs of news anxiety after checking the news, such as a tight chest, an upset stomach, or an increased heart rate.

Limit Your News Consumption

One of the most effective ways to manage news anxiety is by setting boundaries. Decide how much news you’ll consume daily and reinforce it.

Instead of checking the headlines every hour and scrolling endlessly, try the following:

• Set a Schedule: Pick one or two times a day to check the news. For example, in the morning and early evening. Avoid checking late at night, since it can mess with your sleep.
• Use Time Limits: Decide how long you’ll consume news each day. For instance, you can stick to 15–30 minutes per session.
• Turn off Push Notifications: The whole point of alerts is to grab your attention. Removing them helps you resist the urge to check, helping reduce news anxiety.
• Designate No-News Zones: Assign areas in your house that are news-free. For example, your bedroom and bathroom. You can also ensure that you don’t consume any news during mealtimes.

Follow Credible News Sources

Choosing your news sources carefully can help you cope with news anxiety. Some news outlets focus on sensational headlines and clickbait stories, which can cause anxiety or worsen it.

Here’s how you can take control of your sources:

• Stick to Trustworthy Outlets: Look for reputable news organizations that report facts rather than overly dramatic and exaggerated stories.
• Avoid Opinion-Heavy Shows or Blogs: These sources often stir up emotions like fear and worry that trigger news anxiety.
• Balance Your Sources: Don’t just rely on one source. Getting different viewpoints from 2–3 credible outlets can help you see the bigger picture and feel less confused or worried.

Avoid Dwelling on Events Beyond Your Control

It’s normal to feel upset about what’s happening in the world. But constantly thinking about things you can’t change doesn’t help. It only worsens your news anxiety and drains your mental energy.

Instead of replaying negative news in your mind over and over, follow these tips to recover from anxiety and protect your mental well-being:

• If it’s a problem you can’t help solve, let it go.
• Shift your attention to what you can control, such as your daily habits, mindset, and actions.
• When your thoughts spiral, try grounding techniques for anxiety, like naming and counting objects around you or breathing exercises.
• Practice journaling. Writing things down can help you release worries instead of holding onto them.

Take Breaks from Screens and Social Media

Unplugging from your devices and social media accounts is one of the best ways to deal with news anxiety. It gives your mind a break from the constant stream of information and restores clarity and well-being.

Here’s how you can detox and manage news anxiety:

• Modify Phone Settings to Limit Usage: Most smartphones allow you to monitor and reduce screen time during certain hours.
• Spend Time in Nature: Take a walk, go for a hike, or simply sit in a park to calm your mind and regain control of your mental health.
• Engage in a Hobby: Read a physical book, cook, garden, or paint to occupy your mind and calm your nerves.

Practice Self-Care

When your mind feels cluttered with news anxiety, self-care can bring you back to the present and help you regain control of your thoughts. Practicing mindfulness and meditation calms your anxiety and soothes your mind.

Here's how you can manage news anxiety with simple self-care tactics:

• Try Mindful Breathing: When you feel a wave of anxiety, try breathing exercises to disrupt your thoughts. Pay attention to the sensation of the air entering and leaving your body to shift your focus away from stressful emotions.
• Practice Guided Meditations: If you're new to meditation, try using an app like Headspace or Calm. These platforms will walk you through the process of releasing negative thoughts. You can also pair this with sound therapy, such as listening to binaural beats, to deepen relaxation.
• Focus on Gratitude: Each day, list three things you’re thankful for in your gratitude journal. This helps you re-center on the positive things in your life.