Rising Impact of the News on Mental Health

[ShortCutie7]

Today, I saw a piece of news online that very much upset me… I was furiously reading all of the comments and kept going back to check on them.  It completely ruined my day!  And then I did some introspection: a couple years ago, the same kind of news would have made me think “that kind of sucks” and then I would have stopped thinking about it.

Has anyone else been experiencing this sort of shift in the news having a much bigger impact than it used to?  Why do we think that is?

[viewing ownly]

Unfortunately, shock value is not just limited to the comments people make about news stories, but now what used to be tabloid trash is everyday news. 

I hate reading articles that are just flat-out untruths for the purpose of gaining readers rather than having any accuracy. 

Here's how I've managed to improve my life immensely. Stop reading comments. Just from the way a headline is angled, you can already know what the masses are going to say, and it will undoubtedly piss you off frequently. Stop listening to "talk radio". It's boring as fuck to begin with - the callers make those shows unbearable. Plus, special guests dropping in NEVER have interesting, opposing views to make the discussion enlightening. 

[ShortCutie7]

4 hours ago, viewing ownly said:

Unfortunately, shock value is not just limited to the comments people make about news stories, but now what used to be tabloid trash is everyday news. 

I hate reading articles that are just flat-out untruths for the purpose of gaining readers rather than having any accuracy. 

Here's how I've managed to improve my life immensely. Stop reading comments. Just from the way a headline is angled, you can already know what the masses are going to say, and it will undoubtedly piss you off frequently. Stop listening to "talk radio". It's boring as fuck to begin with - the callers make those shows unbearable. Plus, special guests dropping in NEVER have interesting, opposing views to make the discussion enlightening. 

Thanks!  I’ll try to give more details without breaking forum rules…

An organization that I belong to posted an endorsement of a political candidate whose being in power would make me and many others feel unsafe.  This organization is not obligated to endorse ANY candidate for any office, but still decided to post an endorsement of this candidate, even knowing (I’m sure) that many of its members would be against it and feel the same way I do. This also means that the dues we pay to this organization will be funding advertising for this candidate.  But the worst part was not the comments on the post in support of this, but the fact that the handful of comments against it (and there would be more if people including myself weren’t afraid of getting blacklisted) were constantly being shut down and even labeled as spam.

[pubic_assistance]

6 hours ago, ShortCutie7 said:

Has anyone else been experiencing this sort of shift in the news having a much bigger impact than it used to?  Why do we think that is?

I can't say that the news has impacted ME differently, but I certainly observe how it rattles many other people in the manner in which you've shared about your own experience. As far as the "why" ? Pretty simple: Emotional thinking trumps logical thinking. The best way to gather people to one side or the other is to scare them/ upset them/ rattle them with strong emotional appeals.

Divide and Conquer is the end game.

Can't say more without discussing politics vs. sociology. 

[+ sync]

8 hours ago, ShortCutie7 said:

Today, I saw a piece of news online that very much upset me… I was furiously reading all of the comments and kept going back to check on them.  It completely ruined my day!  And then I did some introspection: a couple years ago, the same kind of news would have made me think “that kind of sucks” and then I would have stopped thinking about it.

Has anyone else been experiencing this sort of shift in the news having a much bigger impact than it used to?  Why do we think that is?

I frequently experience the same feelings of despair.  I've come to the conclusion that it's not so much the content of online/TV news but the constant repetition of it.  The second part of it is the scope of it.  There was a time when news was more locally confined, now if there is a fart anywhere in the world, it's shoved into our faces 24/7. 

[pubic_assistance]

1 hour ago, sync said:

I frequently experience the same feelings of despair.  I've come to the conclusion that it's not so much the content of online/TV news but the constant repetition of it. 

Well THAT is the intention of US news organizations ( all owned by the same three large global corporations). I never listen to US news, and therefore I don't expose myself to the angst-riddled-reporting. Maybe try this for yourself ? I stick to foreign news organizations that don't play this game.

[Nightowl]

My feeling is that, if most of what is currently happening in the world and being reporting in the news is not affecting your outlook for the future, peace of mind, and mental health, you are either enjoying your privilege or happy with what is going on.  

