Three Ways To Avoid Media Negativity If It Fuels Your Anxiety

If you struggle with an anxiety disorder, you might find that your symptoms are worse after you follow the news. There's a lot of negativity in today's news, and this may be detrimental for those with anxiety. For example, if you hear about an incident in a country that your child is visiting on vacation, you might get extremely anxious — even if he or she isn't traveling there for several months. Some people who are sensitive to such negativity make a pledge to avoid following the media. Staying away from the newspaper and not watching the TV news is easy enough, but here are some other methods that you can use:

Change Your Internet Home Page

When many people click to load their internet browser, the home page is set to a page that often includes a series of headlines. Even if you're just eager to check your email, you may find your eyes scanning these headlines, picking up on things that are negative, and causing your anxiety to skyrocket. A simple solution is to change your internet home page. Adjust your settings so that the browser loads to your email sign-in page, or get creative and pick a different site that will uplift you, such as a site that relates to your hobbies.

Make Changes To Your Smartphone

If you have news apps on your smartphone, consider deleting them so that you won't be tempted to open them and scroll through the news headlines when you're bored. Should you decide to keep these apps, make sure to turn off their pop-up notifications. The last thing that you want when you're trying to avoid negativity in the media is to be holding your phone and have a notification for an upsetting news story appear on your screen.

Make Playlists And Download Podcasts

When you're stuck in your car during your daily commute or on a long drive, it's easy to get bored. One thing that many people do when they're bored is turn on the radio, but this can expose you to negative news stories that trigger your anxiety. Resist the urge to use the radio by building playlists of your favorite songs — including those that are uplifting to you — on your smartphone, and also installing podcasts. You can then connect your device to the car stereo and enjoy listening to these things instead of the news. A significant struggle with anxiety can be disruptive to your life, so don't hesitate to seek out a counselor who specializes in anxiety.

For more information, you can contact clinics like The A Treatment Center.

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