My mother has a saying that applies to people who are far away from us, “No news is good news.” It implies that if the news about our loved ones is bad, we will hear about it. Bad news travels quickly and good news does not. Therefore, no news means they are safe. These days I’m finding that reading the news is bad news because it’s affecting my ability to stay hopeful.
Bad News Habit
During the pandemic, I was a doomscroller. I scanned the news on my phone every day feeling like it was my duty to stay informed to protect my family and my students. Public health advisories and infection rates changed daily. Although it was stressful to stay up-to-date, the uncertainty of not knowing what was happening, made it seem essential.* But, as the pandemic receded this year, I find myself continuing to tune into the news. It’s become a habit.
News Consumption Affects Mental Health
There’s ample research indicating the negative effects that news has on our mental health. It increases anxiety and depression and, for catastrophic events such as the 9/11 attacks, it can create “post-traumatic stress symptoms two and three years later.”* Even though I’m grateful for investigative journalism and its knack for revealing the problems in society, I need to adjust my exposure to news media.
How To Handle The News
In Six Tips To Avoid Being Overwhelmed By The News, Dawn Branley-Bell, Ph.D., a chartered psychologist, suggests focusing on the positive stories.** It reminded me of the advice that Mr Rogers gave to parents when children were trying to process scary news and distressing events.
When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”***
– Mr Rogers
More Greta
It’s a hopeful message. For each distressing event look for those helping to improve things: more of Greta Thunberg and less focus on wild fires. Reading about people and organizations that see problems as opportunities to be innovative and help others is up-lifting. After all, there will never be a world without challenges.
Be Actively Seeking Good News
Bad news is noisy and easy to see. It will find me without me actively seeking it. Good news is quietly there but I need to be intentional about looking for it.**** Good news restores my hope.
****One site that I found that focuses on positive news stories is https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/
NOTE: For a positive outlook on many distressing events and decisions that humanity has, and is, making, I recommend Bina Venkataraman’s The Optimist’s Telescope. She served as senior adviser for climate change innovation in the Obama White House. She’s a helper. Click here.
*https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/science-doomscrolling/story?id=74402415
**https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/six_tips_to_avoid_being_overwhelmed_by_the_news
What good news have you found lately? Share the hopefulness and comment below.
Retired, And Now What? 
Since my wife and I made the life-changing decision to move into our forever home back in September of 2020, our lives have taken a delightful turn. One of the most significant changes we embraced was bidding farewell to television—yes, you heard it right—we haven’t watched television since then, and let me tell you, it has been nothing short of amazing for our mental well-being.
The impact on our mental health was profound. Without the constant barrage of news, advertisements, and mindless shows, we felt an overwhelming sense of calm and serenity. Our minds were no longer cluttered with unnecessary worries or trivial matters. We began to appreciate the simple pleasures of life, like watching the sunset from our backyard or sharing laughter over a board game.
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Thank you for sharing your positive experiences with quitting TV and excessive media. It sounds like it’s been an empowering decision that has created a more peaceful life for you both.
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