Edited July 29 by Nightowl

[rvwnsd]

On 7/28/2025 at 10:34 PM, ShortCutie7 said:

Has anyone else been experiencing this sort of shift in the news having a much bigger impact than it used to?  Why do we think that is?

No, I haven't. The events we see and experience today are no different than ones from ten, twenty, fifty, or a hundred years ago. Hyperbole, shock headlines, and misleading articles are also nothing new. If you don't believe me, read newspapers from the beginning of the twentieth century. You will see what I mean.

[d.anders]

I used to be a news junkie. In recent years, I canceled everything. Life is too short to allow the click-bate manipulators to get to you.

On 7/29/2025 at 2:48 AM, viewing ownly said:

Stop reading comments.

Except when researching recipes. The Comment section of many recipes on the internet can often be where the secrets are revealed.

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

On 7/29/2025 at 8:28 AM, Nightowl said:

My feeling is that, if most of what is currently happening in the world and being reporting in the news is not affecting your outlook for the future, peace of mind, and mental health, you are either enjoying your privilege or happy with what is going on.  

...or have developed adequate coping skills earlier in life which allow one to recognize the difference between what one can and cannot control then take action accordingly.

[pubic_assistance]

20 minutes ago, Vegas_Millennial said:

...or have developed adequate coping skills earlier in life which allow one to recognize the difference between what one can and cannot control then take action accordingly.

 

[+ PhileasFogg]

If it ruined your day, it’s because you allowed it too. I’m not trying to be snarky, but I’d encourage you to own your own happiness and don’t let forces beyond your control determine it for you.

30 yrs ago, that stuff bothered me.  In my 60’s, not so much.   Everything goes in cycles.  It’s like the weather - if you don’t like it, it’ll change. 

Edited Monday at 10:51 PM by PhileasFogg

[ShortCutie7]

7 minutes ago, PhileasFogg said:

If it ruined your day, it’s because you allowed it too. I’m not trying to be snarky, but I’d encourage you to own your own happiness and don’t let forces beyond your control determine it for you.

30 yrs ago, that stuff bothered me.  In my 60’s, not so much. 

Absolutely!  I am in my mid 30s and had never really felt this before.  And then, a few days later, I had almost forgotten about the news that upset me, when I received an email that not just reminded me but gave me context that made me even more upset!  I’m fine now; I was frankly more upset by my reactions to the news than to the news itself.

[Lotus-eater]

1 hour ago, Vegas_Millennial said:

...or have developed adequate coping skills earlier in life which allow one to recognize the difference between what one can and cannot control then take action accordingly.

This is wise and a core tenet of Stoicism. Younger generations face a double whammy of being much more exposed to electronic media and appear to have developed less resilience.

Edited Tuesday at 12:08 AM by Lotus-eater

[Nightowl]

21 hours ago, Vegas_Millennial said:

...or have developed adequate coping skills earlier in life which allow one to recognize the difference between what one can and cannot control then take action accordingly.

That approach certainly works in normal life but in today’s situation, saying “I can’t change that” only works if you aren’t touched by what is happening (privilege).  If your relatives or employees are being rounded up, you health isurance is at risk, or you job is in danger, I don’t see how one could say “oh well, can’t change that.  What’s for dinner?”

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

14 minutes ago, Nightowl said:

That approach certainly works in normal life but in today’s situation, saying “I can’t change that” only works if you aren’t touched by what is happening (privilege).  If your relatives or employees are being rounded up, you health isurance is at risk, or you job is in danger, I don’t see how one could say “oh well, can’t change that.  What’s for dinner?”

At the risk of being called a Pollyanna,

If you have relatives.... It means you're not alone in this world, which is privileged

If you have employees.... It means you are a business owner or manager, which is privileged

If you have health insurance to begin with, you are privileged.  If you make enough money to not qualify for subsidized Medicaid, you are privileged. 

If you have a job to lose, you are privileged.

So... Start training and looking for that new job before things get so bad you're forced out.  Start taking care of your health and find the resources you need before you are hit with an emergency.  Start advertising now for new employees with the right to work in your location.  Start reaching out to extended family members for housing and jobs in your home country.

It would be more stressful to NOT read the news and just rely on rumors from talk shows and Internet forums.  There's no way to prepare for the future if you don't know what's changing.

