5 Things To Do When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed By The News

If you pay even a tiny bit of attention to the news these days, you probably feel like there is always something happening that you should be concerned about.

Social media is a tsunami of stories and viewpoints and opinions at the best of times, and at the worst… well, it’s no wonder that so many of us get overwhelmed by it all.

If and when you’re finding it tough, here are some things you can do to be good to yourself and others.

Switch off…

You don’t have to torment yourself with scrolling through Twitter or news articles or Facebook comments, even though it can be hard to tear yourself away. Watch a nice YouTube video instead (I always go for this chatty porcupine as a pick-me-up, personally), stick on an episode of Queer Eye, or turn your phone off altogether for a little while.

…And don’t feel bad about it

Sometimes it feels almost wrong to turn away or step out of the conversation when there’s something big happening in the world, but deciding not to get involved is A-OK if it saves you from getting stressed and anxious.

It is possible to stay informed without it being debilitating – maybe consider setting a time each day to catch up on the news without getting too into the nitty gritty.

Go for a walk

Or just move your body in some way. A 20-minute Yoga With Adriene video, for example, will leave you feeling extremely serene and refreshed.

Make a donation

So often, we can feel completely powerless to do anything about the issues we hear about in the news. But if you can, a small donation to an organisation or campaign (like the Rape Crisis Network Ireland, Focus Ireland, Together For Yes, or the Irish Cancer Society) will always be appreciated.

Take action

It can be something as big as deciding to volunteer, or as small as making an effort to be kinder as you go about your day. Either of these things can make a difference.

• mental health