Edited Tuesday at 08:02 PM by Vegas_Millennial

[Nightowl]

23 minutes ago, Vegas_Millennial said:

At the risk of being called a Pollyanna,

If you have relatives.... It means you're not alone in this world, which is privileged

If you have employees.... It means you are a business owner or manager, which is privileged

If you have health insurance to begin with, you are privileged.  If you make enough money to not qualify for subsidized Medicaid, you are privileged. 

If you have a job to lose, you are privileged.

So... Start training and looking for that new job before things get so bad you're forced out.  Start taking care of your health and find the resources you need before you are hit with an emergency.  Start advertising now for new employees with the right to work in your location.  Start reaching out to extended family members for housing and jobs in your home country.

It would be more stressful to NOT read the news and just rely on rumors from talk shows and Internet forums.  There's no way to prepare for the future if you don't know what's changing.

I know and understand what you’re saying.  Perhaps one’s outlook depends on one’s age.  I am past looking for new jobs.  As for listening to rumors, I guarantee that that is not what I do.  I live in the DC area where what is happening is very real, close to home, and in the news daily.

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

15 minutes ago, Nightowl said:

Perhaps one’s outlook depends on one’s age.  

True.  I've read studies that showed people in their 30s,40s,50s have more anxiety than other age groups, regardless of time period.  It's ironic because that's when people typically have the greatest power to change their circumstances, because they have decades of experience and still decades more of opportunity. 

17 minutes ago, Nightowl said:

I live in the DC area where what is happening is very real, close to home, and in the news daily.

When I was much younger and hadn't figured out which news sources to trust, I discovered that I felt less anxious when I watched news that wasn't always "picking on" the administration in charge.  So during one administration, I watched one news source.  Then when the administration switched, I switched news sources.  I will admit that those same 2 news sources, which are around today, have grown extreme in the way they lean.  So now I avoid television news altogether and try to read only newspapers, and even then read them with a lense to focus on the facts and not the reporter's opinion.

In summary, I don't think it's the events of the day which is causing increase in anxiety.  But rather, it's the new way those events are reported.  We've had civil wars, nuclear wars, depression, famine, and terrorism in the past.  But at least then we only read about it once a day from one or two sources.  Now it's instant, non-stop, and mostly opinion and speculation (hardly news).

[Lotus-eater]

1 hour ago, Nightowl said:

That approach certainly works in normal life but in today’s situation, saying “I can’t change that” only works if you aren’t touched by what is happening (privilege).  If your relatives or employees are being rounded up, you health isurance is at risk, or you job is in danger, I don’t see how one could say “oh well, can’t change that.  What’s for dinner?”

"Privilege" is a matter of perspective. People who remained in the US illegally and were afforded a temporary reprieve for years before being deported are just as easily categorized as privileged. Also, your concept of normal life is distorted. People lose jobs and benefits everyday for all sorts of economic, political, etc. reasons that are beyond a person's individual control. The current situation isn't any different in that regard. What a person does have control over is whether they fly into a rage or despair.

Edited Tuesday at 09:12 PM by Lotus-eater

[Nightowl]

24 minutes ago, Lotus-eater said:

"Privilege" is a matter of perspective. People who remained in the US illegally and were afforded a temporary reprieve for years before being deported are just as easily categorized as privileged. Also, your concept of normal life is distorted. People lose jobs and benefits everyday for all sorts of economic, political, etc. reasons that are beyond a person's individual control. The current situation isn't any different in that regard. What a person does have control over is whether they fly into a rage or despair.

Thank you for telling me my views are distorted.

[Nightowl]

4 hours ago, Vegas_Millennial said:

True.  I've read studies that showed people in their 30s,40s,50s have more anxiety than other age groups, regardless of time period.  It's ironic because that's when people typically have the greatest power to change their circumstances, because they have decades of experience and still decades more of opportunity. 

When I was much younger and hadn't figured out which news sources to trust, I discovered that I felt less anxious when I watched news that wasn't always "picking on" the administration in charge.  So during one administration, I watched one news source.  Then when the administration switched, I switched news sources.  I will admit that those same 2 news sources, which are around today, have grown extreme in the way they lean.  So now I avoid television news altogether and try to read only newspapers, and even then read them with a lense to focus on the facts and not the reporter's opinion.

In summary, I don't think it's the events of the day which is causing increase in anxiety.  But rather, it's the new way those events are reported.  We've had civil wars, nuclear wars, depression, famine, and terrorism in the past.  But at least then we only read about it once a day from one or two sources.  Now it's instant, non-stop, and mostly opinion and speculation (hardly news).

That may be the difference in our perspectives.  Yours comes from how the news was presented.  Mine came from living it as a long term employee of the government, living and breathing 24/7 what others only regard as the nightly news.

[+ ApexNomad]

4 hours ago, Lotus-eater said:

"Privilege" is a matter of perspective. People who remained in the US illegally and were afforded a temporary reprieve for years before being deported are just as easily categorized as privileged. Also, your concept of normal life is distorted. People lose jobs and benefits everyday for all sorts of economic, political, etc. reasons that are beyond a person's individual control. The current situation isn't any different in that regard. What a person does have control over is whether they fly into a rage or despair.

I think that oversimplifies a complex situation.

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

1 hour ago, Nightowl said:

That may be the difference in our perspectives.  Yours comes from how the news was presented.  Mine came from living it as a long term employee of the government, living and breathing 24/7 what others only regard as the nightly news.

True.  I've worked for local government for the last quarter of a century.  For my own sanity, I will not read the local section of the newspaper while our state legislature is in session.  Since I have no personal power to control what happens either way, it's best I wait until the legislative session ends to see what new laws were passed and how they affect me and what I need to change to compensate for them, both professionally and personally.  Thankfully, our legislature is constitutionally restricted to meeting for only 120 days every 2 years; so, that's only 120 days where I need to avoid the local news.

It's the unknown that's more nerve wracking than the final law, executive order itself, or court ruling itself.

Edited Wednesday at 02:29 AM by Vegas_Millennial

[+ sync]

5 hours ago, Vegas_Millennial said:

At the risk of being called a Pollyanna,

If you have relatives.... It means you're not alone in this world, which is privileged

If you have employees.... It means you are a business owner or manager, which is privileged

If you have health insurance to begin with, you are privileged.  If you make enough money to not qualify for subsidized Medicaid, you are privileged. 

If you have a job to lose, you are privileged.

So... Start training and looking for that new job before things get so bad you're forced out.  Start taking care of your health and find the resources you need before you are hit with an emergency.  Start advertising now for new employees with the right to work in your location.  Start reaching out to extended family members for housing and jobs in your home country.

It would be more stressful to NOT read the news and just rely on rumors from talk shows and Internet forums.  There's no way to prepare for the future if you don't know what's changing.

I believe Pollyanna is accurate.  I like the positive slant of your posting, but your view(s) may apply to the few rather than the many.

"If you have relatives.... It means you're not alone in this world, which is privileged"

•      If those relatives are a spouse and children or other family member(s) dependent upon your income, it is not a privilege, it's a           responsibility.

"If you have employees.... It means you are a business owner or manager, which is privileged"

•      If you are combating ever rising costs, employees being abducted or too fearful to report for work, or a manager whose salary         may be unsustainable, those are not privileges, they are perils.

"If you have health insurance to begin with, you are privileged.  If you make enough money to not qualify for subsidized Medicaid, you are privileged."

•       I believe most would not regard those as privileges, but necessities

"If you have a job to lose, you are privileged."

•       I believe most would regard that as fortunate rather than privileged.

"So... Start training and looking for that new job before things get so bad you're forced out."

•        A possibility if one's current employment allows the time off for searching and interviews

"Start advertising now for new employees with the right to work in your location."

•        A possibility if one's business is thriving sufficiently for staff increases rather than layoffs.

"Start taking care of your health and find the resources you need before you are hit with an emergency."

•        A possibility if one's healthcare is not dependent on pricey prescriptions or services not covered by the plan

 "Start reaching out to extended family members for housing and jobs in your home country."     

•        Many people are here because of the intolerable conditions in their home countries.

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

6 minutes ago, sync said:

I believe Pollyanna is accurate.  I like the positive slant of your posting, but your view(s) may apply to the few rather than the many.